Emotional numbness is the situation that results due to suppression individuals’ emotions so that they no longer experiences feelings (Maciejewski & Prigerson, 2013) . An individual suffering from emotional bluntness may experience other characteristics such as slow thinking and reduced sexual delight and desires. Psychotropic agents are a significant cause of emotional bluntness. Psychotropic agents or psychotherapeutic agents are substances that help manage psychological anarchy (Keltner & Kowalski, 2018) . They change the intellectual capabilities of an individual thus altering their mood, perception, behavior, among others. The different classes of psychotherapeutic agents exist depending on their effect on the individual. They include antidepressants, antipsychotics, and antianxiety.
For instance, antidepressants cause emotional bluntness to its users. These individual experience the following characteristics: (1) unable to cry when it is the anticipated response, (2) being less empathetic for others, and (3) reduced positive emotional response than they would usually respond. If a patient complains of such a case, the doctor should consider lowering the dosage or change the antidepressant such as from SSRI to SNRI. Additionally, the doctor should add extra prescription to counterbalance the emotional blunting.
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Moreover, antipsychotics cause an individual to be emotionally flat. The effect of antipsychotics lasts for a more extended period past the duration the individual is under medication (Moncrieff, Cohen & Mason, 2009) . Additionally, the result of antipsychotic drugs emerges during withdrawal syndrome, especially if the patient experience drug discontinuation. The remedy is that the physician should lower the antipsychotic prescription (Haverkampf, 2013) .
Lastly, anti-anxiety agents or Benzodiazepines have adverse effects on the individual’s emotions. Long-term effects of anti-anxiety agents cause emotional numbness. It is true that the medication eases anxiety, but on the other hand it locks out the perception of pain and pleasure. To curb the effect of numbness caused by the use of anti-anxiety medications, the physician can change the prescription. Additionally, the doctor can offer a coping method that will assist regain the emotional feelings back.
References
Haverkampf, C. J. (2013). Antipsychotics: Emotional Flattening vs Apathy. J Psychiatry Psychotherapy Communication, 2(2), 31-32
Keltner, N. L., & Kowalski, P. C. (2018). Introduction to psychotropic drugs. Psychiatric Nursing-eBook , 115
Maciejewski, P., & Prigerson, H. (2013). Emotional Numbness Modifies the Effect of End-of-Life Discussions on End-of-Life Care. Journal Of Pain And Symptom Management , 45 (5), 841-847. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2012.04.003
Moncrieff, J., Cohen, D., & Mason, J. P. (2009). The subjective experience of taking antipsychotic medication: a content analysis of Internet data. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 120(2), 102-111.
