Emotional Disconnection: What It Looks Like and How to Reconnect
Life is all about connection. As human beings, we crave connection and closeness with others. Whether you want to be a social butterfly with lots of friends or you would be more content with having a close inner circle, some kind of deep connection is important.
Unfortunately, for those living with emotional disconnection, that can feel next to impossible.
Emotional disconnection occurs when an individual has a hard time forming or keeping an emotional connection with other people. Some people feel they’re unable to form those connections, while others are unwilling to do so.
So, what causes emotional connection, what does it look like, and what can you do to fix it?
What Causes Emotional Disconnection?
There are many factors that can contribute to emotional disconnection, but one of the most common causes is experiencing adversity in life. This could stem all the way back to childhood if you were a victim of abuse or neglect.
Even growing up in an unstable environment can affect the way you learned how to establish emotional connections, impacting you as an adult.
Experiencing trauma as an adult can also impact your ability to form connections, as you might self-isolate to distance yourself from your own memories.
Mental health conditions, including anxiety and depression, can contribute to emotional disconnection. It’s not uncommon for people with these conditions to isolate and withdraw from people, making it harder to maintain a sense of closeness.
Even something like excess stress can cause a disconnect. It’s possible for your emotional resources to become so depleted that you try to “detach” as a way to cope.
What Does Emotional Disconnection Look Like?
Emotional disconnection is about more than just withdrawing from social situations. That’s certainly part of it, but staying away from social settings when you have an emotional disconnect isn’t the same as being antisocial.
The biggest sign to watch out for is having a hard time forming or maintaining healthy relationships. Maybe you feel you can’t trust people, or you have a hard time being vulnerable and sharing who you really are.
How you react to conversations and people sharing pieces of themselves with you could also be a red flag. Do you have a hard time empathizing with others? Maybe you don’t fully understand their feelings, even if they’re expressing themselves clearly. That, combined with difficulties expressing your own feelings (whether they’re positive or negative) is often a clear sign of emotional disconnection.
What Can You Do?
Again, human beings crave connection. Even if you feel like you want to isolate now, doing so will create bigger problems for your mental and emotional well-being in the future.
If these signs of emotional disconnection seem familiar, it’s never too late to get help. Something like relationship therapy can help you feel closer to your partner and provide you with the skills you need to build a stronger emotional connection with others.
Additionally, there are things you can do on your own to build stronger and healthier connections in your life.
Choose to actively spend time with friends, family, and your romantic partner.
Consider participating in hobbies and activities you enjoy with other people, so you’ll be able to quickly associate these relationships with something positive.
On a personal level, things like journaling, mindfulness, and meditation can go a long way in helping you better understand your own emotions and potential roadblocks that could be holding you back.
You don’t have to go through this journey alone. No matter what might have contributed to your emotional disconnection, I’m here to help you work through it. Contact me today to set up an appointment.