Some medical conditions or medications can cause you to feel emotional numbness. This is when you feel a sense of isolation or an emotional disconnect from everything. You feel like you have no future and no hope for the numbness to go away. Emotions are a very important component in all people and should be treated right away before you do not feel anything anymore.
There are many causes as to how you can feel emotionally numb. It can be a side effect to anxiety or depression as well as elevated stress, nervousness or PTSD. Medications that treat anxiety or depression can also cause emotional numbness on how the brain processes mood and emotion. Stress hormones affect the limbic system which is located at the center of the brain and is responsible for your emotions. You can be so stressed that you lack emotional and physical energy that you no longer enjoy your favorite activities.
In order to treat emotional numbness, go to a doctor or a therapist to identify and treat the underlying cause of your numbness and you will be asked what medications to take and other symptoms. If it is the result of a medication, your doctor may switch it to something different to avoid feeling this side effect. When antidepressants take six weeks to work, the doctor could prescribe anti-anxiety medications while others kick into your system. You should also make a connection to the people in your life who love you and explain to them why you have been feeling isolated and withdrawn so they do not feel like you are mad at them or do not care about them.
Even if you do not have the energy to exercise, you will feel better once you do everyday. There are exercises such as running, walking, swimming, kickboxing, and yoga that will help relieve stress and flood the brain with feel good endorphins. It is also important to get at least eight hours of sleep to improve your mood as well as eating healthy food. In the long-term, do what you can to improve your stress management like doing mindfulness meditation. For those who have been emotionally numb for an extended period of time, you might have trouble identifying or processing different emotions in which you can see a therapist for that. Emotional numbness is not a life sentence and that treatment is always an option.
Located in downtown Midland, The Springboard Center’s mission is to offer programs and services to treat alcohol and drug addiction treatment using an evidence based curriculum, 12 step programs, diet, nutrition, exercise, emotional, mental and spiritual development for a long recovery. For more information, please call us at 432-620-0255 as we are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
