Alexithymia

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Alexithymia

Alexithymia (/ˌælɛksɪˈθaɪmiə/; from the Ancient Greek words λέξις (lexis, "word") and θυμός (thumos, "soul, heart, mind") meaning "without words for emotions") is a personality construct characterized by the subclinical inability to identify and describe emotions in the self. The core characteristics of alexithymia are marked dysfunction in emotional awareness, social attachment, and interpersonal relating. Furthermore, individuals suffering from alexithymia also have difficulty in distinguishing and appreciating the emotions of others, which is thought to lead to unempathic and ineffective emotional responding. Alexithymia is prevalent in approximately 10% of the general population and is known to be comorbid with a number of psychiatric conditions.

Etymology

The term alexithymia was coined by psychotherapist Peter E. Sifneos in 1973 to describe a state of deficiency in understanding, processing, or describing emotions. The word comes from the Ancient Greek words λέξις (lexis, "word") and θυμός (thumos, "soul, heart, mind"), and literally means "without words for emotions".

Symptoms and Signs

Alexithymia is characterized by:

  • Difficulty identifying different types of feelings
  • Limited understanding of what causes feelings
  • Difficulty expressing feelings
  • Difficulty recognizing facial cues in others
  • Limited or rigid imagination; constricted style of thinking
  • Hypersensitive to physical sensations
  • Detached or tentative connection to others

Related Terms

  • Emotion regulation: The ability to respond to the ongoing demands of experience with the range of emotions in a manner that is socially tolerable and sufficiently flexible.
  • Emotional intelligence: The capability of individuals to recognize their own emotions and those of others, discern between different feelings and label them appropriately, use emotional information to guide thinking and behavior, and manage and/or adjust emotions to adapt to environments or achieve one's goal.
  • Psychosomatic illness: A disease which involves both mind and body. Some physical diseases are thought to be particularly prone to be made worse by mental factors such as stress and anxiety.

See Also

External links

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