Have This Symptom? Emotionally Numb

[moki]

I can totally relate. I cannot seem to muster any love for my spouse of 20 years. I am depressed and anxious most of the time. It kills him to know I don't love him. But I think it is a mechanism to protect myself somehow.

 

[goingonhope]

GS, emotionally numb, yes, not all the time, but at times and sometimes for longer periods than I'm comfortable with. I have been known to be emtionally numb and unable to feel, for lengths of time either the pleasant and at differing times the unpleasant negative emotions, when I ought to be feeling them.

I too think, for me, it is interwoven with dissociation.

Hope

 

[christodenisto]

I have been completely emotionally numb for a year now.

It is devastating, and I can't work out how to get out of it.

 

[resurrection]

It Does Get Better

I used to think I had sold my soul but I realise nowI was just turning all my anger in on myself.I believe that if you have PTSD , EMOTIONAL NUMBNESS is a symptom of the trauma u have experienced (the loss of trust, social anxiousness where everyone becomes a threat etc) and I believe it to be the worst symptom, I used to feel like an alien sometimes, totally disconnected, it is a really horrible thing.But I can assure you it does get better :thumbs-up. Give it time and try not to beat yourself up for feeling that way, I think as you can see by the response that were all are having to deal with this. ALL THE BEST

 

[resurrection]

It Does Get Better

I used to think I had sold my soul but I realise nowI was just turning all my anger in on myself.I believe that if you have PTSD , EMOTIONAL NUMBNESS is a symptom of the trauma u have experienced (the loss of trust, social anxiousness where everyone becomes a threat etc) and I believe it to be the worst symptom, I used to feel like an alien sometimes, totally disconnected, it is a really horrible thing.But I can assure you it does get better :thumbs-up. Give it time and try not to beat yourself up for feeling that way, I think as you can see by the response that were all are having to deal with this. ALL THE BEST

 

[nie]

I actually talked about this with my psychiatrist this past week. I have been really hurting lately. She stated she thought that was actually progress, because I am feeling instead of being numb. I had no idea how much pain I was really in, because I was just numb to it all. Now that I am starting to have emotions, it is really hard. However, I am glad that it is progress, no matter how unpleasant it is.

 

[John_R]

I can completely shut down when I'm uncomfortable. It's like turning a light switch on and off. All it takes is a word, or statement that I perceive as rejection and wham! I'm an iceberg.

If I'm in a conversation with someone, and they say something that invokes that in me, I try to ask, "what do you mean?" or, "I'm not sure what you're trying to say." Then I shut up and let them answer. Most times what I heard them say isn't what they said, or meant by what they said.

What is discouraging is that I would like not to shut down at all. But, I guess I should be grateful that I know what to do when it happens. This gives me a choice compared to no choice over my actions.

John

 

[Deleted member 487]

Yeah John, that I know so well. Sometimes it's good, and sometimes it's not. I remember a couple times girlfriends would say something that would "trip my switch" and I'd go cold on them. They'd try apologizing, but as much in my heart it hurts my head would say "no way". This saved me a few times though as I'd find the GF that hurt me may have had ulterior motives. People laugh and scoff at such a statement, but then they haven't been where I've been either. If they had, they'd understand.