Emotional Numbness: In this state, one doesn't feel sadness either, learn why this happens and how it is connected to spirituality!

 

What is Emotional Numbness? Learn its symptoms and causes...

Emotional Numbness: In this state, one doesn't feel sadness either. Learn why this happens and how it is connected to spirituality!

We start pushing emotions aside!

Emotions make us feel alive, and if they are absent, we become mere puppets. To connect with people, to express ourselves, or to feel our own existence, we need these emotions. But many times, these emotions become burdensome, and in an attempt to avoid them, we start shutting down, not only from the painful emotions but also from the good ones. However, it becomes dangerous when we get caught up in trying to evade a severe mental issue or, say, mental illness.

What is Emotional Numbness?

Emotional numbness is a state where you don't feel emotions and don't express them, even if it's sadness. To avoid the burden of emotions, you create a strategy to protect yourself from intense emotional or physical pain. While this may provide immediate relief, resisting difficult emotions in this way can have lasting effects on your mental health.

Emotional Numbness and Spiritual Bypass in Spirituality

In spirituality, many people also come to avoid emotions or trauma. They believe that spirituality will make them so detached or indifferent to the world that they will never be troubled again. In spirituality, this is called spiritual bypassing, where people use spiritual tools to cope with their mental or emotional trauma but instead of permanently fixing the issue, it just pushes it away for a while. This happens because instead of dealing with their pain, people want to avoid it. They just throw the pain into a dark room of their unconscious mind and forget about it. People in their unconscious mind think they are protecting themselves when in reality, they are inflicting more damage.

Symptoms of Emotional Numbness:

Living life completely or feeling indifferent to oneself

Not being able to feel one's own emotions

Feeling disconnected from society, family, and even oneself

Both physical and emotional fatigue

Avoiding feelings of both sadness and happiness

Living emotionally neutral

Causes of Emotional Numbness:

Anxiety: Excessive stress, fear, or anxiety can lead to emotional numbness.

Alexithymia: This is a condition where it is difficult to name emotions, meaning people cannot tell what they are feeling.

Depression: During depression, people can also feel less emotional.

Ways to Overcome Emotional Numbness Spiritually:

Meditation and mindfulness: Meditation and mindfulness not only make you aware of your emotions but also keep them balanced and calm.

Study and Satsang: Study spiritual texts and participate in satsang. This will awaken you to the soul and help you overcome emotional numbness.

Spiritual tools: There are many spiritual tools in spirituality that not only help you understand your troubles but also help you overcome emotional numbness.