The inability to express, explain, or differentiate between one’s feelings was described as such by the APA Dictionary of Psychology. It is a psychological feature that affects millions of individuals, and the easiest way to describe it in layman’s terms is “no words for feelings.”
Alexithymia is a personality feature that is characterized by challenges with feeling recognition and expression and is connected to psychiatric and psychosomatic disorders. Uncertain processes underlie the association between psychosomatic disorders and emotional dysregulation.
Who coined the term “ALEXITHYMIA”?
The phrase was initially operationally described in terms of four components by Nemia, Freyberger, and Sifneos (Nemiah et al., 1976; Sifneos, 1996) (Taylor et al., 1997): A stimulus-bound, externally oriented cognitive style (with a lack of capacity for introspection and resistance to psychodynamic therapy) and constricted imaginal processes are among the symptoms of emotional dysregulation. These symptoms include difficulties identifying feelings and differentiating between feelings and the bodily sensations of emotional arousal.
What condition does alexithymia indicate?
Alexithymia: What you need to know. A person with It has trouble feeling, recognising, and expressing their emotions. Despite having connections to eating disorders, PTSD, and a number of other problems, it is not a mental health issue. Autism may be a factor.
Exactly how does alexithymia appear?
Because people with alexithymia are less likely to infer or experience other people’s emotions, if you don’t express your sentiments directly, your spouse can appear to be ignoring them. It is a condition that you can notice before your spouse does. Problems in identifying one’s own feelings are one of the symptoms of alexithymia.
How do those who have alexithymia feel?
People who have alexithymia frequently are aware of having a feeling but are unsure of what it is. As a result of their inability to distinguish between various negative emotions and in recognising [positive] emotions, individuals may still suffer despair.
How is alexithymia treated?
Alexithymia has no known cure, however therapy and other methods can help people express and understand their emotions better. People who suffer from it can learn to control their symptoms and have happy lives with the correct help and tools.
A person’s emotional and social functioning may be significantly impacted by the complicated and difficult disorder known as alexithymia. Training in mindfulness may also be an essential component of alexithymia therapy. For instance, higher emotional effectiveness has been associated with mindfulness-based training. Therefore, utilizing mindfulness-based techniques may help people with It become more conscious of their emotions.
The risks associated with alexithymia are what?
Primary (or trait) alexithymia and secondary (or state) alexithymia are regarded to be two different kinds of condition.
Trait alexithymia (AL) sufferers have trouble integrating of ideas, sensations, and emotions in their minds. Depressive, anxiety, and stress disorders could continue to exist as a result of this.
In contrast to primary alexithymia, which is a developmental phenomenon, individuals with secondary (or state) alexithymia are believed to be a result of psychological stress, chronic illness, or organic events (such as brain damage or stroke) that arise beyond childhood.
What are the most common overlapping points between Alexithymia and ADHD?
Alexithymia
- Having trouble recognising emotions
- Having trouble differentiating sentiments from body sensations
- Having trouble expressing feelings
- Attachment with a detached-avoidant style
- Externally focused reasoning
- A challenge in registering feelings
- Decreased emotional empathy
ADHD
- Attention and focus are difficult to control
- Impulsiveness as well as overactivity
- System of the brain depending on interests
- Difficulties with executive function
- Craves novelty and new experiences
Alexithymia + ADHD (overlapping points)
- Social anxiety is more common
- Increased frequency of sexual and romantic difficulties
- Greater frequency of emotional eating
- Higher incidence of anxiety and despair
- More trouble controlling one’s emotions
- Substance addiction is prevalent.
- Heightened impulsivity
- Struggles with interoception
How do Alexithymia sufferers handle their daily life?
Here are some of the ways that people with Alexithymia can manage their daily lives:
Logic and routine:
Because It is limited in emotional awareness, people with it may use more logical thinking and have more structured routines to help them manage their daily lives.
External cues:
Alexithymia sufferers can learn by recognizing and interpreting emotions through external cues, such as facial expressions, body language, or context, and may pay more attention to those cues to help them understand and respond to emotional situations better.
Cognitive strategies:
Alexithymia people may use cognitive strategies, like frameworks or cognitive behavioral techniques, to better understand and manage their emotions. To be good at Cognitive reasoning, Its Individuals can find it very helpful in identifying potential emotions, which they may be feeling based on the situation.
Having a Good Support System:
These individuals can benefit from having a good support system that includes their friends and family, or also talking to a mental health professional. Therapy or counseling can help them to explore their emotions and develop emotional vocabulary and coping strategies.
Practising Mindfulness:
Practicing Mindfulness, for example, meditation and deep breathing, help those individuals to have more awareness of the present moment and to develop a very strong connection with their bodies. It also gives better understanding of their emotions by focusing on their body’s signals.
Writing or creative outlets:
These activities can help those individuals to identify and express their emotions indirectly, even when the direct experience of them is difficult.
Having Self-awareness:
These individuals can reflect on their experiences, ask for feedback, and consciously identify and label their own emotions. Developing a vocabulary for their emotions can be very helpful for them in better understanding and easily communicating their feelings.
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