Have you ever felt like you’re moving through life on autopilot—disconnected, unable to feel joy, sadness, or even anger? That state of being is often called emotional numbness. For many, it’s a survival response: the nervous system’s way of protecting us from overwhelming pain. But while emotional numbness may shield us temporarily, it also robs us of connection, vitality, and presence.

In this post, we’ll explore:

• What emotional numbness is and how it shows up
• Common causes: trauma, grief, chronic stress, and mental health conditions
• The neuroscience of numbness: why the body shuts down
• Somatic practices to reconnect with your body and emotions
• How SomaShare can support your journey back to feeling alive

What Is Emotional Numbness?

Emotional numbness is the inability to fully feel or express emotions. People often describe it as:

• “I feel like I’m watching life from behind glass.”
• “I know I should feel something, but I don’t.”
• “Everything feels flat or muted.”

Symptoms may include:

• Lack of emotional response to positive or negative events
• Disconnection from loved ones
• Feeling detached from one’s own body or life
• Difficulty experiencing pleasure or motivation

While occasional numbness is normal during grief or stress, chronic numbness can interfere with daily life and relationships.

Causes of Emotional Numbness

Trauma and PTSD

Emotional numbness is a hallmark of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Survivors may unconsciously “shut down” feelings to avoid re-experiencing overwhelming memories (van der Kolk, 2015).

Depression and Anxiety

Depression can create a sense of emotional flatness, while anxiety may cause over-arousal of the nervous system, leading to shutdown as a form of exhaustion.

Grief and Loss

After loss, people may feel too overwhelmed to process emotions, leading to temporary numbness.

Chronic Stress and Burnout

Long-term stress floods the body with cortisol. Over time, this may push the nervous system into “freeze mode,” where feeling shuts down as a survival mechanism (Porges, 2011).

Dissociation

For some, numbness is a form of dissociation—being mentally distant from the body and present moment.

The Science: Why We Go Numb

Neuroscience and polyvagal theory shed light on emotional numbness. When the body perceives threat:

1. Fight-or-Flight (Sympathetic activation): The body mobilizes energy to escape danger.
2. Freeze / Shutdown (Dorsal Vagal response): If escape isn’t possible, the nervous system may “switch off.” Emotions, sensations, and even memory become muted.

This protective response is adaptive in the short term. But when it persists, it can make life feel gray, disconnected, and empty.

“Numbness is not the absence of feelings—it’s the body’s way of keeping us safe when feelings feel too dangerous.”

Somatic Practices to Reconnect with Feeling

Somatic (body-based) practices gently invite us back into connection with sensation, breath, and movement. They help the nervous system learn that it’s safe to feel again. Here are a few powerful approaches:

1. Grounding Through Sensation

• Place your feet on the floor and notice the texture beneath you.
• Press your hands together, noticing warmth and pressure.
• Slowly name five things you can see, hear, and feel in your environment.

2. Gentle Movement

Movement helps thaw numbness. Try:

• Slow stretching, swaying, or yoga
• Walking with attention to each step
• Shaking out the body to release frozen energy

3. Breath Awareness

Breath bridges body and mind. Practice:

• Lengthening exhalations to calm the nervous system
• Placing one hand on your chest and one on your belly—notice which moves more

4. Touch and Self-Soothing

• Place a hand on your heart or cheek
• Wrap yourself in a blanket and notice the pressure and warmth

5. Creative Expression

• Journaling, drawing, or music can bypass cognitive blocks and let feelings emerge in safe ways.

When to Seek Professional Support

If emotional numbness is ongoing, interferes with daily life, or coexists with trauma or depression, professional support can be vital. Trauma-informed therapists, somatic practitioners, and community-based healing spaces (like SomaShare) can help you move at your own pace toward reconnection.

How SomaShare Can Support Your Journey

At SomaShare, we believe healing happens through the body and in community. Our app offers:

• Somatic practices from trusted trauma-informed practitioners
• Mini-courses on emotional regulation and nervous system healing
• A supportive community where you can feel less alone

✨ Whether you’re beginning to explore your numbness or deepening your practice, SomaShare is here to support you.

• Try this practice: Open Attention by Dr. Albert Wong

References

• Porges, S. W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-regulation. New York: Norton.
• van der Kolk, B. (2015). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Penguin Books.
• VerywellMind. (n.d.). Emotional Numbness Symptoms. Retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/emotional-numbing-symptoms-2797372