I feel numb instead of loving
ADHD parent behaviour
The numbness is not indifference. After cycling through anger, guilt and shame too many times, your feeling system switches to conservation mode and goes offline. This is burnout, an emotional shutdown under sustained overload. The love is still there underneath it and usually returns as the pressure drops. Focus on reducing the load, and if the numbness stays, explore it with a professional. It is a signal, not a flaw.
What to do right now
The numbness is not indifference. It is your nervous system shutting down under sustained overload. You went through anger, frustration, guilt, and shame so many times that your emotional system switched to conservation mode. This is burnout. The love is still there underneath the numbness. It will come back when the pressure reduces. If it does not come back, that is worth exploring with a professional. Numbness is a signal, not a character flaw.
What your brain just did
Your body
You feel nothing where love used to be. The numbness is frightening.
Your brain
Emotional shutdown is a protective mechanism under sustained overload. The feeling system conserves by going offline. This is burnout, not indifference.
What this did
The love is underneath the numbness. When the pressure reduces, feeling returns. If it does not, professional support can help. Numbness is a signal worth listening to.