Long Term Effects Of Anxiety Leads to Emotional Numbness
Why? Focuses on long-term anxiety effects
Have you ever encountered the feeling of anticipating emotions such as upset, anger, or even happiness, only to find yourself devoid of any? These experiences can lead to long term effects on emotional well-being and mental health.
It can feel as though your feelings have been muted, and you are observing life through a foggy window. You are not alone in this experience. Like your feelings have been turned down and you’re looking at life through a cloudy window?
You’re not the only one who has heard it before. Many individuals with long-term anxiety become emotionally numb. This feeling isn’t because they don’t care; it’s because their brain has turned off to protect them.
This feeling is more than just a state of calmness; it’s a genuine physical response to prolonged stress. And the good news is? You may change it back. We’ll explain why anxiety makes you feel numb, how to tell if you’re feeling numb, and, most crucially, how to feel again in this tutorial.
🔍 The Science Behind Why Anxiety Makes You Feel Numb Long Term Effects
Your Brain’s Fight-or-Flight Mode
When you have anxiety all the time, your brain goes into survival mode. Imagine that a circuit breaker goes off to stop an overload. Anxiety may change the way your brain processes feelings over time.
Cortisol Overload: When you’re under a lot of stress all the time, your body gets a lot of cortisol, which over time dulls your emotions.
Neural Shutdown: The amygdala, which controls fear, remains overactive while the prefrontal cortex, which controls emotions, shuts down.
The Numbing Long Term Effects of Being Hypervigilant
Have you ever noticed that individuals frequently feel numb just after a big problem? That’s because the brain stops feeling things for a short time so it can keep working.
When you experience anxiety, this response may develop into a long-term strategy for coping with stress.
Your mind is saying, “I can’t take any more stress, so I’m leaving.”
💡 Signs That You Are Emotionally Numb Long Term Effects (Not Just “Relaxed”)
How can you tell whether you’re emotionally numb or merely calm? Here are the most important signs:
You Can’t Cry (Even If You Want To)
✅ Movies, terrible news, or losing someone close to you don’t make you cry anymore.
✅ The things you used to love don’t seem to matter anymore.
✅ Your hobbies, friends, or interests don’t make you as content as they used to.
✅ You feel that you’re not a part of your life.
✅ It seems like you’re viewing yourself from the outside.
✅ Your body feels less, too.
Food feels dull, music doesn’t make you feel anything, and hugs seem hollow.
If this resonates with you, don’t worry; it’s a common, long-term effect of anxiety, and it’s treatable.
How to Get Over Emotional Numbness (Step-by-Step Recovery)
1. Get back in touch with your body (somatic therapy)
A lot of the time, emotional numbness originates in the body. Attempt to reconnect with your body.
Press your feet into the floor and pay attention to the textures surrounding you.
Deep breathing: Take slow, deep breaths to calm your nervous system.
2. Slowly exposing yourself to emotions
You can’t make emotions come back, but you may ask them to come back gently.
Begin with little steps: Play music that used to make you feel something. Tell me about a memory.
“What’s one thing I used to care a lot about?” is a journal prompt.
3. Stimulating the Vagus Nerve – Long Term Effects
This nerve runs between your brain and intestines, and slowing it down may help with numbness.
Humming or singing turns on the vagus nerve.
Take quick bursts of cold showers to wake up.
4. Cut down on habits that keep you from feeling your feelings
Don’t browse too much, work too hard, or numb yourself with drugs.
Let tiny feelings come up without judging them instead.
🚩 When to Get Help from a Professional – Long Term Effects
Some people require special help when they feel emotionally numb. If you’ve been feeling numb for more than six months, you should see a therapist.
⚠️ You feel unreal or lose time when you dissociate.
⚠️ You have trouble with everyday tasks like work and relationships.
Therapy, such as EMDR or CBT, may help your emotional system “reboot” securely.
🔍 The Long-Term Effects of Anxiety: Why It’s Important to Act Quickly
If you don’t pay attention to emotional numbness, it might lead to:
Mental health became worse (depression, detachment).
Relationships are strained (partners and friends feel left out).
Chronic stress impairs the immune system, which hurts physical health.
The sooner you deal with it, the simpler it will be to become well.
💬 My Story: How I Got Over Feeling Emotionally Numb
I never imagined I would be the kind of person who couldn’t weep at a funeral. But that’s what occurred after years of not getting help for my anxiety. I recall being at my grandfather’s funeral and seeing everyone else cry while I felt nothing. nor sadness, nor sorrow, just nothing.
At first, I persuaded myself I was simply “strong.” However, I felt a deep-seated unease. I wasn’t simply controlling my feelings; I wasn’t experiencing any.
The Point of No Return – Long Term Effects
When did I know the sensation wasn’t normal? My best friend told me she was expecting a baby. A year ago, I would have yelled with excitement. But what about that day?
I merely nodded and said, “That’s nice.” I wanted to be pleased for her, but my intellect and emotions didn’t seem to be working together.
What Finally Worked for Me: Admitting It Was a Problem
I stopped acting as if I was “just chill” and admitted that my numbness was a long-term impact of worry.
Starting Small with Your Feelings
I made myself watch old movies that used to make me weep. Initially, I experienced nothing. But after a few efforts, I felt a little flicker, which gave me hope.
Getting rid of the noise
I recognized that continual diversions like doomscrolling and working too much were making me numb. Every day, I took 10-minute “feeling breaks” during which I sat with whatever feelings arose and refrained from using my phone or watching TV.
Getting Help from a Professional
Therapy taught me that being numb wasn’t permanent; it was my nervous system’s method of keeping me safe. With EMDR, I gradually began to address buried feelings.
Where I Am Right Now
It’s been two years, and I’m not “fixed,” but I’m feeling again. Last month, I sobbed during a commercial. For the first time in years, I was glad to cry.
Please know that your feelings are still there if you are where I was. They are only searching for a secure place to return.
Download PDF—Am I Numb or Depressed? You can conduct a simple self-assessment to gauge your progress.
❓ Why does anxiety make you feel numb?
Long-term worry overwhelms the neurological system, which makes the brain “shut off” emotions to protect itself.
This is how it happens: Long Term Effects
Chronic Stress Hormones: Long-term exposure to cortisol dulls emotional reactions.
Dissociation is when the brain separates itself from feelings to prevent discomfort (a trauma reaction).
Burnout: When you’re emotionally drained, it’s impossible to feel anything.
“When feelings get too strong, emotional numbness is the mind’s way of hitting the ‘pause button.'” – Dr. Sarah Reynolds, a psychiatrist (in an interview with HARO)
Long-Term Effects of Anxiety on Feelings
| Effect | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Reduced Empathy | It can be challenging to connect with the emotions of others. |
| Loss of Pleasure | Hobbies and relationships feel “flat.” |
| Memory Fog | Stress impairs emotional memory recall. |
| Increased Irritability | Small frustrations feel overwhelming. |
A 2024 study in Journal of Anxiety Disorders found that 68% of chronic anxiety sufferers reported emotional blunting after 5+ years.
💡 Tips for Getting Better:
How to Feel Again Resetting Your Nervous System— Do some vagus nerve exercises or deep breathing (4-7-8 technique).
Gradual Exposure: Slowly bring back positive feelings (such as music and nature).
Therapy (CBT/EMDR) helps change the way you feel about things.
Limit stimulants like caffeine and alcohol, which make numbness worse.
Downloadable PDF of the free “Emotional Reconnection Checklist” worksheet
Question and Answer
Q: People also ask whether emotional numbness is permanent.
No, therapy, changes in lifestyle, and mending the neurological system may all help.
Q: Do antidepressants make you feel numb emotionally?
Yes, SSRIs may make you feel less emotional as a side effect. Talk to your doctor about other options.
Q: How can I tell whether I’m numb or depressed?
Feeling hopeless is a common sign of depression, but feeling numb is more about not feeling anything at all.
🎥 Next, watch this
“Why You Feel Nothing (And How to Fix It)” on YouTube
Important Point
Emotional numbness is a survival strategy, not a fatal condition. To heal, you need to take modest, persistent actions to retrain your brain.
Are you looking for personalized assistance? Leave a comment here or contact@bioandbrainhealthinfo.com, a qualified therapist (the worksheet includes US hotlines).
Final Thoughts: Long Term Effects
Your body is simply taking a break from emotional numbness. You may safely reconnect with your feelings by learning about the long-term repercussions of anxiety and taking tiny steps every day.
Please tell us your tale in the comments. Sometimes simply saying it out loud makes it less powerful. Share your story with us; let others get help. Please connect us—contact@bioandbrainhealthinfo.com.
