We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. We are so grateful you’re here and in our community. This also encouraged me to cry whenever I feel like it. Remember, don't think about crying. Alternatively, they may feel as though they are cut off from their own emotions. There are many other types of distractions. If you don't feel good after crying, consider why. Emotional numbness, also known as affective blunting, means that a person is unable to experience emotions. If you're embarrassed that you cried, try to remember that it's completely natural and healthy. Exercise: When you’re feeling numb, the last thing you may want to do is get up and moving, but it’s one of the best things you can do. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. I smiled and just let everything go, looking forward with my life. ", "I feel like it really showed me how to handle myself. Amid the current public health and economic crises, when the world is shifting dramatically and we are all learning and adapting to changes in daily life, people need wikiHow more than ever. Try to remember that the past is in the past, and although you can dwell on it, you would be happier living in the now and replacing those embarrassing/traumatizing/sorrow-inducing memories with new ones, by branching out and meeting new people. In fact, crying could help you process the emotions you're feeling and think more clearly about what's ahead. If you're angry at a specific person for making you sad, then try to be empathetic. Then, allow yourself to think deeply about what makes you sad, and don't be afraid to let the tears flow. This article was co-authored by Kelli Miller, LCSW, MSW. For long-term methods treatment and prevention of emotional numbness, follow these tactics: Eat a well-balanced, healthy diet: By eating healthy, nutrient-dense foods, you fuel your body to work at its best. ", "Made me realize that I have control over how I react to everything in my life. An important exception to this is if you require psychiatric medication for a mental health disorder. Depression and anxiety are two of the most common causes. You can also see her work on Instagram @kellimillertherapy. A 6-year study from 2016 followed nearly 3,500 children who had had exposure to violence. Remember that this is not the end of the world: it is a small blip in your life. In fact, you just don’t really feel anything. ), Spiritual Signs & Omens: 3 Ways You Encounter Them, 7 Omens That Herald the Dark Night of the Soul, Your Body is Sacred: 3 Ways to Practice Embodied Spirituality, Inability to express strong negative or positive emotions, Inability to “fully participate” in life (i.e., feeling like you’re a passive observer), Feeling that life is like a dream (a sense unreality), Lack of interest in activities others find enjoyable, The tendency to withdraw from friends and family members, Emotions are only felt in the body as sensations, but not by the mind (or else are completely muted in the body and show up only as illness), Dislike of people who express strong emotions (both positive and negative), Not feeling anything in situations that would usually generate strong emotion, Panic or terror when strong emotions eventually breakthrough, Physical and emotional numbness or “flatness”. Cry with someone you trust or when you're alone. Those moments can be a bit frightening. I Went Silent on Social Media Because of My Invisible Illness, I Don’t Need to Cry in Public to Prove My Grief — Private Rituals Are Just as Powerful, Why We Need to Talk About Our Fear of Death, To the New Dad with Postpartum Depression, You’re Not Alone, Timothy J. Legg, PhD, PsyD, CRNP, ACRN, CPH, Double Depression: What It Is and What to Do If You Have It. Are my emotions due to internal factors (such as my own fears) or external factors (such as when somebody yells at me)? ", "I have been feeling upset for a long time, and this article let me know it's okay to just cry and let it all out! Is it the best choice to be emotionally numb when you're always facing emotional blackmail? This can help them learn to approach situations in a new way, which may help reduce anxiety. If you hate going to parties because there are too many people, ask one or two close friends to attend it with you. Sometimes your social network can help you process emotions calmly. You can also cry in the shower - no one will hear you there. If you get stressed out studying for tests the night before the exam, try studying for the exam two nights before instead. Other things such as extreme anxiety can also cause vomiting. All rights reserved. Being able to process emotions in this way will help you be more emotional in general. You may have a possible trauma that has not been dealt with. I read this, "This helped a lot. Last Updated: May 8, 2020 You may even consider seeking help from a therapist if you find yourself needing to cry for extended periods of time. Interestingly, in both cases, numbness may be caused by anxiety. It really helps if you're, "Before when I was about to cry I would hold in my tears but it made me more sad and was more painful.