A mental disorder, which is expressed in the inability to navigate one’s own emotions and feelings, as well as understand others, is called alexithymia. It is not considered a disease, but is a risk factor for psychosomatic diseases. Alexithymia occurs in the vast majority of people who suffer from autism spectrum disorders. The causes of this disorder have not been fully established; it is known that the influence can be exerted by characteristics of upbringing (if, for example, there was a ban on emotions in the family) and disturbances in the functioning of the nervous structures of the brain. It does not respond well to therapy, which is quite logical, since a person with this illness simply cannot describe his emotional state. It is important to understand that people with alexithymia experience emotions, that is, they experience reactions to external stimuli. If you make someone angry, then it will be anger/irritation/anger, but these emotions will remain in the depths of the psyche. A person may either unconsciously suppress these reactions, or be aware but not produce a logical and rational response. In the first case, accumulated emotions will be the cause of various psychosomatic diseases, in the second - they can lead to outbursts of aggression and other deviations. Of course, someone who wanders in his own experiences cannot understand those of others, that is, he loses the ability to empathize. Such problems lead to serious difficulties in establishing social contacts and creating adequate relationships. If you cannot clearly answer the question “how are you feeling at the moment?”, this is a reason to more closely monitor your condition in general. This may not only be a sign of alexithymia, but also depression. In general, any problems in describing your emotions and feelings should be an alarm bell. There may be problems such as chronic fatigue or hidden stress. A person in such conditions usually says that he does not feel anything at all. The simplest practice that can be recommended to absolutely every person is keeping a diary of emotions. You can set an alarm for every hour (you choose the interval yourself) and make notes about your emotional state at a specific moment in time. With constant practice, this will become a habit, and the ability to listen to yourself will become more “pumped up”. Various bodily practices (dancing, for example) help make the connection with the body more obvious and stronger. Have you encountered this disorder? Maybe you had similar difficulties? Share your stories in the comments. Sign up for a consultation: WhatsApp, Telegram +7 913 380-83-42 Skype: as3808342 Learn to manage your emotions!💪