What is Disconnect?

Do you ever get the feeling that you’re sitting back, watching as you life rolls on by, and you have neither the energy or the inclination to get up and dive headlong into it? That’s disconnect.

Do you ever look at your family and, no matter how much you love them, feel as if they are just too much effort today? As if all their interests and their concerns, their games and their joy, are happening around you; and you’re no longer a part of it? That’s disconnect.

Do you ever look at your self and wonder who you are? What happened to the old you? What would happen if a stranger asked you to tell them about yourself? Would you even know where to begin right now – would you even know who you are? That too is disconnect.

The 3 types of disconnect

There are three types of disconnect. You might identify with one or you might identify with all three.

Emotional disconnect

Emotional disconnect tends to manifest itself as feelings of distance or disconnection from the ones we love. Maybe you’re not as emotionally available for your partner anymore. Or maybe you’re having trouble being as empathetic for an elderly parent as you once were. Are you turning down a cup of tea and a chat with your friends because you just don’t know how you’ll be able to keep up with the conversation. Maybe you just feel numb. If any of this sounds familiar, then you’re probably feeling a sense of emotional disconnection.

Physical disconnect

Physical disconnect can manifest as that sluggish, blurry feeling that life is passing you by. But not only is it passing you by, but you really can’t be bothered to do anything about it. Before you know it, three years have passed and you’re still doing the same old, same old, but hey – does it really matter? Well, yes. Unless you want to wake up 30 years down the line and still be doing that very same old same old. Physical disconnect isn’t about apathy – it’s about clawing and gnawing fatigue that holds you in a grip so tight that it becomes impossible to fight it.

Spiritual disconnect

A sense of spiritual disconnect is often the thing that people recognise first in themselves. Physical and emotional disconnect can make you quite insular, which is when you suddenly begin to realise that you’re feeling empty on the inside too.

Spiritual disconnect can relate to the feeling that you don’t know who you are anymore, or that you don’t know what you believe in anymore. It can be triggered by an enforced career change or a change in family circumstances, such as divorce or children leaving home. Or, like me, you could have spent your entire life constantly changing who you were in an attempt to fit in, only to discover that you actually can’t remember who you were in the first place.

Are feelings of disconnect normal?

The good news is that, yes, it is thought that 50% of people suffer from feelings of disconnect at one time or another. And no you’re not going slowly mad. The bad news is that feelings of disconnect tend to be brought about by chronic stress – and that isn’t good for anyone’s health, or their sanity. Chronic disconnect can be a symptom of depression, and if you’re in any doubt (or severe emotional distress) please, please speak to your GP – or even a pharmacist, they will be able to point you in the direction of help.

The way we live in today’s society can exacerbate a sense of disconnect, with prolonged exposure to social media (doom scrolling…?), a lack of meaningful social interaction (working from home, or in a job that just doesn’t suit), or even lack of self care (poor diet, lack of exercise and lack of sleep) can all contribute. I defy most people to say that they’re not guilty of at least three of the above!

How Reiki can help feelings of disconnect

Reiki is a tool, not a solution. But it is a mighty tool in your arsenal against the destructive sense of disconnect.

Reiki is a form of hands on (or off if you prefer) energy healing, which can be used to move energy around the body. A person’s energy can reflect how they feel – if you feel stagnant and stuck, then it is a fair bet that your energy is stagnant and stuck too. Once your energy can move freely around your body, it will flow to the areas where healing is needed the most. That is the wonderful thing about Reiki – it finds where it is needed, and it heals what needs to be healed… even if you were unaware that it needed healing in the first place.

Reiki can create a sense of grounding, and a deep and meaningful sense of self. It can bring about a need for profound change in a person – you’re reading a post from someone who up-ed and quit their job following Reiki. The changes you feel may not turn your life upside down quite that much (unless you need it of course), but Reiki can help you to reconnect to yourself in ways you never expect.