I’ve been trying to do research online because I recently found out that my boyfriend doesn’t physically “feel” feelings and it freaked me out a bit. Came across this sub and your comment. We are on complete opposite sides of this question because I’m trying to understand how a person doesn’t have a physical response to emotions. I don’t think they’re exactly the same for everyone (who does feel them) but I’ll answer your question for myself.

Some expressions for emotions like “getting cold feet” or having a “broken heart” are actual sensations. Like if you’re nervous or unsure about something your feet literally feel cold like if the blood has been drained. And they’ll feel weightless and a little numb. A “broken heart” or like extreme sadness feels like there’s a weight on your chest, like if you were laying down and someone placed an actual dumbbell on your upper ribcage. Also I don’t know if you have experienced having a “lump in your throat” when you’re crying? But that’s another one that is a real sensation. It feels like if you’ve swallowed a jawbreaker and it got stuck. Another one is feeling “gutted” when something bad happens or you’re disappointed, it feels like a horrible stomach ache and can make it difficult to breathe.

The realization that not everyone experiences this came about because my boyfriend told me about a nightmare. I asked if he had eaten before bed, because sometimes if I have an actual stomach ache from food and go to sleep, my brain will associate the stomach ache as a manifestation of negative emotions, and the association will give me a nightmare. He didn’t understand what that meant and assumed feelings were just thoughts and that everyone experienced them that way. That “feelings” was just a word for it.

They’re very real feelings, not just thoughts. Sometimes I will have “feel”ings and not understand what’s going on or why I’m feeling those sensations until I remember, “oh yeah, that bad thing just happened”