Emotional numbing

kray_bray_may · Mar 20, 2016, 08:55 PM

Hi all, I have a question about emotional numbing. Is it accurate to say that emotional numbing happens when someone is feeling overwhelmed and/or confused by their emotions?

Mar 20, 2016, 09:08 PM

I believe it is, it is a defence mechanism when your mind is on overload it is a way to protect yourself... it is not permanent. tc

annoyedgrunt84 · Mar 20, 2016, 09:12 PM

I would describe it that way. I get numb after I have felt overwhelmed for awhile.

kray_bray_may · Mar 20, 2016, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by omegalamed

I believe it is, it is a defence mechanism when your mind is on overload it is a way to protect yourself... it is not permanent. tc

How does one address emotional numbing?

elevatedsoul · Mar 20, 2016, 09:45 PM

id agree its a defense mechanism

i think it can come on from different things though..
medication can also cause a numbing affect...

here is 2 article on it
Depression Symptoms Series: Feeling Numb - Symptoms - Depression

https://drkathleenyoung.wordpress.co...onal-numbness/

also are you in treatment?

kray_bray_may · Mar 20, 2016, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elevatedsoul

id agree its a defense mechanism

i think it can come on from different things though..
medication can also cause a numbing affect...

I'm not on medication and I haven't ever been. I attended therapy on and off for a year, but it wasn't any use. What brings on emotional numbness?

elevatedsoul · Mar 20, 2016, 11:50 PM

here is an excerpt from the first link at healthcentral.com

Quote:

One of the causes can definitely be depression. I feel that this symptom results from feeling overwhelmed and overburdened by life's challenges to the point where you just can't feel anymore. You are too tired and weary to emote. It can also be a protection against feeling too much as in after a trauma. It can be the process of shock where we simply cannot take in the emotional reality of what is going on. The mind is protecting itself from too much pain. - See more at: Depression Symptoms Series: Feeling Numb - Symptoms - Depression

emotional numbness can be part of many disorders i think..

are you having other symptoms?
its something you should definitely talk to someone about if its been going on for a while..

there are some quizzes you can take here to get a general idea of what might be going on... they are all on this website...
they are not diagnostic tools though so just because you have a score doesnt really mean anything its just to get an idea of what might you need to talk about with the doc...
they are all pretty short like 10 questions
Psych Central - Depression Screening Test
Anxiety Screening Quiz
Do You Have Bipolar Test - Psych Central
PTSD Screening Quiz - Psych Central
OCD Screening Quiz (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder)
Psych Central - Do you need therapy?
rest of the quizzes here
Psychological Tests and Quizzes

also are you not on medication because you dont want to be?
medication might be an idea if you have severe symptoms...

kray_bray_may · Mar 21, 2016, 12:10 AM

I haven't actually been diagnosed with anything, but I have many symptoms of depression and some sort of anxiety disorder. Medication is a no-go because I will not entertaining the possibility of feeling worse. I don't like talking to people. I should also point out I've yet to hear anything helpful from anyone. I actually just get annoyed when I talk with people.

elevatedsoul · Mar 21, 2016, 02:47 AM

i know it can be hard wanting to get any help... but if you are having these symptoms and they are causing problems for you in life its good to see a professional, you dont have to take medicines right off.. can just talk to them about whats going on and get their opinion and if you feel comfortable with what they say maybe try medicine or wait till later till you feel more comfortable...

i have tried lots of meds and i haven't really had problem with feeling worse... i have had some weird side effects on a couple, like the strattera... but thats for adhd.. and depakote made me really dopey... couldn't think really good on it... but thats a mood stabilizer they probably wouldnt put you on that right off... if ever

for depression they usually go straight to the SSRIs... might would be zoloft or celexa... i did celexa first then zoloft...
they generally usually dont have too many side effects... on rare occasion some get some but i didnt have any side effects when on the ssri's/snri's type medicines..
they just didnt help me very much ... but that doesnt mean they wouldnt help you!

zoloft is supposed to be good for depression and anxiety...

when i first started taking medicine i was a bit scared myself... but i wanted to feel better so i gave it a shot... its not as bad as i thought it would be really
and it has helped a little in the past when i was taking the meds...

generally the medicines wont fix you but they can help you feel better so that you can work on getting better... some people have paradoxical effect and feel so much better on medicine that they think they dont need it anymore even!

im not saying you should take medicine, just saying if the symptoms are causing problems then maybe its an idea you could think about...

personally i cant do it without medicine... my symptoms are too severe...

you can talk here, i dont want to annoy you or anything so dont get mad at me please
just want to help

kray_bray_may · Mar 22, 2016, 12:01 AM

To be honest, it's really difficult for me to open up to anyone. Therapy was particularly scary and uncomfortable. And it didn't make me feel any better.

elevatedsoul · Mar 22, 2016, 01:19 AM

yeah... when i first tried therapy i was scared ... didnt like it... thought it was a waste of time... skipped appointments... all of that stuff...
but now after some more years have passed and looking back... i wish i would have stuck with it.. it can be really helpful... its hard to see it in the beginning and it really can annoy you to keep trying it.. but if you get a good therapist that can help you work through the problems.. its very good thing... we are going to feel uncomfortable atleast for a few sessions... till you start to build a little trust with the therapist..
you have to remind yourself that therapist is a professional and its their job to help you with whatever is going on, anything and everything you know..?
they aren't there to judge.. they arent there to make you feel bad ... if you do get a therapist and you just cant seem to get comfortable, atleast a little more comfortable after a few sessions then maybe that therapist isnt the right one ... its something that we have to keep fighting for, but its our mental health and it can be a life changing thing to have a good therapist...

i want to get in therapy so bad because of this... i know i will be very uncomfortable because i have really really avoidant behaviors ... but its something i really want to do because i know how much it can help... i need it so bad, even though im ... well i dont talk to anyone, family, no friends, no one about anything... so talking to a stranger is scary you know...?
its natural to feel like that... do you remember your first day of school?

its scary but its a great thing...
it takes time, therapy... some people make progress fast, some people need more time... its a little different for everyone...
but its your mental health and you deserve to feel good and happy and have a good life, this is like school for your mind... the therapist will help you and guide you... as long as its a good therapist...

is there anything in particular that makes you feel uncomfortable?

for me i just have social phobia and the avpd stuff... lots of trauma that i dont even want to think about and all... but its good to talk to someone you can trust...
just takes a little time to build the trust you know? sometimes you trust them right off, they make you feel so comfortable and safe, sometimes you are so nervous you dont let yourself feel comfortable... but its normal...

i know how hard it is to open up, but i try not to think about therapist as a person(anyone) i try to think of them as a super computer that can help diagnose any computer viruses i have and help get rid of all the malware and junk...
makes it easier for me...

is there some how i can make you feel more comfortable about the idea of therapy?

kray_bray_may · Mar 22, 2016, 01:24 AM

I'm not comfortable with revealing things about myself to friends and family, never mind a stranger, as you put it. I worked with two different counselors provided through my university - I was uncomfortable with both. I'll probably try it again after exams in the next few weeks.

elevatedsoul · Mar 22, 2016, 01:41 AM

i've never talked to a counselor before... well about my problems atleast..

can you try a CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) therapist? they can be amazing...
i think they are different than a counselor

kray_bray_may · Mar 22, 2016, 01:50 AM

When I say counselor, I mean therapist. That's who I worked with.

elevatedsoul · Mar 22, 2016, 09:48 AM

oh i gotcha.. my bad

well, will you check this short article out?
it has 5 tips on therapy... might be a little helpful
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog...elf-in-therapy

the one tip i like is... if the problem is that you have a problem talking about your problems, then talk about that - just tell therapist that you have a problem talking about things and might can make a little progress starting there?

im not trying to preach to ya.. not trying to push you any, so im gonna stop talking about it..
but i would think about it... can be a good thing really

can always chat here and just poke around at things

only cant get professional help here is the sad thing

how old are you btw?