Without a doubt, emotions remain a very complex topic. This complexity especially refers to dealing with negative emotions. Common examples are anger, sadness, and frustration. Nonetheless, another one that some would say isn’t discussed as much is feeling “empty.” At times, “emptiness” can be difficult to articulate and, in turn, also difficult to address.

If this is what you’re going through right now, here is how to make sense of “feeling empty” as well as ways you can get better:

Making Sense of “Feeling Empty”

“Feeling empty” means that it almost seems as though you aren’t feeling any emotions at all. Life has a sense of bleakness because you can’t understand why you should be happy about, or satisfied with, anything. It would make sense if you were to additionally describe “feeling empty” as experiencing overwhelming “uncertainty,” “hopelessness,” or “numbness.”

All in all, this could also lead to more negative emotions, including depression and anxiety.

How to Get Better

Take Inventory of the Things You Feel Are Lacking In Your Life

This feeling of emptiness may stem from lacking fulfillment in certain areas of your life. For instance, are you not as close to loved ones as before? Do you find that goals you have aren’t as meaningful as they used to be? Do you still feel unsatisfied even after achieving these goals or end up not caring if you do?

Overall, taking this inventory might help you get to the root of the issue. Doing so could lead to a breakthrough by either changing your perspective regarding these things or have you take a step back and re-examine what you truly want/need.

Find a Medium to Express Your Feelings and What You Think You Need to Feel Better

Another great way to get better is finding the best medium you can use to express how you’re feeling and what you think you need to feel better. It could be anything. Some suggestions would be writing in a journal on a regular basis, drawing, or even creating a fictional story about a character who is going through something similar. These activities possess potentially therapeutic qualities and therefore could benefit you in this respect. A notable one includes turning these into larger, personal projects and providing you with a sense of accomplishment.

Try Seeing a Mental Health Professional

If you find that your efforts aren’t helping, it might be a good idea to try booking an appointment with a mental health professional. Tell them about what you’ve been experiencing, and they will likely provide pointers that can help guide you as you continue to address how you’re feeling.

Remember: tackling emotional challenges usually takes time, so be patient. Negative emotions are tricky to manage and in most if not all cases, you won’t know when you’ll begin to improve. Continue trying and seeking avenues that could help. Of course, there’s no telling exactly what the remainder of your journey through this situation will look like, but if you take the advice stated above, you’re well on your way to feeling better.