Psychology
What does Alexithymia mean?
Difficulty identifying and naming what one feels, as if the inner vocabulary came thin.
Definition
Alexithymia describes a style: the body reacts, the word does not arrive. It is not moral coldness. It appears in research on autism, trauma and some psychosomatic pictures. On the internet it became a shortcut for I don't know what I'm feeling. Useful when it describes; dangerous when it becomes an identity without assessment. The lexicon does not close a report.
Origin
Greek a- lexis thymos, coined in 1970s psychiatry (Sifneos).
History
From the paper to autism TikTok. The word crossed the consulting room.
How it emerged
A clinical name was missing for the poverty of inner names.
Usage examples
Alexithymia is not a lack of empathy.
He describes the body (tightness, nausea) instead of the emotion.
Translations
- pt alexitimia
- en alexithymia
- es alexitimia
Synonyms
- difficulty naming affect
- thin inner vocabulary
- alexithymia
Related terms
Questions
What is alexithymia?
Difficulty recognising and naming one's own feelings.
Is it autism?
They can coexist. It is not the same as autism.
Is there treatment?
There are approaches to widening inner vocabulary. This site does not treat.