The feeling of emotional numbness can be hard to put into words, and your experience of it may be different than another person’s. Some describe it as feeling “blank,” empty or detached from yourself. Or it may seem like the world around you has gone slightly out of focus or lost some of its color.

Most of the time, emotional numbness is caused by something else and it doesn’t hang around for long. This means there are likely some things you can do to find relief. This article covers some of the most common causes of emotional numbness and what to do if you’re feeling this way.

Why do I feel numb and how can I start feeling better?

Emotional numbness could be your response to physical fatigue, stress and overwhelm. Or it could be a symptom of an underlying condition like major depressive disorder, PTSD, an anxiety disorder or depersonalization-derealization disorder. And sometimes, antidepressants can cause emotional numbness as a side effect. Most college students experience a mental health condition at some point while they’re in school. Unfortunately, few end up seeking treatment or exploring on-campus resources. 

In any situation when you’re feeling numb, there is help available. In addition to mental health treatment, taking care of your physical health can help you start feeling like yourself again. You can also try practicing mindfulness and relaxation techniques. Make sure you’re eating a balanced diet, sleeping eight to nine hours each night, and exercising regularly. Also, spending time with friends can help you feel better — even if you don’t talk about your feelings.

What does emotional numbness feel like?

“Numbness” can describe several closely related feelings. You may be feeling apathetic, indifferent, unfocused, withdrawn, distant, disillusioned, empty, isolated or nothing at all. There may be days when a lot of time goes by and you hardly notice. Some people show their emotional numbness outwardly, and with others, it can be hard to tell that there’s something wrong. When you start to lose your motivation or feel compelled to self-isolate, emotional numbness can start to affect your life.

What can cause feelings of emotional numbness?

It can be hard to tell exactly what’s causing emotional numbness. It could be a combination of different physical conditions, life circumstances and overwhelming emotions. When the body endures physical fatigue or prolonged stress and anxiety, exhaustion and high levels of stress hormones can leave you feeling emotionally numb. It could also be a result of repressing intense emotions like anger.

The following issues may be contributing to your emotional numbness:

• Physical and mental fatigue — Burnout is a very real phenomenon. People who report high levels of stress at work can be less emotionally reactive and experience depersonalization or cynicism.
• Elevated stress — Lower stress hormone levels after periods of elevated stress have been associated with periods of emotional numbness in people with PTSD.
• Effects of trauma — In individuals who have experienced trauma, rapid fluctuation between a baseline emotional state and stress responses has been linked with more reported feelings of emotional numbness.
• Medication side effects — Antidepressant use can potentially cause emotional blunting, but it may also be a residual effect of insufficient treatment of depression. Each individual should work with their prescriber to manage both the symptoms of the primary condition and the side effects of the medication.
• Dissociative disorders — Emotional numbness with other symptoms like memory gaps, out-of-body experiences or an altered sense of time can be a feature of a dissociative disorder. This goes beyond momentary bouts of dissociation in episodes that last for long periods of time.

How to get short-term relief from emotional numbness 

When you’re feeling numb, you may not want to do much of anything. But getting started is the hardest part. You can change your mood pattern by changing your environment or working out some of the negative feelings bogging you down. 

Try these strategies for some quick relief:

• Get some joyful movement — Go for a walk, do some yoga, or turn up your favorite music and dance.
• Connect with a friend — Talking about anything with a good friend can release feel-good hormones and help you feel more grounded.
• Release pent-up feelings — Repressing negative feelings like anger or frustration can contribute to emotional blunting. Find a kickboxing gym or throw stones into a pond or a lake to release some negative energy.
• Try grounding or mindfulness practices — Get out of your head and back into your body by practicing mindfulness. Sitting outside on a nice patch of grass can be very therapeutic. Imagine a root extending through the base of your spine and connecting you with the earth.

How to prevent emotional numbness in the long term

If you’ve been feeling this way for a while, you may need some help from a licensed clinician. There are some things you can start to do now that may make you more resilient to feelings of numbness in the future.

Explore these long-term solutions for emotional numbness:

• Psychotherapy — A therapist can help you safely explore where these feelings are coming from and navigate your personal development for a better overall mood.
• Medication — Some people need medication to help them manage their moods and emotions. Talk with your doctor or a psychiatrist about medications that may help.
• Building up your emotional resilience — Building a long-term mindfulness practice can help you feel more embodied and grounded in general. Try finding a yoga class or a meditation podcast to listen to.

Explore treatments that can help you feel like yourself again

Recognizing that you’re not feeling well and you could use some help is an important first step. Reaching out to a friend or a professional is a great sign of maturity and growth. There may be some mental health resources available on campus. Your resident adviser or your campus health center should be able to point you in the right direction. Finding a therapist you like is another step you can take while you’re managing a busy school schedule.

If you feel like you need a higher level of mental health care, Lightfully U may be for you. It’s a virtual Intensive Outpatient Program (vIOP) for young adults aged 18 to 25. You can make your treatments work around your school schedule and attend virtual sessions from anywhere. You’ll meet others who are working on their mental health, too.

Have questions? Get in touch with an Admissions Counselor or contact us.