Alexithymia is a condition that causes emotional blindness. This is a Greek concept that
loosely translates to "no words for feeling" in Freudian
psycho-dynamic theories.
The psychotherapist Peter Emanuel Sifneos created the term Alexithymia
in 1973 to characterize patients with psychosomatic disorders who shared
similar symptoms. These patients had a hard time identifying their sentiments,
finding words to explain them, and separating feelings from arousal-related
physiological sensations.
Alexithymia's History
Alexithymia was originally recognized as a psychological term in
1976, and it was assumed to be a lack of emotional awareness at the time.
According to studies, roughly 8% of males and 2% of females suffer from Alexithymia.
Alexithymia Symptoms
Alexithymia has two dimensions, according to studies: a
cognitive dimension in which a child or adult struggles to identify, interpret,
and verbalize feelings (the "thinking" part of our emotional
experience), and an affective dimension in which a child or adult struggles to
identify, interpret, and verbalize feelings (the "feeling" part of
our emotional experience) (the "feeling" part of our emotional
experience). And there's an emotive dimension, where problems with reacting,
expressing, feeling, and picturing (the "experiencing" part of our
emotional experience) might occur.
● Having trouble distinguishing between different types of
emotions
● Feelings are difficult to understand because of a lack of
knowledge about what causes them.
● Feelings are difficult to express
● Having trouble recognizing people' facial expressions
● Imagination that is restricted or inflexible
● Thinking in a constrained manner
● Physical sensations make you hypersensitive
● A loose or shaky relationship with others
The Following Is an Example of an Alexithymia Case
Stephen has had two marriages. There are two wedding days. There
are two "I do"s. Stephen, on the other hand, has no good recollections
of either of his marriages or any of his relationships.
When he was 16, he met his first wife on a per-nursing course. They were married six years later. They divorced three years later; he claims she was never the proper woman for him. He met his second wife through a dating service almost two decades later, in 2009. He poured himself into the relationship, and the following year, they married at the registrar's office in Sheffield, England, where they both live, in the presence of his father and her two adult siblings.
He painted on expressions for the wedding photos because he knew they were required, but, as he explains, "Everything From an inner-feeling standpoint, anything I do that needs an emotional response feels phony." I have a lot of pre-programmed reactions. It feels as if I'm laying in an environment where everyone is pleasant and happy. Acting. That is exactly what I am. As a result, it's fiction."
Stephen struggles with a variety of emotions, not just
happiness. Excitement, shame, disgust, anticipation, and even love are all
emotions that can be felt. He, too, is unconcerned about these. "I have a
gut feeling about something, but I can't put my finger on what it is." The
only emotions he understands are fear and fury.
Such severe emotional issues are sometimes linked to autism, which Stephen does not have, or to psychopathy, which he also does not have. He discovered what he does have last year, at the age of 51: alexithymia is a little-known condition.
Stephen was referred to a psychiatrist for a series of
counseling sessions and subsequently a course of psychodynamic psychotherapy, a
sort of Freudian-based therapy that is comparable to psychoanalysis in that it
aims to reveal unconscious causes of thoughts and behavior.
Causes
If a person has a close relative who has alexithymia, they may
be at a higher risk.
The actual cause of alexithymia is unknown to experts. According
to several studies, it could be caused by one or more of the following:
1. Genetics
Alexithymia has a hereditary component, according to research on
twins. If a close relative suffers from alexithymia, they are more prone to get
it themselves.
2. Environmental Considerations
Environmental factors may have a role in alexithymia, according
to the same twin study. A history of childhood trauma, physical or mental health problems, or socioeconomic issues are examples of
environmental influences.
3. Trauma to the Brain
According to studies, those who have had damage to the anterior
insula of the brain had higher degrees of alexithymia.
4. Autism-Related Links
According to 2018, alexithymia is linked to autism spectrum
disorder (ASD), with around half of autistic people having alexithymia. It is
particularly common in people with complicated ASD.
Other research suggests that the social and emotional issues
experienced by people with ASD are caused by co-occurring alexithymia rather
than autism.
5. Associations With Psychological Disorders
Alexithymia is frequently associated with mental health issues
such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Risk factors
The following are some of the risk factors for alexithymia:
● Increasing age and a low level of education, according to one
study, men develop alexithymia nearly twice as often as women.
● Poor emotional intelligence low socioeconomic status
Diagnosis
Because alexithymia is not a mental illness, doctors and mental
health specialists are unable to identify it. However, specialists can use
questionnaires and scales to screen for indicators of alexithymia.
These are some of them:
The TAS-20 is a twenty-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale that
evaluates:
A person's ability to recognize and distinguish sentiments from
physical sensations, as well as their ability to transmit feelings to others
and their proclivity to demonstrate externally oriented thinking (rather than
an introspective thinking style)
The Bermond–Vorst Alexithymia Questionnaire (BVAQ) consists of
40 items divided into five sub-scales:
● Emotionalizing
● Fantasizing
● Identifying
● Analyzing
● Verbalizing
The Observer Alexithymia Scale (OAS) is made up of 33 in the
following five-factor structure:
● Distant
● Insightful
● Somatizing
● Humorless
● Rigid
Treatment
● Alexithymia is a general term that refers to difficulties in
feeling emotions. In fact, this Greek concept is loosely translated as "no
words for feeling" in Freudian psychodynamic theories. Despite the fact
that the ailment is not well-known, it is estimated that one out of every ten
persons has it.
● While Freudian views are widely regarded as outdated, public
awareness of this disorder appears to be growing. It's frequently used as a
secondary diagnosis in persons who have depression or autism, as well as other
mental health concerns or disabilities.
● This isn't to say that everyone with these illnesses has
trouble expressing and recognizing emotions. In truth, research reveals that
only a small fraction of people are affected.
● People with alexithymia may describe themselves as having
trouble expressing feelings that are considered socially acceptable, like
happiness on a happy occasion. Others may also have difficulty identifying
their feelings.
● Apathy isn't always present in such people. Instead, they may
not have as powerful emotions as their peers and may struggle to sense
emotions.
Causes
Alexithymia is a condition that isn't fully understood. The
problem may be inherited.
The illness could potentially be caused by insula injury in the
brain. Some studies have linked insula injuries to apathy and anxiety, and this
area of the brain is renowned for its role in social skills, empathy, and
emotions.
1. Autism-Related Link
Although the symptoms of autism spectrum disease are diverse, some stigmas are still connected with it. One common assumption is that
people lack empathy, which has mostly been refuted.
At the same time, some studies suggest that up to 50% of people
with autism have alexithymia. In other words, it is alexithymia, not autism, that
creates a lack of empathy.
2. Depression and Emotions
Alexithymia can also occur as a result of depression. Major
depressive and postpartum illnesses, as well as schizophrenia, have all been
linked to it. According to studies, alexithymia affects 32 to 51 percent of
those who suffer from depression.
Trauma is a possibility.
This disease has also been observed in patients who have been
exposed to trauma, particularly during childhood. Trauma and neglect at this
age can lead to brain alterations that make it difficult to feel and recognize
emotions later in life.
Other problems that may be present:
According to research, this condition may also be present in certain neurological disorders and injuries. These are some of them:
● Alzheimer's disease is a type of dementia.
● Dystonia
● Epilepsy
● Huntington's disease is a neurodegenerative disease that
affects humans.
● Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurological illness that affects
people of all ages.
● Parkinson's disease is a neurological condition that affects
individuals.
● Stroke
● TBI stands for traumatic brain damage.
Symptoms
The symptoms of alexithymia can be difficult to notice because
it is a disorder characterized by a lack of sensations. Because this disorder
is linked to an inability to communicate emotions, a person who suffers from it
may appear out of touch or apathetic.
In social situations, however, a person with alexithymia may
encounter the following:
● Anger, befuddlement, and difficulty "reading faces"
● Emptiness discomfort elevated heart rate lack of compassion
● Panic
● This syndrome might make it difficult to interpret physical
changes as emotional responses. You could have problems connecting a racing
heart to excitement or anxiety, but you can still recognize that you're having
a physiological reaction at the moment.
Diagnosis
A mental health expert diagnoses alexithymia. The fifth version
of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders does not recognize
it (DSM-5).
Instead, your mental health professional will most likely ask
you questions and then make a diagnosis based on your responses. You might be
asked to fill out a self-reported questionnaire as well. An MRI conducted by a
neurologist is another option. The insula in the brain will be visualized as a
result of this. As with neurological problems and mental illnesses in general,
there is no specific test for alexithymia.
Treatments
There is no one treatment for alexithymia at this time. The
specific treatment strategy is determined by your overall health requirements.
If you have sadness or anxiety, for example, several drugs used to treat these
disorders may also help with mental health problems.
This ailment may also benefit from therapies. These enable you
to take part in workouts that will help you enhance your mental health.
Among the treatment options available are:
Group therapy psychotherapy (sometimes known as "talk
therapy") cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
1. Self-treatments
The purpose of living with alexithymia is to improve your
ability to recognize and interpret feelings. It will also be beneficial to educate
oneself about other people's subjective experiences. Remember that extending
and developing emotional awareness can be a difficult process. Here are some
suggestions for improving your perspectives:
2. Journal
Expressive writing has been shown in studies to help people
broaden their ability to perceive emotions. In general, it's a good idea to
keep a notebook and write in it every day, even if it's just to record the
happenings of the day. For people with thymia, this will be difficult at first.
However, the idea is to extend the scope of your internal and external
observations.
3. Novels to Read
Novels have a vocabulary for conveying ideas, feelings, moments,
and experiences. According to research, this is a terrific technique to learn
expressive language, improve receptive language muscle, and master how to
explain a tale of personal experiences.
4. Arts of Expression
Taking a more formal approach, such as enrolling in an acting,
dance, art, music, or movement therapy program, has been demonstrated to assist
people with alexithymia in recognizing and externalizing their feelings. Sign
up for adult and child education courses, community initiatives, or college
workshops in your area. Consider hiring a licensed creative art or dance
movement therapist for private sessions.
5. Treatments for Skill-Based Psychotherapy
This is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on teaching through
skill development. Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Cognitive Mindfulness
Training, and Short Term Interpersonal Therapy are all treatments that educate
you on how to be more aware of your feelings and how to recognize emotions in
others.
6. Psychotherapy in a Group Setting
The participatory nature of group therapy can provide
opportunities for children and adults to examine their thoughts and feelings
while also engaging in meaningful interactions with others. This type of
treatment also helps people feel more connected to others.
7. Training in Hypnosis and Relaxation
While most psychotherapies rely on speech to alleviate alexithymic
symptoms, hypnosis and relaxation training rely on guided imagery and
mentalization to aid emotional comprehension. When employing hypnosis for
alexithymia, look for relaxation training courses in your area and always work
with a certified hypnotist.
This article is written by Rameen Mazhar, one of the
contributors at the School of Literature.
