You love life and enjoy socializing, but lately you’re feeling emotionally numb and lacking energy. The doctor has prescribed an antidepressant, and you’re wondering, does Zoloft make you tired? Emotional blunting, which may be what you’re experiencing, affects between 40% and 60% of people taking antidepressants. Other reasons for these feelings may include trauma, depression and stress.
What Is Emotional Blunting?
Emotional blunting is a condition where you feel emotionally numb. It’s difficult to experience feelings of happiness and joy. You have no interest in what happens around you and find it hard to empathize with those closest to you. This applies equally to positive as well as negative events. You feel detached from the world around you.
Common Causes of Emotional Blunting
Emotional blunting affects people who have a mental illness or who experience a traumatic event. Some of the more common causes of emotional numbness include:
- Depression and other mental illnesses. People who are chronically depressed often feel flat and low. Additionally, people suffering from PTSD, severe anxiety and associative disorders may experience emotional blunting.
- Medications. Certain medications can cause flat emotions. These are antidepressants like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). Other culprits include antipsychotics and mood stabilizers.
- Trauma. During and after a traumatic event, you may find it difficult to feel emotions. To protect the mind, the body dulls emotional responses so you can continue to function.
- Chronic stress. Prolonged stress has a similar effect in that it dulls emotions and inhibits feelings of joy, happiness or satisfaction.
- Drugs and alcohol. Long-term drug or alcohol abuse disrupts the natural balance in the brain, causing feelings of detachment and a lack of emotion. Critical responses from family and friends worsen these feelings.
How Emotional Numbness Affects Relationships and Identity
Emotional numbness is a natural response to trauma or illness. The downside is the significant impact the condition has on how you feel about yourself. It also affects your interactions with others. Signs of blunting include:
- Lack of motivation. You have no interest in work, chores or other activities.
- Withdrawal from others. You keep to yourself and avoid socializing.
- Lack of intimacy. It’s difficult to show positive emotions toward those you love.
- Loss of confidence. You don’t want to make decisions or show leadership.
- Poor communication. It’s difficult to interact with others, especially anything related to emotions.
- Inability to connect. You find it almost impossible to connect emotionally with family and friends.
- Poor self-image. You feel you don’t matter and that no one cares about you.
Differentiating Blunting from Dissociation or Burnout
Emotional blunting, dissociation and burnout are three distinct conditions. The overlap of symptoms sometimes makes it difficult to differentiate between these disorders.
Emotional Blunting
A muted emotional response is one of the defining characteristics of emotional blunting. It’s generally possible to link blunting to a specific series of events or conditions. In most instances, the disorder is temporary and resolves over a period of time. It’s often a side effect of antidepressant and psychotic medications.
Dissociation
The primary difference between emotional numbness and dissociation is a feeling of being detached from reality. A person with dissociation experiences the world as if it’s unreal. They have a sense that they’re above or separated from life. Commonly, they feel detached from their thoughts and emotions.
Burnout
Burnout is a situational condition related to extreme physical and mental exhaustion. It’s generally caused by prolonged exposure to stress in a difficult or demanding environment. People who are caregivers, teachers, and in stressful jobs, or who work long hours, often suffer from burnout. Burnout is almost always work- or career-related. People with burnout often feel depersonalized and that they have not accomplished anything.
Treatment Approaches That Help Restore Emotional Range
Treatment must take into consideration the underlying reason for emotional blunting. If the numbness is a result of medication, then the focus should be on resolving that issue. Other treatment options we recommend include therapy, becoming more active and lifestyle changes.
Does Zoloft Make You Tired? Adjust Your Medication
Certain antidepressants can reduce you feelings of energy and make you tired. While SSRIs and SNRIs are remarkably effective, everyone reacts slightly differently. If the antidepressant makes you feel emotionally flat, speak to your physician. You may respond better with a different dosage or by switching to another medication.
Talk Therapy
Counseling or psychotherapy is a valuable tool for alleviating emotional bluntness. Our therapists at Restore Mental Health find that cognitive behavioral therapy helps change negative thoughts that contribute to numbness. Therapies that work well for trauma and PTSD are eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) and exposure therapy.
Social and Physical Activities
Get involved in activities that help you express your creativity. This could include hobbies, social clubs or a support group. Physical exercise is good because it stimulates the release of endorphins that boost your mood. Yoga and other mind-body forms of exercise are useful, as they affirm the link between physical exercise and emotions.
Lifestyle Changes
Consider changing your lifestyle to one that focuses on your needs. Sleep is important, so go to bed early and avoid activities before bed that drain your mind or are stressful. A balanced diet that includes minerals, vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids helps improve brain health. This, in turn, boosts your mood.
When to Reevaluate Medications or Diagnosis
The goal of medication and therapy is to help you overcome emotional bluntness. As part of treatment, monitor your condition and keep track of changes. If you’re taking antidepressants, talk to your physician about their possible side effects. If, for example, Zoloft makes you tired, discuss this with your physician. Emotional bluntness related to medication usually resolves itself over time. Should your condition not improve, go back to the doctor for a reevaluation of your medication and diagnosis.
FAQs
- Can Prozac make you tired?
Yes, Prozac may make you tired initially, but the effect should wear off after a few weeks. - What is the best antidepressant for energy and motivation?
Each antidepressant acts differently. Some, including bupropion (Wellbutrin) and sertraline (Zoloft), are recognized as being good for boosting energy and motivation. - Is emotional blunting inevitable?
No, not everyone on antidepressants experiences emotional blunting.
Find Help for Emotional Blunting at Restore Mental Health
If you, or a loved one, are feeling emotionally numb, reach out for help now at Restore Mental Health. Discuss your condition with one of our trained counselors. We treat all mental health disorders at our fully certified clinic. We work with a wide variety of insurance companies.
