Emotional numbing

[Torak]

I've a question to ask.

In addition to temporal lobe epilepsy I have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Social Anxiety Disorder (I was sexually abused at school by my peers, in public).

I've been having psychotherapy for the PTSD for a year now but we hit a brick wall. The emotional part of my mind is a hard core hidden within my mind. I cannot break into it using EMDR or CBT. I can visualise events that caused the PTSD and SAD, but cannot connect with the emotions unless i actually go into the situation required, usually causing paranoia or a dissociative seizure.

I feel no emotions at all most of the time, except with regards certain obsessions (Arsenal, an English soccer team, where I used to be a season ticket holder).

I'm curious.

Has anyone here had problems connecting to emotions?

I take 450mg/day of Pregabalin (Lyrica).

It's annoying, because PTSD has ruined my life and I'm clutching at straws.

Is it normal for someone with temporal lobe epilepsy to feel no emotions?

[Bernard]

The book The Healing Power of Neurofeedback: The Revolutionary LENS Technique for Restoring Optimal Brain Function mentions several instances where patients found their emotional connections, old memories and psychiatric therapies all improved while using the LENS system.

[RobinN]

Torak - that was quite courageous to share your story with us. I am glad that you felt comfortable to do that. I hope you find more than straws here to grab ahold of.

[Torak]

It tends to be annoying but some parts of it you adapt to, like with epilepsy. You just go from one day to the next and take life as it comes.

[Orbital]

I suffer from emotional numbness a.k.a. depersonalization, since 1998.
The only thing I think will get rid of chronic numbness is holosync.
In my case it is anxiety induced and holosync in my experience is the only program that can get to the root of anxiety and other unconscious emotional issues. The program uses binaural beats that take you to the delta state and holds you there for about 40 minutes. Holosync is unique in that each level of the program is stronger and the further you go, the more positive changes occur and the less anxiety you have. I am finishing the second level
and think when I have done it for another year or two I will be able to feel again like I used to. Should be used with Energy Tapping by Fred Gallo to deal with the shadow material that is released.

[Tralee A]

Good on you for getting it out there . I used to have major panic attacks for no reason but my neurologist found it was my tablets.
I do have problems with emotions tho. Most of mine are scrambled tho. I have mini tantrums (to a degree) but they end up being directed at my mum who is very understanding. I also still have small panic attacks and burst into tears for no reason.
I have complex partial E. I cant have surgery as i will lose my sight. the cause for my E is a dark patch on my brain (left side) from a wrongly diagnosed thing back in '94. (was menengitus (sorry about the spelling) but was treated for a cold...and ended up with my body going nuts and attacking my pancreas and part of my brain giving me E that came to a head 7yrs ago)
Chin up. There are plenty here that know some of what you are going thru and all here for you

[mel239]

I have left temporal lobe epilepsy, and like Tralee A--I have mini tantrums that are usually held back and fought in my head,I have overemotionality but only when it comes to religion.But on a day to day basis my boyfriend says I have no emotion and no responsiveness.I find nothing funny or react to anything.Sometimes I get ranted up by welfare abuse or such but thats around seizure time when Im crazy anyway,but generally I dont care or react one way or the other.

[jyearta]

I have temporal lobe epilepsy also.

I have beening going through a lot of emotional stuff.

one minute I'm crying for no reason. the next day, someone can say something -which isn't really a big deal - SO we disagree - NOT A BIG DEAL.
But how I find I'm get very upset and mad, can't seem to handle conflict of any kind.

Don't know what all this is. All I know is that I'm not who I use to be.