Physical feeling of Emptiness/Longing

lynsalot

Hi everyone,
So I was sitting watching TV this evening and for some reason I had this overwhelming feeling in the pit of my stomach of longing for something but i can't put my finger on what it is I want. This happens to me from time to time and I'm hoping someone else might share the experience.

I'll try to describe it as best I can but it's a very strange feeling that comes and goes in pangs. Ever since I can remember from time to time I'd get this feeling of longing... like something's missing. A physical pang in my stomach... high up in my abdomen... its a horrible feeling and feels like it can't be supressed. Or fulfilled. Like I said it only lasts a couple of seconds, might come back and then it's gone. i've been getting it more and more recently and it makes me feel sad. I used to get it a lot, I think it stopped for a while and now it's back.

I wish I knew what it was or how I could describe it properly. I've had a pretty rough ride over the years - could it be something to do with that or am I looking for something to blame it on?

Does anyone else ever get a sensation like this or know what it is?

santana75

Its a disconnection from the self. Buddhists and philosophers even have a name for it: Existential suffering.
You gotta figure out who you are, become more self aware. Get in touch with yourself. I know that sounds a bit airy fairy and vague but its a hard thing to articulate. Of course I can only speak for myself and my own personal experiences so maybe it is existential suffering and maybe its not. It just sounds similiar to the way I used to feel myself.
Its a hard thing to face, the nature of your existence, who you are. And a lot of people dont face it. A lot of people turn to alcohol, drugs, gambling, sex or even the distraction of starting a family, to escape from the profound issue of the nature of their existence. Again I can only speak for my own personal experiences in life and what Ive observed in the people I know, so I know that not everybody will turn to booze to escape existential suffering.
Sel-awareness and finding out bit - bit who you are, what makes you tick is how you tackle this.

LegacyUser

sounds like a mild form of anxiety to me. subconsiously you might be worried about something?

i usually get a very similar feeling when i'm job hunting or moving.

force majeure

This one is tricky, first off can you be sure its not a medical connected problem as you do not say if you mentioned it to a GP or not.
Next up is their anything psychical messing from you life, fact people no matter how they say it are not good at living on their own.
This could be the case as if its a recurring pain that may relate to what you see around you maybe it is your body telling you its not happy with the current arrangement.
That's about all I can say for now non the less do give your self a good hour or so some day to think off the things you can do with changing and may be this could put right any wrong.

Eve_Dublin

answer2 wrote: »

sounds like a mild form of anxiety to me. subconsiously you might be worried about something?

i usually get a very similar feeling when i'm job hunting or moving.

Hey OP....I know exactly the feeling you're talking about. It's a funny one and I always thought it was just me. I used to get them more when I was younger when I guess I was more anxious about who I was and what I was about but I've started to get them recently as things are a little stressful in my life at the minute. I agree with the poster above that it must be a mild form of anxiety....perhaps you didn't even realise you were anxious. Perhaps it has something to do with just accepting yourself and things that are out of your control....perhaps when you learn that you are enough for yourself, you won't feel that ambiguous sense of longing anymore.