September 08, 2021
After deep experiences, a person somehow wants to continue a “normal life” in some way. One of the main forms of defense against painful feelings experienced after a traumatic situation is dissociation. Dissociation manifests itself in different ways. For example, in the fact that a person gradually ceases to feel his feelings as his own, and becomes alienated from himself. An individual suffering from a dissociative disorder looks at himself as if from the outside, as if he were another person. Dissociation is often characterized by alienation from the surrounding reality, complete loss of conscious control over thoughts, memory, self-awareness, partial numbness of the body, an acute attack of panic, absolute indifference or a feeling of emptiness. The last symptom will be discussed in this article.
How to respond to feelings of emptiness?
The feeling of emptiness literally does not make it possible to live a full life, so if you have such a problem, you cannot hope that everything will work out on its own. On the contrary, you should recognize the presence of the symptom and begin to work (first of all) on your consciousness. It is recommended to establish a daily schedule, sleep patterns, and not overwork. Literature, music, films, sports, favorite hobbies are the best helpers when a feeling of emptiness arises, allowing you to escape from negative thoughts. Talk to your loved ones and friends, realize that you need to get rid of the problem, as it brings sadness and suffering. It is pointless to remain inactive, turning a blind eye to its presence. Try to cope on your own, using self-control and introspection, trying to be focused on what you like, what brings you pleasure. Live life to the fullest, enjoy the moment, be passionate, connect with others, use humor to relieve stress and maintain a cheerful outlook on life. If you succeed, then this is a big victory, giving you the opportunity to return to normal life. If, after trying to cope with the problem on your own, it still continues to haunt you, and you feel that you are unable to cope with it on your own, seek professional help from a competent psychologist. As part of the initial diagnosis, as a rule, a specialist may ask the following or similar questions:
- Are you using people for your own purposes, for your own benefit? If yes, how often and why?
- Are you risking your life? If yes, how often and in what way?
- Are you a loner?
- Is it difficult for you to get used to the new team?
- Do you lie to other people? If yes, how often?
- Do you do reckless things that are dangerous to society? If yes, how often and which ones?
- Do you feel guilty? If so, how often and why?
- Are you experiencing social pressure?
- Do you have problems sleeping?
- Do you have hallucinations?
What does the concept of feeling empty mean?
The feeling of emptiness is the absence of any manifestations of feelings and emotions. At the same time, the person is emotionally inactive, he has no internal strength, he is mentally exhausted.
When looked at scientifically, the feeling of emptiness is often equated to an existential vacuum, which is similar to the concept of life being useless and meaningless. Although the feeling of emptiness includes both of these definitions.
And yet, the feeling of emptiness does not have a clear definition in psychology, it is outside the disciplinary sciences, and has not yet been studied much by specialists.
Causes of emptiness
The reasons for the feeling of emptiness can be due to various factors. The main reasons for this problem are presented below:
- genetic factor, biological causes, environmental factors;
- psychological trauma experienced in childhood or adulthood (emotional or sexual abuse, natural disaster, kidnapping, death of a loved one, etc.);
- negative life experiences (experienced a series of defeats or stress);
- authoritarian parenting style;
- family problems, domestic abuse;
- presence of bad habits (abuse of tobacco, alcohol);
- previous injuries related to the brain;
- low stress resistance;
- resentment.
Symptoms of Feeling Empty
The feeling of emptiness due to dissociation is characterized by symptoms such as
- a feeling of unreality of what is happening;
- the existence in one person of two or more separate personalities or personality traits;
- comparing yourself to others;
- memory problems, forgetfulness, attention disorders;
- impaired skin sensitivity;
- self-doubt, complexes;
- seizures;
- ignorance of one's desires;
- suggestibility;
- feeling of loneliness;
- denial of the joys of life;
- apathy;
- guilt;
- dissatisfaction with oneself;
- indifference;
- disappointment.
All these symptoms sooner or later lead to depression, and depression in turn leads to the following psychosomatic diseases:
- problems with the gastrointestinal tract;
- problems with the cardiovascular system;
- problems sleeping (insomnia);
- neuroses;
- decreased immunity (a person becomes more vulnerable to viral diseases);
- imbalance, making decisions that can harm a person.
- panic attacks.
What to do about this, how to treat the feeling of emptiness?
The feeling of emptiness experienced on an ongoing basis can be treated using a number of clinical techniques. It is necessary to get rid of the manifestations of this problem together with a psychologist. Basic methods:
- Psychoanalytic psychotherapy. This effective method will help you find out the cause of your problem, understand its essence and, finally, get rid of it forever.
- Self-help (giving up bad habits, avoiding any stressful situations).
- Cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy (work with thinking).
- meditation, relaxation strategies that promote rapid restoration of strength, strive to reduce feelings of anxiety and tension.
- Drug therapy (treatment with drugs).
- Hypnosis (removing painful memories).
If something resonated with you while reading the text and it seems to you that the situation and symptoms described in the article are similar to your case, and you would like to solve this problem, you can call me first at + 7 (926) 169-36 -63 to talk about your problem that you want to solve.
The duration of the telephone consultation is 20 minutes (free of charge) , during which time I must decide whether I can help you within the framework of psychoanalytic counseling. If it’s easier for you to write a letter, you can do this by clicking on the link and sign up for a consultation. I ask you to describe your situation in as much detail as possible - the size of the letter is unlimited, I will definitely read your letter and respond.
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Many people feel “empty”
It's likely that at some point in your life you've felt "empty" - or perhaps you've heard someone say that about themselves. But while it may be a relatively common feeling, it is often not talked about as a symptom of mental health problems. Typically, “feeling empty” is viewed only as a symptom of borderline personality disorder, a mental health condition characterized by problems with emotions, relationships with others, and feelings of chronic emptiness.
Having encountered many people reporting “feeling empty” when accessing mental health services in Scotland, the research team wanted to find out more about this feeling, which had previously been rarely reported in mental health research. The researchers began asking the people they interviewed if they had ever experienced anything like this.
This marked the beginning of a four-year project in which the views of more than 400 people were heard. Researchers set out to find out how often people feel empty, and why it is important for scientists and clinicians to start paying attention to this feeling.
The study produced the first-ever definition of emptiness based on descriptions from people who have experienced it.
This not only showed the importance of this feeling, but also made future research possible. The results were published in the Journal of Mental Health.
“Bottomless jug”
Researchers spoke to more than 400 people aged 18 to 80 who reported feeling empty at some point in their lives—some rarely, some all the time. They were asked to fill out an online survey in which they described what it was like to feel this way.
This has led to hundreds of emotional first-hand accounts. Some described the feeling of emptiness as “a kind of bottomless jug that cannot be filled” and “a feeling of alienation and separation from society” that “sucks out all life and energy.”
As one participant said, emptiness is: “When you feel like everything you do is meaningless and you just go through the motions. Just trying to fill time until you die.”
“Sometimes you have fun or something good happens that can distract you for a while, but ultimately there is an emptiness inside that never goes away. It’s as if you are transparent and everything positive, like love or joy, passes through you without clinging, and then it seems as if it never happened at all.”
Others spoke of motivation levels being “absolutely zero,” and another participant said: “I felt like I wasn’t fully part of the world, I didn’t feel anything, and nothing I did made any difference.” or other people, I “existed,” but I was not “alive.”
Interestingly, half of the participants had never experienced a mental health problem - showing that emptiness is not only experienced by people diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, but also by people with and without mental health problems.
Researchers also found a strong link between frequently feeling empty and suicidal thoughts and behavior, with those who felt empty all the time more likely to think about or attempt suicide.
And despite not being asked to define what is meant by emptiness and instead being asked to give their perspective, hundreds of participants described the same feeling. Researchers have found that emptiness is characterized by a feeling of inner emptiness combined with a lack of purpose in life and a feeling of disconnection from the people in their lives and the world around them. This left people feeling like they were “moving forward” and could not contribute to the world and their lives as much as they would like.
This research led to the first definition of emptiness based on people's personal reports, which was published in a scientific journal. The researchers hope this will make it easier for clinicians to ask people questions about emptiness, and that scientists will begin to study this previously neglected feeling in conversations about mental health.
Widespread feeling
The results lead to the belief that emptiness is much more common than previously thought. Feeling empty can be experienced by anyone, regardless of their mental health, and for some it can become a chronic, life-threatening condition. This is a complex experience and it affects every aspect of a person's life and relationships.
Until now, mental health researchers have paid little attention to emptiness. But new research has redefined the feeling and highlighted the seriousness of the experience for the people it affects.
The research also suggests it may be time to change the narrative around mental health, stress and the support offered, as many people struggle with emptiness, whether they have been diagnosed with a mental illness or not.
But there is still a lot we don't know. For example, why do people feel empty—and why do some feel more empty than others? What can we do about it? The answers to these questions will likely have a big impact on many people. Understanding what emptiness is, how it develops, and how to support people who feel it can make life more meaningful and prevent suicide.
The next step of this research will be to develop a way to accurately measure people's experience of emptiness, which will aid in its study and may ultimately help reduce the suffering caused by this difficult feeling.
Adapted translation of an article by Shona Joyce Herron and Fabio Sani, The Conversation
