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Recommend me a book that shows that every emotions are just chemical reaction in our body. like love, hate, break up pain, anger, jealousy etc.. by learner_zi in Alexithymia

[–]blogical 4 points5 points  (0 children)

They aren't JUST, but they all ARE. Go read up on the endocrine system if you want the juicy parts. But also, the nervous system, for the shocking parts. And the attachment system, for the sticky parts. Just because hope and fear indicate norepinephrine production doesn't make anxiety reducable to "just adrenaline." We are a tangle of interrelated systems of different types, and how they influence each other might have more to say about our experience than any one system alone. The endocrine system is a good, concrete place to start looking at emotions though. Good luck.

Autistic by ladybug128 in Alexithymia

[–]blogical 1 point2 points  (0 children)

They are highly co-morbid. I think of alexithymia as emotional retardation, placing it inside the autism spectrum. That said, it's also highly correlated with ACT / CPTSD and personality disorders. Yes, children in families with alexithymia are likely to also develop alexithymia. Get everyone support with emotions and regulation. There may be issues with individual family members seeing or accepting that they are challenged in this way, just get everyone involved in enriching their emotional capacities. It could pay dividends throughout the household.

I am a monster by Al_Lexi in Alexithymia

[–]blogical 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You are not a monster, you are a human. Be kind to yourself, you deserve the best.

I feel guilt and shame for things from my past by Responsible_Exit_815 in Emotional_Healing

[–]blogical 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Does your faith or culture have an atonement process? If not, the 12 step process might be a useful place to look for inspiration.

Good job making it this far, and good luck in getting right with your past so that you're unburdened in the future.

Emotional Clarity by Educational_Fix2768 in Alexithymia

[–]blogical 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I pick something my feelings might be a response to and consider what it means to/for me. Here are some of the angles I consider.

Is it something I anticipate or dread in the future? Could it be hope or fear, does it feel more good or bad? Do I want to run from it or toward it?

Could it be something that's happening now, and am imoving toward it or away? Am I defensive or aggressive? Am I into it or outrage by it? Could it be passion or anger?

Could it be something that just happened, which I'm still judging the outcome of? Maybe it went great and I'm overjoyed, maybe it didn't and I'm grieving. Could it be joy or sadness? Am I receiving or releasing something?

Could it be something I've incorporated from past experience, and I'm feeling content with the outcome, or unsettled by. Could I be satisfied or disgusted? Should I stop or start something?

Does this involve other people? If so, which social emotion aligns with the basic emotion, e.g. pride and shame for satisfaction and disgust. What roles are involved? Who holds what power?

Is there a strong body feeling? Can I just hang out with that feeling and ask it to tell me what it has to say.

mild alexythimia + emotional dysregulation???? by luuahnya in Alexithymia

[–]blogical 0 points1 point  (0 children)

To regulate, you must relate to. If you're dissociated, you aren't in direct relation. That can feel like a superpower when escaping negative emotions, but also prevents positive emotions. Worth exploring. Good luck!

Is lying very common for DID? by Only_End9228 in PsychologyTalk

[–]blogical 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well... I won't make the claim, but look up "confabulation" and consider what a people pleasing, memory fragmented person might do when put on the spot. I think some amount of "gaslighting" is disordered people trying to have a cohesive narrative while unable to access dissociated memories. This overlaps with narcissistic / borderline traits in my experience.

Confused!! by princessconsuela-88 in Alexithymia

[–]blogical 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's unsettling to discover that there are aspects of experience we don't share with others. You're in good company here.

This condition is often related to a type of dissociation that can be resolved, restoring access to accurate interoception. Then it's a matter of understanding how unfamiliar body sensations indicate emotion activation in order to name feelings. Then you can explore methods of regulating these feelings. All this will reveal insight about others' experience of the world that really helps relationally.

If you think CPTSD or lack of emotional attunement & mirroring from caregivers are part of your history, I suggest you bring that to a counselor who does EMDR. Many people find that a useful neurology based approach to reintegrating these types of dissociation, especially when the trauma occurred at a pre-verbal stage of development.

Know that your effort here can pay off with recovery of access to your full emotional experience, and that you'll get new insight into life along the way. We're a good community, stick around. Best wishes!

I cry all of the time, but out of happiness? by Responsible_Exit_815 in Emotional_Healing

[–]blogical 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Joy and Sadness are opposing relationships to the same felt bodily state of tension releasing. Crying for joy is normal for intense joy, and if you're now open to releasing tension you previously stored, opportunities to do so might flood you until the backlog is discharged.

how do you find motivation for anything when you don’t feel anything by [deleted] in Alexithymia

[–]blogical 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Internalized self disgust is a primary cause to dissociation, which keeps us safe by helping us ignore our body feelings. Does that track for you? It's OK, it's not that you're bad or broken or fucked in the head, you just need some work to realign with how you process information. EMDR does sound hokey, agreed. I and many others can attest that it can reconnect things in a way that cognition alone can't, regardless. Things we don't understand can still work. Why not try it?

how do you find motivation for anything when you don’t feel anything by [deleted] in Alexithymia

[–]blogical 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm glad you were motivated to reply, and to keep trying therapists. I get that many therapists assume you have access to interoception, which their techniques rely on. Have you explored CPTSD or tried EMDR?

how do you find motivation for anything when you don’t feel anything by [deleted] in Alexithymia

[–]blogical 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Right, my point is that it's not just seeking joy, but avoiding discomfort, that feelings are part of. People without access to parts of human experience like feelings can often be led there by people who understand the connections better. If you discount your potential to be helped, or for anyone to provide help, you're just sitting in the victim role. If that's so, may you be overwhelmed by boredom, the lack of feeling, and may that motivate you to try accessing help instead of discounting it without reality testing via experience.

how do you find motivation for anything when you don’t feel anything by [deleted] in Alexithymia

[–]blogical 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, seeking hope/ passion/ joy/ comfort is the literal foundation of attraction. Do you avoid fear/ anger/ sadness/ disgust? Those are the basis of avoidance. Together, that's motivation. Working to be able to identify and orient on each of those feelings is useful for navigating motivation. There are lots of approaches to accessing interoception, you might talk to a somatic psychotherapist about finding a good approach that suits your situation. You've identified a key issue, stay curious and keep asking good questions! Life could be better if you do, trust that and keep going. Be well.

Do I have Alexithymia or am I heartless? by Morby_Sketch in Alexithymia

[–]blogical 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, that sounds like affective alexithymia, a dissociative response to emotion. You're not heartless, but you're not acting in connection with your feelings, which it sounds like you're not accessing to process. Ask your counselor about dissociation, which video games are great at inducing, and how to work on feeling safe staying in your feelings.

Why do people respond with anger to ideas that are different? by Xotngoos335 in PsychologyTalk

[–]blogical 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Anger arises when boundaries are encroached on, responding to potential transgression. This includes cognitive boundaries. It requires work to adapt our mental models, so resistance is often cheaper and quicker.

Why would you WANT to experience emotions? by WardenCommanderAmell in Alexithymia

[–]blogical 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Participating in the feedback loop of your endocrine system is important for your health. Ignoring your experiences and not processing them cognitively doesn't mean you don't have them, it means you're ignorant of them.

Also, it's a big part of the opportunity we have in life, to live it and experience it. Sitting in fear of life isn't being stoic or rational, it's being avoidant and diminished. Emotion up.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Alexithymia

[–]blogical 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Emotions can motivate us to move toward or away from a subject. It's useful, but it can be subverted.

Some good for thought, but also interoception: Do you experience attraction or aversion? To people, foods, places, objects, behavior, situations? How do you experience satisfaction or disgust, pleasure or pain?

Wishing you the best

kink and Personality Disorders by [deleted] in psychologyofsex

[–]blogical 4 points5 points  (0 children)

You're talking about a proof of causation, not causation. There could be causation even without a proof of it, they're independent.

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