emotional numbness is often a defense mechanism. that when pain becomes too overwhelming, your mind protects you by shutting down emotional responses. this as part of , where unaddressed trauma leads to disconnection from your feelings as a way to avoid suffering.
that numbness isn't the absence of emotion but rather the suppression of it. Your feelings are still there, but you've learned to block them out to responds yourself. that while this might have helped you survive difficult times, staying numb prevents you from experiencing joy and connection too. Healing requires slowly reconnecting with your emotions in a safe way.