During adolescence, teens undergo various emotional, physical, and cognitive changes that can be overwhelming. They become confused about their feelings and become more impulsive. At this age, teens’ emotions often control their behavior. It can be concerning to see your teen not express themselves at all.
As a parent or guardian, you should pay close attention to how your teen expresses their emotions. Emotional numbness or blunting can signify an underlying mental health condition. Left unaddressed, it can lead to the worsening of depression, anxiety, or your teen’s general well-being.
This article aims to educate parents and caregivers on emotional numbness and suppression, their signs and symptoms, and effective treatment options. It will also give parents insight into NexStep’s teen outpatient program with emotional suppression issues.
Understanding Emotional Numbness and Suppression in Teens
Teen emotional numbness is a state of feeling blank, empty, or distant. If you ask your teen how they are feeling and they say “nothing,” that is a clear sign they may be experiencing emotional numbness. It happens when teens shut out feelings due to emotional dysregulation. When your teen is experiencing various overwhelming emotions, they may develop emotional numbness to protect themselves. It offers temporary relief but can have lifelong effects.
Numbness in teens causes them to become unmotivated, disinterested in activities, and unable to show their emotions. It is an unhealthy coping mechanism to prevent further emotional pain. If your teen has recently broken up with their romantic partner or friend or lost a loved one, they may become numb to avoid emotional pain. Loss and grief can be hard to handle, making teens develop numbness as a temporary fix.
The difference between teen emotional numbness and suppression is that suppression is an avoidance tactic for not experiencing certain emotions. Teens who use emotional suppression choose to bottle up their feelings as a way of dealing with them. On the other hand, emotional numbness is the inability to feel or express emotions, which can result from emotional suppression.
Causes of Emotional Numbness and Suppression in Teens
There are several reasons why teens experience numbness, including:
Betrayal, Loss, or Grief: Losing someone you love can be heartbreaking. Since teens may not have developed appropriate emotional regulation skills, they may experience intense pain when they lose someone they love. To cope with these difficult emotions, they suppress their feelings and become numb.
Depression: Depressive episodes make it difficult for teens to process their emotions effectively. They dull their emotions to cope with the overwhelming sadness caused by depression.
Borderline Personality Disorder: BPD makes it hard for teens to regulate their emotions effectively. They feel all emotions more intensely and do not know how to cope. As such, they may suppress their emotions to cope with emotional dysregulation.
General Anxiety: If your teen suffers from anxiety, they may develop emotional suppression as a tool for coping with worry and stress. High stress levels can cause them to avoid feeling any positive or negative emotions.
Emotional Dysregulation: Teens with emotional dysregulation often dissociate from their feelings to avoid feeling out of control or overwhelmed.
Physical or Emotional Abuse: If your teen has experienced physical or emotional abuse, they may suppress such emotions. They do this to prevent the resurfacing of memories associated with their negative experiences.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Teens with PTSD use emotional suppression to prevent the resurfacing of traumatic memories.
Side Effects of Medication: Some medications used to treat depression may cause your teen to become numb.
Recognizing Signs of Emotional Numbness in Teenagers
As a parent or guardian, you should be able to recognize signs of emotional numbness, such as:
Losing interest in activities they once enjoyed
Becoming socially withdrawn and isolated
Becoming distant and detached
Being unable to express positive or negative emotions
Feeling like they cannot enjoy life
Flat affect
Becoming unmotivated
Low energy and fatigue
Reduced sexual desire or interest
Lack of excitement
Inability to talk about emotions
Feeling empty inside
Inability to experience the joys of life
Impacts of Emotional Suppression on Teen Mental Health
Suppressing emotions can impact your teen’s life psychologically, emotionally, and physically. Some impacts of emotional suppression include:
Worsening of Mental Health Conditions: Suppressing emotions can make your teen’s mental health conditions worsen. Suppressed emotions can make anxiety and depression worse, as teens do not address their feelings. They bottle them up and ignore emotions that would otherwise help them seek treatment for their mental health.
Development of Depression or Anxiety: When teens suppress their emotions, they tend to become socially withdrawn. They may also worry more about why they cannot express themselves fully. When this happens, it can lead to the onset or development of depression and anxiety.
Breakdown of Interpersonal Relationships: Maintaining a relationship requires a lot of communication and effort. When teens suppress their emotions, they become less communicative and lack the energy to interact with their peers or romantic partners. As a result, their relationships deteriorate and fizzle out.
Becoming More Aggressive: Bottled-up emotions can make your teen more aggressive, according to research conducted by the University of Austin.
Drug and Substance Misuse: Teens who suppress their emotions do not want to deal with or address their feelings. They know that suppression is only a temporary fix. As a result, they may begin using drugs and alcohol to dull their emotions further.
Tensed Muscles: Stress can be stored in the muscles, which is why many people benefit from deep tissue massages after a long week at work. For teens who suppress their emotions, their muscles may tighten and tense up due to the build-up of stress, which causes them to have constant muscle and body aches.
Stress-related Illnesses: Research has shown that suppressed emotions can lead to hypertension, cardiovascular issues, and insomnia. Some research also indicates that suppressed emotions and stress build-up can lead to cancer and higher mortality.
Self-Help Techniques and Daily Practices to Reconnect with Emotions
What can teens do to deal with their emotions effectively? They can do the following:
Practicing mindfulness techniques
Building emotional intelligence
Journaling
Introspection
Reflective writing
Physical exercise
Engaging with nature
Practicing positivity
Practicing gratitude
Exploring Treatment for Teen Emotional Numbness at NexStep Teen Academy
Now that you understand the causes and impacts of emotional numbness and suppression, it is time to explore possible treatment options. If your teen suppresses their emotions or is numb, they may require specialized care.
At NexStep Teen Academy’s teen IOP and PHP, we provide high-quality outpatient mental health treatment. Our highly skilled staff will ensure that your teen’s needs are met while they focus on overcoming emotional numbness. Our Arizona PHP for teens provides a tranquil environment where your teen can focus on healing. We offer a five-day-a-week outpatient treatment program for teens with various mental health and substance abuse issues.
At NexStep Teen Academy, we offer the following treatment approaches:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT is a psychotherapy approach that focuses on assisting teens to change their negative thought patterns to more positive ones. It is based on the idea that thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are connected. If your teen can learn to change their thoughts, their negative behaviors will improve.
CBT teaches teens with emotional suppression issues to change their mindset about emotions. It teaches them to be open about addressing their feelings rather than thinking negative emotions need to be suppressed. For teens with emotional numbness, they are taught to break their negative thought patterns to let their emotions flow freely.
CBT utilizes three main components to help teens who are emotionally numb or those who suppress their emotions. These include the following:
Cognitive Restructuring:This technique helps teens reframe negative thoughts into positive ones. It teaches them that negative thoughts cause negative emotions and behavior. If your teen wants to feel better, they should learn to identify and change negative thought patterns.
Guided Discovery:This component of CBT helps teens discover distorted thoughts and how their behavior affects those around them. If your teen suppresses their emotions, they likely have emotional regulation issues. Guided discovery can help them regulate their emotions better by giving them a new perspective on their behaviors.
Cognitive Journaling:This component of CBT helps teens record their progress and set goals. It also provides your teen with an outlet to address their suppressed feelings. Writing down how they feel can help your teen address their emotions rather than suppressing them.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
DBT is a psychotherapy approach that focuses on assisting teens to change their behaviors. It is based on CBT but assists teens in changing their negative behavior first before changing their thoughts. It encourages teens to use grounding techniques to appreciate the present moment. They should become aware of how they feel internally and externally without judgment or worry.
DBT utilizes four main components to help teens with emotional suppression issues. These include the following:
Mindfulness: This DBT component helps teens appreciate their current experiences without judgment. Worrying about the past or the future can lead to negative thoughts and behaviors. Mindfulness utilizes grounding techniques like breathing exercises and meditation to allow teens to slow down their thoughts and analyze their behavior. They then make a conscious decision about how they should respond to negative stimuli.
Interpersonal Effectiveness:This DBT component helps teens build their social skills. A strong support structure can be useful for teens as they can have someone to talk to when they feel overwhelmed by emotions.
Emotional Regulation:Teens with emotional dysregulation can benefit from learning emotional regulation skills. They know how to calm themselves down and how to stop emotional suppression.
Distress Tolerance:if your teen suppresses their emotions, it may be a sign that they cannot handle uncomfortable feelings. Distress tolerance assists teens in learning how to tolerate uncomfortable situations and feelings.
Group Therapy
A strong support network allows teens to heal quickly. At NexStep Teen Academy, we leverage group therapy to assist teens in building a community that can support them during treatment. Being surrounded by peers encourages openness and confidence in sharing negative feelings.
When you enroll your teen in group therapy, they will be put in a group of up to 12 teens. Here, they share their thoughts and feelings and receive feedback from their peers. A facilitator guides the discussion for the day and offers insights on how your teen should improve their behavioral responses.
Trauma is a complex emotion. It causes teens to feel overwhelmed by different emotions and can cause flashbacks. These memories are hard to handle, so many teens suppress their feelings. Emotional numbness is used by teens who have experienced trauma to cope with negative emotions.
Every parent needs to create a safe and secure environment where teens can freely express themselves. Open communication techniques ensure your teen can express themselves without being judged. Ask your teen about their feelings and utilize active listening skills to make them feel seen and heard. Combining these strategies will ensure your teen does not suppress their emotions.
Teen Emotional Numbness and Suppression
Table of Contents
During adolescence, teens undergo various emotional, physical, and cognitive changes that can be overwhelming. They become confused about their feelings and become more impulsive. At this age, teens’ emotions often control their behavior. It can be concerning to see your teen not express themselves at all.
As a parent or guardian, you should pay close attention to how your teen expresses their emotions. Emotional numbness or blunting can signify an underlying mental health condition. Left unaddressed, it can lead to the worsening of depression, anxiety, or your teen’s general well-being.
This article aims to educate parents and caregivers on emotional numbness and suppression, their signs and symptoms, and effective treatment options. It will also give parents insight into NexStep’s teen outpatient program with emotional suppression issues.
Understanding Emotional Numbness and Suppression in Teens
Teen emotional numbness is a state of feeling blank, empty, or distant. If you ask your teen how they are feeling and they say “nothing,” that is a clear sign they may be experiencing emotional numbness. It happens when teens shut out feelings due to emotional dysregulation. When your teen is experiencing various overwhelming emotions, they may develop emotional numbness to protect themselves. It offers temporary relief but can have lifelong effects.
Numbness in teens causes them to become unmotivated, disinterested in activities, and unable to show their emotions. It is an unhealthy coping mechanism to prevent further emotional pain. If your teen has recently broken up with their romantic partner or friend or lost a loved one, they may become numb to avoid emotional pain. Loss and grief can be hard to handle, making teens develop numbness as a temporary fix.
The difference between teen emotional numbness and suppression is that suppression is an avoidance tactic for not experiencing certain emotions. Teens who use emotional suppression choose to bottle up their feelings as a way of dealing with them. On the other hand, emotional numbness is the inability to feel or express emotions, which can result from emotional suppression.
Causes of Emotional Numbness and Suppression in Teens
There are several reasons why teens experience numbness, including:
Recognizing Signs of Emotional Numbness in Teenagers
As a parent or guardian, you should be able to recognize signs of emotional numbness, such as:
Impacts of Emotional Suppression on Teen Mental Health
Suppressing emotions can impact your teen’s life psychologically, emotionally, and physically. Some impacts of emotional suppression include:
Self-Help Techniques and Daily Practices to Reconnect with Emotions
What can teens do to deal with their emotions effectively? They can do the following:
Exploring Treatment for Teen Emotional Numbness at NexStep Teen Academy
Now that you understand the causes and impacts of emotional numbness and suppression, it is time to explore possible treatment options. If your teen suppresses their emotions or is numb, they may require specialized care.
At NexStep Teen Academy’s teen IOP and PHP, we provide high-quality outpatient mental health treatment. Our highly skilled staff will ensure that your teen’s needs are met while they focus on overcoming emotional numbness. Our Arizona PHP for teens provides a tranquil environment where your teen can focus on healing. We offer a five-day-a-week outpatient treatment program for teens with various mental health and substance abuse issues.
At NexStep Teen Academy, we offer the following treatment approaches:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT is a psychotherapy approach that focuses on assisting teens to change their negative thought patterns to more positive ones. It is based on the idea that thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are connected. If your teen can learn to change their thoughts, their negative behaviors will improve.
CBT teaches teens with emotional suppression issues to change their mindset about emotions. It teaches them to be open about addressing their feelings rather than thinking negative emotions need to be suppressed. For teens with emotional numbness, they are taught to break their negative thought patterns to let their emotions flow freely.
CBT utilizes three main components to help teens who are emotionally numb or those who suppress their emotions. These include the following:
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
DBT is a psychotherapy approach that focuses on assisting teens to change their behaviors. It is based on CBT but assists teens in changing their negative behavior first before changing their thoughts. It encourages teens to use grounding techniques to appreciate the present moment. They should become aware of how they feel internally and externally without judgment or worry.
DBT utilizes four main components to help teens with emotional suppression issues. These include the following:
Group Therapy
A strong support network allows teens to heal quickly. At NexStep Teen Academy, we leverage group therapy to assist teens in building a community that can support them during treatment. Being surrounded by peers encourages openness and confidence in sharing negative feelings.
When you enroll your teen in group therapy, they will be put in a group of up to 12 teens. Here, they share their thoughts and feelings and receive feedback from their peers. A facilitator guides the discussion for the day and offers insights on how your teen should improve their behavioral responses.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Trauma is a complex emotion. It causes teens to feel overwhelmed by different emotions and can cause flashbacks. These memories are hard to handle, so many teens suppress their feelings. Emotional numbness is used by teens who have experienced trauma to cope with negative emotions.
Every parent needs to create a safe and secure environment where teens can freely express themselves. Open communication techniques ensure your teen can express themselves without being judged. Ask your teen about their feelings and utilize active listening skills to make them feel seen and heard. Combining these strategies will ensure your teen does not suppress their emotions.
Yes, emotional numbness can fade on its own. It is a negative coping mechanism used to deal with overwhelming feelings.