infeeling

Infeeling is a term used to describe a reduced or absent capacity to experience or recognize emotions in oneself or others. It is not an official psychiatric diagnosis but is used in clinical language and popular discourse to characterize emotional numbness.

The word combines the prefix in- with feeling and is used to contrast with normal emotional experience. It is often equated with emotional numbness, flat affect, or sometimes alexithymia, though distinctions exist.

Infeeling refers to a subjective emotional experience and does not necessarily imply a deficit in cognitive empathy or understanding. It is distinct from anhedonia, which specifically involves a loss of pleasure, and from physical numbness or certain dissociative states.

Causes of infeeling can be multifactorial and context-dependent, including trauma, chronic stress, major depressive disorder, PTSD, anxiety disorders, burnout, substance use, and certain medications. In some cases, it may arise as a protective dissociative response to overwhelming experiences.

Symptoms and indicators commonly reported include self-reported numbness, flattened affect, difficulty identifying or describing feelings, reduced emotional reactions to events, and social withdrawal. It may be accompanied by sleep disturbances or concentration problems.

Diagnosis and assessment for infeeling are not formal; clinicians rely on self-report measures and interviews and distinguish it from other conditions such as alexithymia, anhedonia, or dissociation. The temporal pattern and related symptoms help guide differential diagnosis.

Treatment and management focus on addressing the underlying causes and may include psychotherapy (such as cognitive-behavioral, mindfulness-based, or trauma-focused approaches), emotion regulation skills, and social engagement strategies. Pharmacotherapy may be considered for co-occurring mood or anxiety disorders, with care tailored to the individual.

See also: emotional numbness; alexithymia; anhedonia; dissociation; trauma.