What Are The Symptoms Of Alexithymia?
The symptoms of alexithymia result from the difficulty that some people have in identifying the emotions they experience and their verbal expression. The term was first used in 1973 by psychiatric professor Peter Sifneos. The specialist noticed this problem in some of his patients in the psychiatric clinic of the Massachusetts General Hospital.
The Spanish Society of Neurology estimates that up to 10% of the world’s population suffers from this disorder. However, it is important to emphasize that not all people suffer from the same degree of the disease.
Types of alexithymia
Who can suffer from alexithymia?
Professor Sifneos initially identified this characteristic in patients suffering from psychosomatic disorders. However, over the years, alexithymia has been associated with other diseases, such as drug or drug addiction and antisocial personality disorders.
Regarding physical diseases related to the symptoms of alexithymia, we can mention multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, brain injuries, strokes and brain tumors. Eating disorders, autism spectrum disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder may also be associated with alexithymia.
What are the symptoms of alexithymia?
Is there any treatment to relieve the symptoms?
These patients can benefit from therapy in different ways. For example, individual therapy based on cognitive development of emotional awareness (Lane and Schwartz, 1987) has yielded positive results.
Group therapy is suitable for the relief of major symptoms. In fact, the combination of individual and group therapy seems to be the most effective way to address this disorder.
Final thoughts on alexithymia
People with symptoms of alexithymia may not seem to have feelings. But they feel fear, joy, sadness and all the other basic or secondary emotions. But their way of experiencing them is different from that of other people, and this can lead to conflicts in communication.
For this reason, it is recommended and necessary for patients to participate in psychological therapy. They may never experience emotions in the same way as other people who do not have this disorder, but the therapeutic approach certainly brings great benefits. After all, it can help to significantly improve the quality of life and relationships of alexithymic people.
