Alexithymia: the inability to say "I love you"

The Alexithymia it is a neurological disorder that causes the inability to be able to control and recognize one's own emotions and, consequently, makes the emotional expression of the person who suffers this affectation impossible.

What is alexithymia?

Not all individuals who suffer from alexithymia have the same degree of affectation, since according to experts there are two types: primary alexithymia, more serious and consequence of a brain injury produced, for example, by multiple sclerosis or a stroke; and the secondary alexithymia, due to a emotional trauma suffered or poor emotional learning.

The symptoms of alexithymia can also be shown in patients with Parkinson's, during the early stages of the development of the disease, and in most individuals who suffer from autism.

Statistics indicate that alexithymia affects 8% of men and 1.8% of women. In addition, 30% of people affected with psychological disorders and 85% of people with autism suffer from this disorder.

History and construct

Alexithymia was first named as a psychological construct in 1972 by Peter E. Sifneos, Y was seen as a emotional awareness deficit. Studies indicate that this pathology has two dimensions: a cognitive one, when the person has problems identifying, interpreting and verbalizing feelings and emotions; and an affective dimension, when there are difficulties in reacting, expressing, feeling and imagining emotionally (that is, having emotional experiences).

As already mentioned, alexithymia is associated with several psychological disorders, such as autism, depression wave schizophrenia. The coexistence with other psychological pathologies complicates the recovery of the patient.

Symptoms

Regarding Alexithymia, it is important to know that does not appear in the DMS (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). However, it can be defined by the following psychological, cognitive and behavioral characteristics:

• Difficulty verbalizing emotions, recognizing them and using them as internal signals.
• Difficulty locating the sensations of the body itself.
• Tendency to use action as a coping strategy in conflict situations.
• Concrete thinking, devoid of symbols and abstractions.
• Rigidity in preverbal communication, with little mimicry and few body movements.

Types of alexithymia

Researchers and experts in this pathology differentiate two types of alexithymia:

1. Primary alexithymia

Have a biological origin, since neurologists affirm that there is a neurological deficit that interferes with communication between the limbic system (manages emotions) and neocortex (our rational brain), or there is a deficiency in communication between the left hemisphere (responsible for the production of language) and the right (regulates emotions).

This type of alexithymia can have a hereditary origin (with an onset in childhood) or it can be due to some neurological disease: multiple sclerosis, stroke, Parkinson's, etc.

2. Secondary alexithymia

This type of alexithymia arises due to some traumatic experience that an individual may have suffered, both in childhood and in adulthood. Your symptoms can be explained as part of the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (TEP) in victims of kidnappings, rapes or armed conflicts. But secondary alexithymia can also be caused by depressive disorder, substance addiction, eating disorders (anorexy or bulimia) or an emotional rudeness.

Treatment and therapy

The beginning of the treatment of the patient with alexithymia requires her own motivation or that of someone close to her. If there is no such first request (from the subject or from a family member or friend), it will be difficult to carry out the treatment. Regarding this, it is seldom the patient who seeks help due to ignorance or low awareness of the problem.

Family support is necessary for this type of patient, since the treatment will be effective if you work from three sources: the application of the appropriate drugs (in the case of primary alexithymia), psychotherapy and a life strategy planned. In this last source, the support of family members is especially important.

Regarding psychotherapy, a distinction must be made between primary and secondary alexithymia, since therapies oriented towards self-awareness and emotional management, they are likely to only work with patients with alexithymia high school.

Bibliographic references:

• Rieffe, C., Villanueva, L., Adrián, J.E. and Górriz, A.B. (2009). Somatic complaints, moods and emotional awareness in adolescents. Psicothema, 21 (3), 459- 464
• Swiller, H.I. (1988). Alexithymia: treatment utilizing combined individual and group psychotherapy. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 38 (1), 47-61.