Sometimes, depression is emotional numbness. Depression can display in many ways, and most of the time, it isn’t what people think it is. It’s not always crying all the time or praying that you don’t exist. Sometimes, depression is emotional numbness. Depression can be draining. It takes a toll on your mind and body, and after you’ve cried all your tears and felt its weight, your body and mind feel physically numb. It’s difficult to process these feelings of extreme sadness, and depression is beyond sorrow. Depression feels like weights attached to your body that you can’t remove, pulling your limbs to the ground as you try and try to drag your way through life. Nobody can see how hard it is for you to function. Some people might call you “lazy” or “unmotivated.” In reality, you’re trying to manage a mental illness. That’s not an easy feat.
What does it feel like to be emotionally numb?
When you feel emotionally numb, you don’t have any sensation. There’s nothing there. You feel “blank,” or like there’s a hint of something you could be feeling, but it’s substantially blunted. Feeling numb can alarm people and make you think that there’s something wrong with you there’s nothing wrong with you; you are just exhausted from having so many feelings.
It’s difficult to process them all at once, and sometimes, the way people cope is by shutting down. That’s what happens when you’ve experienced depression for a long time; you’re tired, and understandably so.
What do you do when you can’t feel anything?
Don’t judge yourself when you feel emotionally numb. You’re not doing anything wrong, you’re feeling your feelings, and that’s not easy sometimes. Some emotions aren’t pleasant, and we can’t control what we feel and at what time. It would be convenient if we could, but that’s not the nature of emotions. They are unpredictable, and sometimes they hurt us. There are times when our emotions overwhelm us, and that’s a part of life. It’s like when you pour yourself a glass of water, and it accidentally overflows. You didn’t do anything wrong, your drink just overflowed. In the same way, sometimes our emotions are too much for our minds and bodies to handle. As a result of your feelings being too much, you’re drained, and being compassionate towards yourself during this time is essential.
There’s nothing wrong with you!
There’s nothing wrong with you. You are a good person, and you do have feelings. You are just extremely tired, as anyone would be when struggling with depression. Depression and who you are as an individual aren’t connected. You are someone who is experiencing depression, and you’re not your thoughts or feelings; you are you. If you find yourself feeling this way, you can reach out for help. There’s nothing to be ashamed of, and so many people have experienced the same. While you may feel alone sometimes, you aren’t.
Online counseling
Online counseling is an excellent place to reach out for the support you need when you can’t feel. It’s confusing and tough to feel numb, and again, it’s not a reflection of you as an individual. It’s OK to feel lost, and that’s why online counselors are there to support you through this time. Feeling numb isn’t forever. Sometimes it’s a bridge between emotions. You may have felt depressed, and started to heal. Once you process depression, you will move on to another feeling. An online therapist or counselor will give you a safe place to work through what you’re going through, and they’ll be able to help you feel again.
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Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade; covering a variety of health related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.
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