Feeling Disconnected
Disconnection can feel like nothingness — not bad, not good, just far
away from everything that matters. You might feel separate from
yourself, others, or the world. Numb. Distant. Absent, even while you're
here.
This page is a soft space to land. No pressure to feel more. Just slow reminders
that you still belong. You're still here — and that matters.
🪞 What You're Feeling
- A numb or blank emotional state
- Feeling detached from people or moments
- A sense that you're just going through the motions
- Difficulty accessing joy, sadness, or even thoughts
- Feeling like you're not really “in” your own life
🔍 Why You Might Feel This
Disconnection is often a quiet form of protection. It may show up after
long stress, trauma, burnout, or emotional overload. When something
hurts too much — or too often — your system might create distance to
cope.
It’s not failure. It’s your body saying: “This is too much.” You're not broken
— you're buffering. And there's a path back, slowly and gently.
🧘♀️ Try This Right Now
If you feel far away from everything — including yourself — these small actions might help reconnect one thread at a time. You don’t have to feel everything. Just try one thing, gently.
-
Hold something with texture — a stone, fabric, cup — and notice it
→ Engaging the senses can invite your mind back into your body. -
Speak your name out loud. Say what day it is.
→ Simple orientation anchors you gently in time and self. -
Put on soft instrumental music — or complete silence, if that feels
better.
→ Both sound and silence can act as safe containers. -
Move one part of your body — a stretch, a hand rub, a few steps
→ Movement tells your system you’re still here — and still alive. -
Say: “I feel far away, but I am still here.”
→ Speaking truth without judgment allows you to meet yourself gently.
📚 Support Tools
- Anchored by Deb Dana — a guide to using the nervous system to gently come back into connection.
- Coming to Our Senses by Jon Kabat-Zinn — mindfulness-based tools for reconnecting with self and the world.
- Why Are We Still Feeling Disconnected? — a Resilience Centre episode exploring disconnection in the post-COVID world.
- Mindfulness for Disconnection — a simple grounding meditation to help you return to your body.
Some links are Amazon affiliate links and help support this project — with no extra cost to you. 💛
If you're ready, you can gently explore other emotions:
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