What is Emotional Numbing?

Emotional numbing is a reaction to events that are shocking, terrifying and which cause us great distress. That is, our brain seeks to protect us against being traumatized by erecting strong defences which are hard to penetrate.

Thus, when a secret life’s discovered and the truth first comes to light the shock can lead to numbing in the partner or the spouse. This happens automatically; it’s outside our control.

However, ‘(although) we might use this coping mechanism during traumatic events … what is dangerous about numbing is that it doesn’t work as selectively as we might like it to. Generally, when you use numbing as a defence, it numbs not just the bad stuff, but you experience good feelings less vividly too.[1]’ Perhaps this is something you’ve experienced as well.

So, what kinds of symptoms indicate emotional numbing? They include:

• A dampening of all emotions. This includes…