Problem
Numbness towards others
Other Names:
Repression of feelingsNumbing of feelings
Emotional blunting
Insensitivity to personal pain
Emotional paralysis
Frozen feelings
Nature:
Reduction in levels of sensitivity is the primary protection against personal pain, suffering and humiliation. In addition to protection from external threats it can also be extended by people to protect themselves from inner experiences and impulses, including sexual feelings, joy, sadness, anger, pain and neediness. Skill in insensitivity towards personal pain can be extended to include the pain of others. This permits a further destructive development into active infliction of pain on others, whether by word or deed, omission or commission. The borderline between passive numbing and active cruelty is poorly defined and easily crossed.
Broader Problems:
RepressionEmotional disordersUnfeelingnessFear of intimacy Narrower Problems:
Suppressed rageNumbing of public response to suffering Related Problems:
AnhedoniaLack of appreciation of cultural differencesEscaping reality through sophisticated shields against life's pain Reduces:
PainEmotionalism Reduced By:
Glorified emotionalityStrategies:
Communicating emotionSensitizing peopleDeveloping numbness towards othersRepressing feelingsAwakening feelingsIncreasing sensitivity to personal painDecreasing sensitivity to personal pain Web Page(s):
Blunted Affect Flat Affect
Schizoid Personality Disorder and the 'Flat Affect'
Flat Affect and Brain Injury
Living With Flat Affect: Like 'Resting Bitch Face' but Not Funny
Subject(s):
Fundamental Sciences → Heat??Medicine → Locomotive, integumentary system??
Medicine → Nervous system??
Psychology → Sensory??
Societal Problems → Maltreatment??
Related UN Sustainable Development Goals:
Problem Type:
F: Fuzzy exceptional problems Date of last update
09.04.2019 – 12:31 CEST