Feelings of emptiness are something that many of us go through. Though the extent to which we experience such feelings may vary by way of intensity and duration, there is no denying that it can be a tough space to navigate.

Feelings of emptiness might occur due to a number of reasons; they could be triggered by the sudden/unexpected passing of a close friend or family member or they could come up if we’ve spent a long time disconnected from ourselves and have failed to provide ourselves the self-care we need. They can even occur as the result of conditions such as clinical depression. In any case; what does one do when they feel empty?

What to Do When You Feel Empty? 

Though there is no one set way to deal with feelings of emptiness, there are certain steps you can take in the right direction. Here are some of them.

Stay with the Emptiness

This does not mean spending extended periods of time feeling unpleasant. What we’re suggesting here is not to panic and try to disconnect from feelings of emptiness the moment you experience them. If you are feeling empty, the first step in dealing with such feelings is to recognize and accept them.

Explore Possible Causes

It sometimes helps to look into why you may be feeling empty to begin with. Has the emptiness been triggered due to a recent event? Is it something you have been contending with on and off for a long period of time now? Is it chronic?

Exploring possible causes is helpful as the emptiness is usually a symptom which, if addressed at the root, can be dealt with better.

Slow Down

Taking out time and space for yourself can be helpful when dealing with feelings of emptiness. Sometimes we’re so caught in the rut of day-to-day living and making ends meet that we fail to take the time and space we need for ourselves to re-cooperate.

Slowing down and creating that time and space is important especially when it comes to self-care.

Reconnecting

If you have time and space, you can proceed to think about and reconnect with yourself.

What do you love?

What do you feel you’ve been missing out on?

What do you want to do?

These and more are the kinds of questions that could help you reconnect.

When you figure out what it is you need to do or what you love you can proceed to and it may just help!

What if Nothing Helps!

If you’re someone reading this and thinking; ‘I’ve tried all this and nothing helps’, you needn’t worry! If the root cause of your feelings of emptiness runs deeper than what you can deal with on your own there is no shame in that. Depression and feelings of emptiness can often be addressed with therapy including forms like CBT, Psychodynamic and Hypnosis.

If you feel the emotions and feelings of emptiness you’re contending with are bordering on unmanageable, there is no shame in seeking help. You can connect with a hypnotist or a counselor and address your emptiness with the support you need!