Emotional Numbness Explained: Causes, Symptoms, and How Therapy Helps
Why Feeling Numb Can Be a Sign to Reach Out for Help
When people seek therapy, they often say they’ve been feeling overwhelmed — by anxiety, sadness, stress, or emotional outbursts. There is sometimes another, quieter sign that can indicate it’s time to reach out for help: feeling emotionally numb.
Emotional numbness can feel like emptiness, apathy, or being emotionally “flat.” You might describe it as feeling disconnected from your experiences — like you’re going through the motions of life without really feeling it. While it’s normal to experience this from time to time, if it persists for weeks or months, it could be a sign you need therapy.
What Emotional Numbness Might Look Like
Numbness doesn’t always show up in big, obvious ways. It can appear in small, everyday moments:
Your friends are deciding what to do tonight, and you realize you don’t have much of a preference. None of the options sound hopeful or give you pleasure.
You’re sharing a tender moment with your child. They’re opening up about a dream or hope. You know you should feel love and joy, but… nothing.
Your boss lashes out unfairly at work. You know it should upset you. But instead, you feel blank — no anger, no frustration, just detachment.
These may be symptoms of emotional trauma — your brain and body’s way of protecting you from feelings that once felt too overwhelming or unsafe to fully experience.
What Causes Emotional Numbness?
There are many reasons why someone might feel emotionally numb:
Burnout symptoms or compassion fatigue
Being flooded with chronic stress or emotional overwhelm can lead to the protective response of numbing or dissociating
Habitual emotional suppression or avoidance
Long term history of putting others’ needs above your own
For many people, emotional numbness is rooted in childhood trauma or difficult early life experiences. When children grow up in environments where it’s not safe to express emotions-whether due to emotional neglect, abuse, or chronic stress-they often learn to shut down, people-please, or detach in order to cope.
Over time, these patterns become second nature. The child who had to suppress their fear, anger, or sadness to survive becomes the adult who struggles to feel connected to their emotions, even in safe, loving environments.
If any of this resonates, you may be wondering:
How Do I Heal From Childhood or Emotional Trauma?
Healing from childhood or emotional trauma is absolutely possible. With the right support, you can reconnect with your emotions, develop a deeper understanding of yourself, and build healthier ways of relating to others.
Working with a trauma therapist can be a powerful first step. Trauma therapists are trained to identify and address the root causes of emotional numbness and other post-traumatic symptoms using evidence-based methods. Two particularly effective approaches include:
EMDR Therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
EMDR helps you process traumatic memories by reducing their emotional charge and reframing underlying core beliefs, so they no longer trigger distress in the present. It’s a powerful tool for individuals dealing with childhood trauma, PTSD, or other symptoms of emotional trauma.
IFS Therapy (Internal Family Systems)
IFS helps you explore and heal different “parts” of yourself, especially those that developed in response to emotional pain or trauma. It's a transformative approach to building self-compassion and healing even the most hurt parts of ourselves.
And yes, all of this can be done through online counseling. You can begin your healing journey from the comfort and privacy of your own home.
The And Way Therapy Group offers trauma-informed care with clinicians trained in EMDR and IFS therapy—approaches that help you process the past and reconnect with yourself in the present.
Written by Reagan Leibovitz, LMSW, an online therapist in Texas who specializes in trauma recovery, self-esteem, body image, and relationship concerns. She works with adolescents (12+) and adults using a warm, collaborative approach.
If any of this resonates, please reach out! We have a team of trained clinicians who would be honored to be a part of your journey.
To connect with Reagan directly: https://www.theandwaytherapy.com/reagan-leibovitz
