Shrinkle #16 · Emotion · 4 letters
Emotional numbness
Emotional numbness is feeling flat, empty or cut off from your feelings, both the good ones and the bad ones. It can be the mind's way of protecting itself after stress, loss or overwhelm.
In the room
People often describe it as 'going through the motions'. A therapist might use gentle sensory grounding, like holding something cold or noticing nearby sounds, to help someone reconnect with the present.
Something a client might say
“I heard the news and felt nothing at all, like I was behind glass.”
An illustrative line, not a real client.
Related ideas
Dissociation · Burnout · Grounding
Made by Alembic Labs. Educational, not clinical advice.