Alexithymia is the inability to identify and describe one’s own emotions. Alexithymia was first mentioned as a psychological construct in 1976 and was viewed as a deficit in emotional awareness. Research suggests that approximately 8% of males and 2% of females experience Alexithymia, and that it can come in mild, moderate and severe intensities. Studies also show that Alexithymia has two dimensions – a cognitive dimension, where a child or adult struggles to identify, interpret and verbalize feelings (the “thinking” part of our emotional experience). And an affective dimension, where difficulties arise in reacting, expressing, feeling and imagining (the “experiencing” part of our emotional experience). Alexithymia has long been associated to a range of psychological disorders, from autism, depression, schizophrenia, and somatoform disorders, just to name a few. It’s very challenging for those who struggle with Alexithymia to cope with co-existing psychological disorders because their innate vulnerability to understanding themselves and others complicates recovery.
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