Verywell / Theresa Chiechi
Feeling empty inside can make you feel like nothing matters.
You might feel like there’s nothing that connects you to other people and the world around you anymore.
At times, you might feel like you hardly exist.
Verywell / Theresa Chiechi
However, some people have feelings of emptiness that last for months or even years.
If youre feeling empty inside, you may not understand why you feel this way.
You may wonder if feelings of emptiness mean that youre depressed.
While depression can be a sign of feeling empty inside, its not the only reason.
Why Do I Feel Empty Inside?
Youre Not Sleeping Well
Sleepis one of the most important things for your physical and mental health.
No matter how much you sleep, you stillwake up exhausted.
Research supports this example, too.
Studies have shown that informal caregiving can lead to stress and burnout.
Youre so overtired that you just feel totally blah about your job and your life.
You might not recognize right away that feeling empty inside is tied to being worn out.
Honoring your personal bandwidth is necessary for taking care of your physical and mental well-being.
The same situation or life circumstance will not affect everyone the same way.
What makes you feel empty may not have that effect on someone else.
Research has shown thatgratitude can increase your happiness.
Dont put pressure on yourself to get over the loss of someone close to you.
You might also feel less interest in activities that you used to really love doing.
Dont ignore these feelings.
If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor.
If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
Remember: Asking for help is not a sign that you cant handle life or that youre weak.
Acknowledging your feelings of emptiness is the first step, so congratulations if youve taken that step.
Determining the possible cause is the next step.
Finally, remind yourself that you are respecting your feelings and taking positive actions.
Harvard Health Publishing.Sleep deprivation can affect your mental health.
Nield, D.Here’s how a lack of sleep can mess with your emotions.
Gerain P, Zech E.Informal caregiver burnout?
Development of a theoretical framework to understand the impact of caregiving.Front Psychol.
2019;10:1748. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01748
NAMI.Boredom as a symptom.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Loneliness and social isolation linked to serious health conditions.
