{"id":100195,"date":"2018-10-11T11:00:17","date_gmt":"2018-10-11T10:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/?p=100195"},"modified":"2023-03-09T12:41:10","modified_gmt":"2023-03-09T12:41:10","slug":"what-is-alexithymia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/what-is-alexithymia.htm","title":{"rendered":"What is Alexithymia? When Emotions Just Aren’t Your Thing"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"what<\/a>

By: Cafe Neu Romance<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

by Andrea M. Darcy<\/span><\/p>\n

Draw a blank when people ask you how you feel?<\/strong> Are you often accused of not understanding others<\/a>, or not showing enough empathy<\/a>? Even when you tried your best?<\/p>\n

You might have a personality trait called alexithymia<\/em>.<\/p>\n

[Does trying to understand others leave you lost and depressed<\/a>? Want to talk to someone who understands? Book one of our online therapists now<\/a> and get help as soon as tomorrow.]<\/span><\/p>\n

What is Alexithymia?<\/h2>\n

If the word alexithmyia sounds like some strange foreign language, well it is. It\u2019s made up from two Greek words that together mean \u2018no words for emotions\u2019.<\/p>\n

So if you have alexithymia, you struggle to feel, understand, and describe emotions<\/a>. This includes both your own emotions, and those of people around you.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Is Alexithymia a mental health disorder?<\/h2>\n

No. Alexithymia is not a personality disorder<\/a> or a mental health disorder. It\u2019s a personality \u2018construct\u2019, or \u2018trait\u2019.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the difference? A personality trait<\/a> is part of your way of being. It is not something big enough to completely dictate your way of being in all areas of life (personality disorder<\/a>)\u00a0 or leave you incapable of managing your daily life (mental health disorder).<\/p>\n

So if you are an \u2018alexithymic\u2019 or \u2018alexithymiac\u2019, you can be quite a regular person. And you can function perfectly well in life, except when it comes to <\/span>intimate relationships<\/a><\/span>. In fact some people\u2019s alexithymia is so mild they live for decades without realising they even suffer from it.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"what

By: Robert Benedict<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

That said, alexithymia is often a \u2018comorbidity<\/a>\u2019 . <\/strong>This means it’s a diagnosis that is found at the same time as others. It’s also thought that having alexithymia makes you more vulnerable to other psychological issues.<\/p>\n

Symptoms of alexithymia<\/h2>\n

So what does alexithymia look like?<\/p>\n

Symptoms of alexityhmia can include the following:<\/strong><\/p>\n