JaimeS
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I got two more articles on this idea published on two other platforms on Friday morning. Geez.
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DOI:
10.1080/00223980.2016.1175997
Jurrijn A. Koelena*, Liesbeth H.M. Eurelings-Bontekoeb & Stefan Kempkec
Alert me
- Received: 12 Feb 2015
- Accepted: 1 Apr 2016
- Published online: 16 May 2016
ABSTRACT
Patients with somatoform disorder (SFD) are characterized by the presence of chronic physical complaints that are not fully explained by a general medical condition or another mental disorder. Insecure attachment patterns are common in this patient group, which are often associated with interpersonal difficulties. In the present study, the mediational role of two types of alexithymia and negative affectivity (NA) was examined in the association between attachment styles and interpersonal problems in a group of 120 patients with SFD. Patients were requested to fill out several self-report questionnaires for the assessment of attachment strategies, alexithymia, NA, and interpersonal problems. Cognitive alexithymia (i.e., the inability to identify and verbalize emotions) mediated the relationship between avoidant attachment patterns and interpersonal problems, even after controlling for NA. Preliminary findings also suggested that NA acted as a moderator of the mediator cognitive alexithymia. These results have important implications for clinical practice, as this study clearly shows that interpersonal problems do not automatically follow from insecure attachment strategies, but are contingent upon alexithymic features. It is recommended to target alexithymic features in patients with SFD, particularly in the context of negative emotions. Therefore, cognitive alexithymia may be an important therapeutic focus, specifically in the treatment of avoidant patients with SFD.
KEYWORDS
Alexithymia is also understood to have two components; a cognitive component where people might face challenges with thinking and emotions while trying to name, understand and talk about feelings, as well as an affective component where people might struggle with the experience of sharing, responding to and sensing emotions. People who experience the effects of alexithymia might notice some different things such as:
- A lack of impulse control
- Violent or disruptive outbursts
- Indifference towards other people
- Difficulties with articulating emotions
- Difficulties with naming different kinds of emotions
- Struggling to identify emotions expressed by others
- Heightened sensitivity to sights, sounds, or physical touch
- A narrow capacity to understand the reasons behind certain emotions
Guys, I think we're looking at the treatment for the milder autistic spectrum disorders. Boldface mine.The treatment options for alexithymia are often times very different from typical counseling or talk therapy. For people living with alexithymia, a mental health professional will often concentrate on building a foundation of naming emotions and appreciating a range of feelings. The process will likely include both consideration of the experiences of other people and self-reflection. Even though some people with this emotional comprehension might sound very basic to others, for a person with alexithymia the process of growing their emotional intelligence and capacity may be difficult. Things such as:
- Group therapy
- Daily journaling
- Skill-based therapy
- Engaging in the creative arts
- Various relaxation techniques
- Reading emotional books or stories
Heightened sensitivity to sights, sounds, or physical touch
Oh lovely, the psychologization of sensory intolerance begins.
Funnily enough, having read this abstract I'm really not struggling to identify and verbalise my emotions.
Alexithymia is also understood to have two components; a cognitive component where people might face challenges with thinking and emotions while trying to name, understand and talk about feelings, as well as an affective component where people might struggle with the experience of sharing, responding to and sensing emotions. People who experience the effects of alexithymia might notice some different things such as:
- A lack of impulse control
- Violent or disruptive outbursts
- Indifference towards other people
- Difficulties with articulating emotions
- Difficulties with naming different kinds of emotions
- Struggling to identify emotions expressed by others
- Heightened sensitivity to sights, sounds, or physical touch
- A narrow capacity to understand the reasons behind certain emotions
The alexithymia nonsense and the absurdity of the contradiction you mention was discussed in the comments section of one Amazon review of O'Sullivan's "It's all in your Head", where the professional philosophaster Richard Gipps, well known to some of us, said:So, I was wondering to myself what "targeting" alexithymic features would look like as a treatment strategy,
Seriously, it's fascinating how we can be both emotionally labile and unpredictable and also have a completely flat affect and no emotional response whatsoever. It's magic.
-J
"alexithymia" is defined as "a personality construct characterized by the sub-clinical inability to identify and describe emotions in the self."
and i would love to know how many of these therapies are based on solid scientific evidence?
- Group therapy
- Daily journaling
- Skill-based therapy
- Engaging in the creative arts
- Various relaxation techniques
- Reading emotional books or stories
http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/som...atient-has-no-story-tell-alexithymia/page/0/4Although not fully empirically validated, alexithymia is a useful clinical construct
right and it is sooo sub-clinical that only the psychs with sophisticated questionnaires can notice it.
- Group therapy
- Daily journaling
- Skill-based therapy
- Engaging in the creative arts
- Various relaxation techniques
- Reading emotional books or stories
Could I politely but firmly point out that it was not "discovered" but rather invented. There's a crucial difference.In reality Alexithymia=concept of emotional/sexual repression as cause of illness= Freudian psychology disguised as science.
It was discovered by a psychoanalyst.
http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2010/05/peter-emanuel-sifneos/
Regarding the study on suppression of emotions, I can't figure out where they're coming from. Are we hypochondriacs who exaggerate everyday aches and pains? Or are we emotionally stunted people who make ourselves sicker by suppressing how we feel?
Regarding the study on suppression of emotions, I can't figure out where they're coming from. Are we hypochondriacs who exaggerate everyday aches and pains? Or are we emotionally stunted people who make ourselves sicker by suppressing how we feel? Perhaps the former helped cause the latter.
Conclusions: CFS participants had lower observer-rated emotional expression than HC, despite greater distress and higher autonomic arousal. This may have implications for their ability to access social support at times of stress.
Hiding one’s emotions may mean that others cannot detect the need to provide support, which could contribute to the development or maintenance of fatigue.
It is important to note that the lower observer rated emotional expressivity in the CFS group compared to HCs occurred in the context of this higher self-reported distress in the CFS group, indicating at least some success at hiding emotions from others. This could result in other people failing to identify a need to support the individual, potentially contributing to the development or maintenance of fatigue.
I think that it is a sign that your body is experiencing duress not stress. Any time I push too hard I start sweating like crazy and don't stop until I stop completely rehydrate and sometime use ice packs.I have trouble regulating my body temperature, and often sweat for no apparent reason. But apparently sweating must mean I'm coping with stress.
I think that it is a sign that your body is experiencing duress not stress.
Yes but that isn't the type of stress they are referring to is it? They are referring to the psychological aspect of the body's reaction not the physiological aspect.All semantics. We experience stress when we encounter anything that puts our bodies under stress (don't you love the English language?) That means physical stress and emotional stress are still stress.
-J