Lately, the world has felt like it’s been turned upside down. It feels like there is another heartbreaking crisis occurring whether it’s conflict, climate disaster, violence, or injustice. It feels impossible to escape since many of us are directly impacted by it and can see it and hear about it at every turn. I’ve been hearing a lot in therapy about how people are struggling to carry the weight of what’s happening in the world and are starting to feel numb. 

Those who are admitting to not feeling as much anymore are not proud of it. In fact, most of them struggle with immense shame and guilt for feeling numb, for not wanting to hear the news anymore, for not having the capacity to talk or even think about everything happening. They feel shame each time they scroll past another post about the pain and suffering other people are experiencing without being able to feel as much anymore. But the guilt that people are feeling might actually be telling you something. The guilt is a sign that you do still care and you haven’t lost your empathy, it just means that you are exhausted and potentially emotionally burnt out. Let’s talk about why we start to feel emotionally numb and experience compassion fatigue and what we can do to help ourselves during this time. 

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Emotional Numbing as a Form of Protection

When we’re exposed to distressing information constantly, our nervous systems adapt in self-protective ways. Overexposure to distressing material can cause our nervous systems to feel overwhelmed and respond by shutting down and reducing our ability to experience emotion. This is what might be happening when we become emotionally numb.  The guilt and shame that many of us feel since becoming more emotionally numb right now is not a sign you are uncaring or broken, it's a sign that you’ve reached your limit. It’s our bodies way of adapting to help us survive in a world that requires us to process more than humans were designed to. 

An article in 2007 found that watching negative news had lasting negative psychological effects like increased anxiety and a more negative mood. This is especially true for us now as it becomes more and more urgent for us to keep up with what’s happening in the world. It’s no wonder many of us are starting to feel numb as we try to cope with everything happening to us and our communities. Our bodies are working hard and are unconsciously trying to help us get through this time.

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The Role of Compassion Fatigue 

In therapy we often talk about compassion fatigue which is the emotional exhaustion that comes from prolonged exposure to others’ pain. Initially this term was used to specifically reference healthcare workers and trauma professionals, but now it applies to nearly everyone who regularly engages with news and social media. If your capacity for compassion is running low, you might notice that you are feeling detached, cynical or even irritable when confronted with tragedy or tribulations. Then comes the guilt and questions of “Why do I not care the way I used to?”. But guilt, in this case, is not helpful and only serves to keep us stuck in shame rather than guiding us back toward meaningful action or connection. 

You’re Not Supposed to Feel Everything 

Right now, it’s easy to forget that human beings were never meant to hold the weight of the entire world’s suffering. From an evolutionary standpoint, our circles of concern were pretty small and for the most part comprised families, neighbors and local communities for most of human history. Now we carry the emotional burden of global crises in our pockets. It’s too much and your nervous system knows it and reacts to keep you safe. So if you find yourself tuning out, it’s okay. It doesn’t mean you’ve stopped caring. It means you’re reaching for balance consciously or unconsciously. 

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What Helps

If you’re noticing signs of emotional numbness or compassion fatigue, here are ways to reconnect without burning yourself out: 

• Practice mindful consumption - limit your exposure to constant news updates. Remember you don’t have to stay alert all the time to be informed. 
• Acknowledge your guilt with compassion - instead of judging yourself, get curious. Ask yourself “ What is this guilt trying to tell me about my values or my capacity” 
• Act locally - doing something tangible in your own community helps restore a sense of agency and meaning. 
• Let yourself rest - feeling is hard work and it’s important to remember that rest is not avoidance, it is crucial for recovery. 
• Talk about it - Whether it’s to your therapist or with others, naming your feelings with others can help transform emotional numbness back into connection.

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Staying Human in  a Desensitized World 

Our goal should not be to feel everything all the time because that is not sustainable and quite frankly, impossible. The goal should be to stay connected to your humanity even when the world feels too heavy. When you notice guilt about feeling numb, use that as a reminder of your capacity for empathy, not evidence of its loss. Use it as guidance to identify your needs. Remember you are allowed to pace yourself, to care in waves, and to protect your energy so you can show up meaningfully when it matters most. We are not expected or built to carry the whole world. We only need to stay alert enough to keep choosing care in whatever ways we can.