No words for emotions - Alexithymia & the relationship with PTSD / complex PTSD (cPTSD)

Alexithymia means 'no words for emotions. It is a condition characterised by difficulty recognising and / or understanding and articulating emotions.

Studies have indicated that up to 85% of people with PTSD / complex PTSD (cPTSD) experience alexithymia, compared to an estimated 10% for people without PTSD/cPTSD.

Early identification of alexithymia is essential for effective PTSD / cPTSD therapy.  People with alexithymia may find it difficult to express their emotions and describe their experiences, thus impeding therapeutic progress and the development of coping strategies.  Furthermore,

Alexithymia can make it difficult for a person to identify their symptoms of PTSD/cPTSD, resulting in delayed access to appropriate treatment.

Alexithymia can have a profound impact on a person’s life, affecting areas such as:

• Ability to self-regulate emotions

• Empathy and emotional recognition in others

• Tendency towards ‘concrete thinking’ (facts and pragmatics)

• Increased focus on external events, avoiding focus on internal experiences such as sensations and emotions

• Relationships and Intimacy

Alexithymia can be viewed as a survival mechanism, an adaptation that, at the time, assisted in coping with traumatic, aversive or terrifying events.

With early identification in therapy, recognising and understanding alexithymia and its roots in trauma can pave the way for deeper healing, stronger connections, more rapid therapeutic progress and real-life changes.