Alexithymia

Have you ever felt your heart racing, your stomach tightening, or your muscles tensing - and yet couldn’t identify why? Or maybe you notice hunger or fatigue only after it’s become urgent, as if your body is speaking a language you can’t understand. For many people with alexithymia, this is a daily reality.

Alexithymia is often described as “the inability to put words to emotions,” but it goes deeper - it can also make it incredibly difficult to feel and interpret your body’s signals. Your body talks, but your mind struggles to listen.

What is Alexithymia?

The word alexithymia comes from Greek, meaning literally “no words for emotions.” People with alexithymia may struggle to:

Recognise their emotions

Describe what they are feeling to others

Connect with their inner emotional world

Around 10% of people experience alexithymia to some degree, and it is more common in certain mental health conditions such as autism, PTSD, or depression. While the emotional aspects of alexithymia are well-known, the connection to body awareness is often overlooked.

When Your Body’s Signals Go Unnoticed

Interoception is the ability to sense what’s happening inside your body - your heartbeat, hunger, thirst, fatigue, pain, or tension. For people with alexithymia, this internal awareness is often muted.

Some examples include:

Feeling anxious but not realising it until a panic attack occurs

Ignoring hunger cues or over-eating because the body’s signal is unclear

Struggling to notice exhaustion, stress, or physical pain until it becomes intense

Without the ability to accurately feel these signals, managing health, emotions, and daily life can feel confusing and overwhelming.

Why Does This Happen?

Research suggests differences in brain areas like the insula and anterior cingulate cortex, which process bodily sensations and emotional awareness, may play a role. Early experiences, including trauma, neglect, or emotional suppression in childhood, can further disrupt the connection between mind and body.

In essence, alexithymia is not laziness or lack of insight - it is a genuine difference in how the brain perceives and interprets signals from the body.

How Alexithymia Can Affect Life

Relationships: Difficulty identifying or expressing feelings can lead to misunderstandings or emotional distance.

Health: Missing early warning signs of illness, fatigue, or stress.

Emotional Regulation: Trouble calming oneself or recognising when stress is building.

This disconnection can make life feel like you’re reacting to the world without fully understanding your own internal state.

Practical Strategies to Reconnect with Your Body

The good news is that skills can be learned. Some approaches include:

Mindfulness and Body Scans: Slowly notice sensations from head to toe, labeling what you feel.

Journaling Physical Sensations: Track tension, fatigue, or changes in appetite to spot patterns.

Breathwork and Yoga: Gentle movement and conscious breathing help strengthen the mind-body link.

Therapy Approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), somatic therapy, or interoceptive training can improve emotional and bodily awareness.

Consistency is key - small, daily practices help the body and mind speak the same language.

Finding Hope

Living with alexithymia can feel isolating, but it is important to remember that you are not broken. Reconnecting with your body is possible, and with practice, you can learn to recognise signals before they escalate, understand your emotions more fully, and feel more grounded in your own life.

Even noticing one small signal a day - your heartbeat, your hunger, your fatigue - can be a powerful first step toward understanding yourself more deeply.

Try This Today:

Take two minutes to pause, close your eyes, and notice your body. Ask yourself: “What is my body feeling right now?” Don’t judge or try to fix anything - just notice. Over time, these small moments create a bridge between your body and your mind.