EMOTIONAL SHUTDOWN
By: Mindy Lawrence
An emotional shutdown is the inability to connect with others on an emotional level. The detachment can be by choice or the result of abuse.
In the Healthline article Emotional Detachment: What It Is and How to Overcome It by Kimberly Holland, she lists the symptoms of emotional detachment/shutdown as:
Difficulty creating or maintaining personal relationships
A lack of attention, or appearing preoccupied when around others
Difficulty being loving or affectionate with a family member
Avoiding people, activities, or places because they’re associated with a past trauma or event
Reduced ability to express emotion
Difficulty empathizing with another person’s feelings
Not easily sharing emotions or feelings
Difficulty committing to another person or a relationship
Not making another person a priority when they should be
To recover from an emotional shutdown, it is good to start with therapy. Speaking to a therapist on a regular basis can help someone work through the situations causing the detachment. Sometimes medications are used along with therapy to help. Talk to someone who is knowledgeable and able to help you recover.
LINKS
3 Reason why People Shut Down Emotionally, Diane Poole Heller
Emotional Detachment: What is it and How to Overcome It, Kimberly Holland, Healthline
What to know about emotional detachment, Timothy J Legg, PhD, PsyD, Medical News Today
