Have you ever struggled to identify your emotions or found it hard to describe them? We’ve all felt this way at one point or another, but for some, this feeling goes beyond occasional emotional confusion. Alexithymthia is a condition that can lead to feelings of isolation, difficulty in relationships, and mental health problems. Today, we’ll explore alexithymia, its causes, and how it impacts emotional processing.
Alexithymia 101
Alexithymia is not a standalone mental health disorder. It is a mental construct that affects emotional processing. While it can occur independently, it is more commonly seen alongside other conditions. According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine, alexithymia is present in around 13% of the population. The study also found that men were almost twice as likely (17%) to have this condition than women (10%) (Salminen, Saarijärvi, Aärelä, Toikka, & Kauhanen, 1999). So what is alexithymia exactly?
The word “alexithymia” is a Greek word made up of the words “a” meaning lack, “lexis” meaning word, and “thymos” meaning emotion. People with this condition often experience trouble navigating social situations and maintaining relationships. There is no definitive cause of alexithymia. Psychologists and researchers suggest that several risk factors can increase a person’s development of alexithymia. These can include but are not limited to:
- Genetics
- Childhood trauma
- Advancing age
- Brain injury
- Socioeconomic factors
By understanding these signs, we can better identify alexithymia in individuals and address its challenges (Hogeveen, J., & Grafman, J. 2021).
Recognizing the Signs and Symptoms of Alexithymia
Alexithymia can make it tough for people to understand and express their feelings. Over time this can affect relationships and emotional well-being. People with alexithymia often struggle to tell the difference between their emotions and physical sensations, and they may find it difficult to put feelings into words. This can lead to a logical, fact-based way of thinking, with limited imagination or fantasy.
Socially, alexithymia can make it challenging to pick up on subtle cues like tone of voice or facial expressions, making someone seem a bit distant or overly serious. Coping with stress can also be difficult. Many people with alexithymia also report lower overall life satisfaction. Other general symptoms may include:
- Confusion
- Lack of affection
- Panic
- Feelings of emptiness
- Anger
- Increased heart rate
Recognizing these signs is an important step toward understanding the unique experiences and challenges faced by those with alexithymia.
Diagnosis
Generally, alexithymia is self-reported by those who experience it. If you frequently experience the above symptoms, there are tests available. Below, you will find details about two of the most common assessments.
The Twenty-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20)
The TAS-20 scale was developed in the mid-1980s based on articles by R. Michael Bagby, James D. A. Parker, and Graeme J. Taylor. This scale aims to measure the degree of alexithymia through a 20-item questionnaire.
The TAS distinguishes three components of alexithymia:
- Challenges in Recognizing Emotions: In therapy, difficulty in recognizing or identifying emotions can make it hard for clients to clearly articulate their concerns, develop goals, and work through issues.
- Struggles with Expressing Feelings: When clients find it hard to put their feelings into words, it can create barriers to mutual understanding in therapy, potentially reducing engagement and rapport.
- Focus on External, Rather than Internal, Experiences: People who score high in this area often concentrate on external details rather than their own inner emotions, which can also correspond with a reduced capacity for empathy.
When taken correctly, the TAS-20 can be a useful tool for mental health professionals to screen patients and indicate potential roadblocks in therapy (Bagby, R. M., 2020).
The Bermond–Vorst Alexithymia Questionnaire (BVAQ)
The Bermond–Vorst Alexithymia Questionnaire (BVAQ), developed by Dutch researchers Bob Bermond and Harrie Vorst, is another well-known tool used to assess alexithymia. This 40-question survey looks at five key areas of how people experience and process emotions.
- Emotionalizing: This subscale measures how deeply someone can feel their emotions, focusing on how intense and vivid their emotional experiences are.
- Fantasizing: This component looks at a person’s ability to imagine and connect emotionally with ideas.
- Identifying: This part checks how well someone can recognize their own emotions.
- Analyzing: This subscale examines how well a person can make sense of their emotions.
- Verbalizing: This component looks at how easily someone can express their emotions with words.
Together, these five areas give a clearer picture of how someone experiences, understands, and expresses their emotions (Bermond & Vorst, 2000).
Alexithmyia’s Connection to Other Disorders
Alexithymia is frequently observed in individuals with other mental health conditions or disabilities. Below are some of the most frequently linked conditions, each of which can involve challenges with recognizing, processing, or expressing emotions:
- Autism: Many individuals with autism experience difficulties in identifying and expressing emotions.
- Depression: Those with depression often struggle to recognize and describe their emotions, which can be linked to alexithymia.
- PTSD: Post-traumatic stress disorder can involve emotional numbness and difficulty processing emotions.
- Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): People with ADHD may have challenges with emotional regulation and awareness, which can overlap with alexithymia.
- Neurodegenerative diseases: Conditions like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease can affect emotional recognition and expression, often resulting in alexithymia-like symptoms.
- Schizophrenia: Emotional detachment or difficulty expressing emotions is a common symptom of schizophrenia.
- Anxiety: Anxiety disorders, especially those involving panic attacks, can lead to an over-focus on bodily sensations and a reduced ability to understand or articulate emotions.
- Eating disorders: Those with eating disorders often struggle to recognize and verbalize their emotions. Some studies suggest higher levels of alexithymia in those with eating disorders (Leweke, Leichsenring, Kruse, & Hermes, 2011).
Finding a Personalized Treatment Plan
If you have alexithymia, there are many avenues you can take to help your symptoms. At Talk Online Counselling, we offer personalized support by connecting you with one of our trained therapists. Some effective therapies for alexithymia include:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT focuses on helping individuals identify and change negative thought patterns. This can be useful for those struggling with emotional recognition and expression.
- Interoceptive Training: This approach focuses on improving awareness of bodily sensations, which can also help people better recognize their internal emotional states.
- Mindfulness Training: Mindfulness techniques have shown promise in improving emotion regulation, which may benefit those with alexithymia.
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT): Research suggests DBT can help with emotional regulation and social skills, especially in recognizing and understanding emotions in others.
From difficulties recognizing and communicating emotions to issues in social interactions, recognizing the symptoms is the first step toward finding effective treatment and support. Contact Talk Online Counselling to start your mental health journey today.
Citations
Salminen, J. K., Saarijärvi, S., Aärelä, E., Toikka, T., & Kauhanen, J. (1999). Prevalence of alexithymia and its association with sociodemographic variables in the general population of Finland. Journal of psychosomatic research, 46(1), 75–82. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0022-3999(98)00053-1
Hogeveen, J., & Grafman, J. (2021). Alexithymia. Handbook of clinical neurology, 183, 47–62. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-822290-4.00004-9
Bagby, R. M., Parker, J. D. A., & Taylor, G. J. (2020). Twenty-five years with the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale. Journal of psychosomatic research, 131, 109940. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2020.109940
Bermond, B., & Vorst, H. (2000, December 6). Validity and reliability of the Bermond–Vorst Alexithymia Questionnaire. Personality and Individual Differences. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0191886900000337
Frank Leweke, Falk Leichsenring, Johannes Kruse, Sandra Hermes; Is Alexithymia Associated with Specific Mental Disorders. Psychopathology 1 November 2011; 45 (1): 22–28. https://doi.org/10.1159/000325170
