Why Can’t I Feel Anything? What Emotional Numbness Really Means and How to Reconnect

Why Can’t I Feel Anything? What Emotional Numbness Really Means and How to Reconnect

Sometimes it hits you out of nowhere. Other times it creeps in so slowly you don’t notice until one day you realize — you’re living, but not really feeling. You know there’s something under the surface — sadness, joy, anxiety, maybe even love — but it doesn’t land. Your head knows, but your body doesn’t respond. It’s like the sound is on mute.

When this happens, most people think something’s wrong with them. Or they blame their hormones. Or they’re just too “in their head.” And sure, that might be part of it. But usually, there’s something deeper going on.

 

If you’ve spent a long time in survival mode — after trauma, rejection, confusion, or just not being seen — your system may have learned to turn down the volume. Not feeling was once protective. It kept you from being overwhelmed. But now, when you want to be open, connected, or truly you, that same protection starts to feel like a wall. You want to feel… but can’t quite get there.

Hormonal shifts can also play a role — during transition, menopause, ADHD treatment, or depression. Your body is trying to find a new balance. That takes time. But even then, your emotional world isn’t gone. It’s just a bit deeper below the surface. And maybe that’s okay. It means you’re learning to listen more gently — and relate to your feelings in a new way.

 

You don’t need to force your feelings. You can invite them.

Emotions don’t show up on demand. They won’t open just because you think it’s time. But you can create a space where they want to show up — softly, safely, without pressure. It starts with listening, not pushing.

 

Mini Practice – Softly Returning to Feeling

Find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. Sit or lie down comfortably. Place one hand on your chest or belly. Close your eyes if that feels okay.

Now ask yourself just one question: “What lives underneath the surface, right now?”
Breathe. Don’t try to figure it out or fix it. Just give it space. Maybe you’ll feel a tingle, a tightness, a memory… or nothing at all. That’s okay too.

Then say to yourself, gently: “I’m here. Even if I don’t feel anything. This, too, is welcome.”
Stay with that for a few quiet minutes. Then open your eyes. You don’t need to understand what happened. You just let your inner world know — you’re open.

 

You’re not broken. You’re thawing.

Emotional numbness doesn’t mean something’s wrong with you. It means something happened that was too much, too soon, or too long. And now, your system is slowly letting the light back in. That’s not failure. That’s healing.

 

If you want support with this, you’re warmly welcome for a 1-on-1 session with me. Whether through a reading, QHHT, or therapeutic session, we’ll explore together what’s needed for your system to soften, open, and come back to life — at your pace, in safety. Book your session via
www.heelde.info

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tags:
emotional numbness, trauma healing, hormones, reconnecting, healing journey, spiritual growth, self-awareness, inner work, QHHT, readings, therapy, Hilde Verhoef, Heelde, nervous system, grounding, trans journey