The feeling of having no sensation or feeling in a part of your body; or emotional lack of response.
From 'numb' (possibly from Old English 'numen' or 'niman' meaning to seize or paralyze), combined with '-ness' (suffix meaning state or quality). The word evolved to describe both physical and emotional lack of sensation.
Numbness is actually your body protecting itself—when you sit on your leg and it 'falls asleep,' the nerves are being compressed, and this same protective numbness happens emotionally when people experience trauma, as their minds shut down to prevent overwhelm!
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