Are you Emotional Numbing?
As a psychologist, the biggest mistake I see people make when it comes to dealing with painful emotions is emotional numbing.
Emotional numbing involves suppressing difficult emotions for short term relief and perceived control.
You might numb consciously (with awareness) or subconsciously (without awareness) through behaviours that attempt to reduce the unwanted emotion.
This can impede on your ability to fully experience and process your emotions - even the positive ones!
Common numbing behaviours include, but are not limited to…
Drinking and substance use
Scrolling
Binge watching TV
Shopping or over spending
Over working
Over exercising
Over socialising or isolating yourself.
Over eating, or even under eating
Excessive risk taking
And in more severe cases, numbing can take the form of self harm and addiction.
When it comes to numbing - it’s less about what you are doing, are more about how you’re numbing, and why you’re numbing.
The point is not to deprive yourself of simple pleasures but to recognise…
When you are emotionally numbing
Why are you numbing
And to consider the short term and long term consequences of emotional numbing.
And before you berate yourself for emotional numbing, remember – numbing is your brain’s way of trying to protect you from pain. Only, your brain often lacks context - especially when under distress. So it’s your job to know when numbing is appropriate, and when it may be harmful or holding you back from being the person you want to be.
Are you emotionally numbing?
Take some time to consider your own emotional numbing habits using this journal prompt:
