The Hidden State Behind Chronic Illness: What If You’re Not “Stuck”—You’re Disengaged?

Over the years of working with people navigating chronic illness, Long COVID, trauma, and nervous system burnout, I have noticed something consistent—and quietly alarming. They were functioning on the surface. Showing up for work. Caring for others. But deep down, they felt flat, numb, or just "meh." Despite their efforts, nothing seemed to shift. Healing was stagnant.

It wasn’t just stress, anxiety, or burnout. It was something deeper: a subtle but profound disconnection.

photo by Mitchell Hartman

There was a loss of joy. A sense of flatness. A feeling of going through the motions.

And over the years since, this pattern has shown up again and again, especially after the pandemic, and especially in clients with long COVID, trauma histories, or chronic stress.

Despite their commitment to healing, something remained out of reach.

Their energy was clear: this wasn’t depression, it wasn’t burnout, and it wasn't a lack of effort.

It was something else. I began calling it the Void State.

What Is the Void State?

The Void State is a term I use to describe a hidden pattern of chronic nervous system and energetic disconnection.

It often shows up as:

• Emotional numbness or lack of motivation

• Pain or fatigue that worsens with exercise

• A sense of “going through the motions”

• Feeling cut off from your own body or intuition

• Symptoms that linger despite doing all the “right” things

  
  

This state can last for months or even years. Most people don’t realize they’re in it because they’re still technically “functioning.” We tend to rationalize our depleted state with explanations like, “I’m just getting older,” or “Everyone feels this way after a stressful year.”

One of the sneakiest rationalizations shows up after illness, injury, or surgery. We tell ourselves, “Of course I’m tired—I had a major procedure,” or “It just takes time to bounce back.” But sometimes, long after the body should have started recovering, that disconnection lingers. The system hasn’t just been weakened—it’s gone into withdrawal—no longer engaging with the environment or integrating healing.

Why This Matters

In the void, it’s not just the nervous system that’s overwhelmed—it’s the entire energetic field. The person isn’t just tired; they’ve disengaged from life force itself.

It’s not the same as freeze or functional freeze. The Void is a long-term energetic collapse.

Healing from the void isn’t about doing more—it’s about gently restoring the body’s capacity to integrate, to feel, to trust, and to reconnect with vitality.

Introducing HigherCx Restorative Facilitation

In response to this discovery, I developed a new approach called HigherCx —short for Higher Consciousness through Integration.

It’s a modality that blends:

• Energy kinesiology

• Nervous system awareness

• Movement

• Meridian-based techniques from Traditional Chinese Medicine

• Client-led Muscle Response Feedback

• A trauma-informed, self-responsibility model

  
  

The goal? To help people recover from disengage states and what I call vital collapse—when the body no longer has the bandwidth to integrate change, even when help is available.

This work is gentle. It’s non-invasive. And it’s based on what your system reveals through Muscle Response Feedback, as ready to shift.

Why I’m Sharing This Now

I’m preparing to launch a formal research study exploring how HigherCx can support people recovering from Long COVID and related symptoms. This includes fatigue, emotional numbness, and a frustrating lack of progress despite sincere efforts to heal.

The study will offer a structured opportunity to observe the impacts of restoring life force integration—one person at a time.

I’ll be sharing more details soon. But for now, I wanted to introduce this idea and invite you to reflect:

• Have you or someone you love felt like something deeper has “shut down”?

• Are you still functioning, but feel like you’re not really yourself?

• Do you sense that your healing isn’t blocked—it’s paused, waiting for the right kind of support to reconnect?
  

Let’s Stay Connected

If you’re curious about this work, the study, or the concept of void states, I’d love to keep you in the loop. 👉 [Follow the blog or sign up for updates]

Together, we’re exploring a new language for healing—and reclaiming the parts of ourselves that got lost along the way. Sara McRae | Creator of HigherCx™

Wellness practitioner, teacher of Touch for Health, and guide for recovery from Long COVID, trauma, and the Void State. Exploring resilience, energy, and conscious integration.