How Do I Get My Emotions Back?

Question by Stef F: How do I get my emotions back?
Hi, I had a psychotic episode last year triggered by an intensive meditation course. I had hallunications, delusions (believed I was the new messiah, telepathy, etc etc), almost committed suicide, and it completely freaked me out.

It lasted a week. I have been recovering since. I’ve been through a severe depression this year and have been trying to build myself and my life back together.

Now I’m getting much better – I’ve been back at work for five months, I am on medication, and am seeing a psychiatrist and counsellor.

The current problem is that I don’t feel my emotions. It’s really horrible, like I’m half alive. I don’t feel happy, unhappy, sad, afraid, joyful, excited – just nothing. Or very rarely. I think it’s a protective mechanism – like I’m still in shock.

However, I’m in a safe environment now and I’d like to aid the recovery process, so the question is: how do I get back in touch with my emotions?
I was diagnosed with schizo-affective disorder of mixed type.

Best answer:

Answer by kkkkatie
Have they given you a diagnosis? maybe it was a schizo episode when it happens you get emotionally numb. Yo don´t feel anything so talk to your therapists about it they should be able to find a way for you to start feeling again.

Answer by none
Been through something like that, I went twenty years with an untreated anxiety and depression disorder, I kinda lost my emotions in the mix as well, and you’re right it is defensive in nature, keeping yourself numb is how you’ve been protecting yourself. How to get past it? Well you are on the right track seeing both a psychiatrist and psychologist, taking medications. The problem with emotions is that we can’t manufacture them, we can’t will them into existence, they just happen when they happen and want to know a secret? They are always occuring in us, even if we aren’t listening/cannot hear them.

So here you are coming off one heck of a traumatic experience and you’re struggling to get back on your feet, and maybe right now you just need to not feel anything right now. When you’re ready you will. Don’t pressure yourself to try and feel things: like I said emotions just come as they come. You can’t feel anything and maybe that’s just where you are right now, maybe that’s what you need cos you’ve been hurt so badly. Hang in there

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