With so much happening in the world today, and such easy access to terrible news, the emotional weight of daily life can be heavy. Not to mention, deadlines, heartbreak, financial worries, and the like all tend to pile up. In the middle of all of it, you may wish that you could just stop caring. This feeling has a name:
Liberosis refers to the desire to care less about practically everything. Like many less-discussed feelings, liberosis is not a clinical term. Much like compassion fatigue, this sensation is more of an effect than a standalone emotion.
Origins of Liberosis
Along with other emotions, John Koenig first defined liberosis in his book, The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows. According to him, the term describes wanting to essentially find the figurative knob that controls emotion and turn it down.
People experiencing liberosis are not apathetic or indifferent to the world around them, nor do they really want to be. Few people want to stop caring altogether, but it feels impossible to keep up with immense emotional demands.
Why We Long to Care Less
Sometimes, we practically need to care less. During periods of burnout, chronic stress, grief, or other events that come with heavy responsibilities, it’s normal to seek relief. When an individual is on a constant emotional rollercoaster, the mind needs a break through distance and detachment.
Despite the way our culture rewards overachievement, caring all the time can be exhausting. Liberosis crops up when your internal resources are depleted.
The Double-Edged Sword of Emotional Detachment
Caring about others is part of what makes us human, but nonstop emotional investment can also result in people-pleasing behaviors, burnout, and anxiety. Wanting to care less doesn’t make you a bad person. It’s okay to be tired. It’s okay to recharge.
There’s a fine line between healthy detachment and emotional numbing, though. Suppressing feelings or pushing away emotional responses can exacerbate mental health challenges. Instead, liberosis encourages us to be more mindful of how and where we invest our energy.
Responding with Balanced Compassion
If you identify with the feelings described, try to identify the source. Ask yourself what’s going on in your life that feels so emotionally draining. Explore where you might need to establish firmer boundaries or how you might approach sorting out your priorities.
Caring less doesn’t have to mean being withdrawn or acting cold and indifferent. Sometimes the weight of the world feels like too much, and it’s okay to put it down before you slip a disc. It’s not selfish to admit when you need time to recover.
You Can’t Give More Than You Have
Liberosis reminds us that there’s self-preservation in creating emotional space. It’s okay to care less about what others think when it doesn’t serve you. It’s okay to do things well instead of striving for perfection all the time.
That said, if you find that you’re experiencing persistent emotional disconnect, consider speaking with a mental health professional. Exploring your feelings in a safe and judgment-free environment can help you reconnect with yourself and others in a sustainable way.
Liberosis occurs as a sign of emotional oversaturation. As much as we want to help everyone and accomplish everything, our capacity is finite. In acknowledging the need to care less, we encourage ourselves to invest our feelings more wisely. When life becomes too heavy, you don’t need to stop caring altogether. Just pay attention to how you feel and give yourself enough space to breathe along the way.
If you’re struggling and you’d like to work with a dedicated therapist, please reach out to DK Therapy and schedule an appointment with our office.
