Have you ever been in the center of the fun, but at the same time did not share everyone’s delight? Or rationalize the happiness of simple things? Haven't most human experiences seemed meaningless to you? What was it? Apathy? Existential crisis? Today it’s alexithymics’ turn. Alexithymia is made up of two Greek words and literally translates to “without words for the senses.” This term describes a condition in which a person has difficulty expressing, clarifying, and understanding emotions. For example, if he seems angry to you and you ask “Are you angry?”, he will not explain how he feels. He would rather feel some kind of discomfort than a specific emotion. Moreover, alexithymia is not a mental disorder. It's built into the character. Imagine emotions like a nesting doll. A small part is felt, for example, by a rapid heartbeat during fear. A little more - he notices mixed shades of feelings: white envy or tears of joy. The third describes the experience - why she came to these emotions and how she endures them. With alexithymia, only half a nesting doll. For example, they also cry when they are sad, but they do not fully realize their sadness and cannot express in words what they feel. Even greater darkness for them is the experiences of other people. It is difficult for them to recognize, for example, the sadness of their interlocutor. And then they become stumped - what should they do, say? After all, emotions and non-verbal means of communication are a compass for behavior. Some have simply learned clichéd phrases, standard reactions - and act automatically. But the rest are lost. Therefore, in appearance they seem completely insensitive. This condition occurs in 10% of people in the world. 8% of them are men, and 2% are women. In addition to simple heredity, environmental factors can also play a role. Alexithymics come from emotionally unhealthy families. The child’s feelings were not processed as they should be: they were devalued, locked away, or even punished for them. Another factor is psychological trauma. It can affect the development of cognitive and emotional processing. For example, a study of Vietnam War veterans with PTSD found that 41% had alexithymia. Another study compared Holocaust survivors with and without PTSD and found that the former scored higher on tests of alexithymia. After traumatic events, people may generally avoid expressing feelings in any way. Even if the danger has long passed, this becomes their way of life. The second reason is physiological. When alexithymia was first described in 1972, scientists speculated that it might be due to a disruption in communication between the two hemispheres of the brain. This was most clearly demonstrated during surgeons’ attempts to cure epilepsy. They cut the fibers of the corpus callosum, which connect the right and left hemispheres. Although it did reduce the seizures, patients seemed emotionally mute afterwards. Alexithymia can also be caused by traumatic brain injury, which disrupts the areas of the brain and neural networks responsible for processing emotions. This condition is also associated with other diseases: Asperger's syndrome, depression, PTSD, schizophrenia. Whatever the cause of alexithymia, if it interferes, you can get along with it. And even if you don’t have it, it doesn’t hurt anyone to pump up your emotional part. After all, you must admit, sometimes it is difficult to understand why we are tired or why we are angry. This could be keeping a diary. Writing helps you understand yourself; it expands your range of emotions. It is generally recommended that you keep notes every day. The main thing is not to limit yourself to just listing events. For example, try noticing how your heart rate rises in certain situations. With practice, you will become better able to distinguish anger from excitement and fear. And in general, studies show that people who know their heartbeat well recognize the emotions of others more deeply. Reading fiction is also a way out. Books not only expand our vocabulary. They.