Can alexithymia get worse?

After decades of therapists noting "You're very much in your head aren't you?" and having to interrupt my logical analysis of something with "No, I asked how you *feel* about it.", I've realised that alexithymia could be written on the inside of my eyelids.

For decades I struggled with depression, which I'm managing so, so much better now I have the explanatory framework of autism, and despite also having Seasonal Affective Disorder I'm actually doing OK for the grey end of January.

However, my current (last month, last quarter, can't exactly remember) mood is best described as "OK, content, no worries, chilled, meh" and I have a distinct lack of joy, excitement, anticipation that I remember having vague glimpses of during my younger years. Of course, many of the things that provoked excitement were things that I was encountering for the first time (new cars, motorbikes, girlfriends, different sorts of clouds, things to photograph, radio equipment, mathematical concepts, scientific theories, new telescopes). So I can't expect "new exciting things" to go on forever.

I'm rambling now - any thoughts?

Parents
  • I'm glad I came across this topic as I was about to post a similar one of my own.  I am very much like you in that I have managed depression for years and I am doing really well now compared to how things have been and given the time of year etc.  However, I am also finding I am in the 'meh' stage most of the time.  As for emotions I can recognise fear/anxiety (recent discovery as I assumed these were depression) although I don't know if there is a difference between the two - anger, but rarely experienced these days, frustration and then just a good feeling; however good feeling(s) are very rare and fleeting.

    Like you I have wondered if it has worsened as I have aged, or if I need to do more to try and 'feel' things like I am supposed to be?

    There are two things I am debating with myself:

    1 - Do I need to do more that will invoke emotions?

    2 - Do I need to learn what emotions are and identify them?

    I am thinking the latter may be better and more successful, but I don't even know how I would even start to go about this without having deep pockets to pay a specialist counselor.

Reply
  • I'm glad I came across this topic as I was about to post a similar one of my own.  I am very much like you in that I have managed depression for years and I am doing really well now compared to how things have been and given the time of year etc.  However, I am also finding I am in the 'meh' stage most of the time.  As for emotions I can recognise fear/anxiety (recent discovery as I assumed these were depression) although I don't know if there is a difference between the two - anger, but rarely experienced these days, frustration and then just a good feeling; however good feeling(s) are very rare and fleeting.

    Like you I have wondered if it has worsened as I have aged, or if I need to do more to try and 'feel' things like I am supposed to be?

    There are two things I am debating with myself:

    1 - Do I need to do more that will invoke emotions?

    2 - Do I need to learn what emotions are and identify them?

    I am thinking the latter may be better and more successful, but I don't even know how I would even start to go about this without having deep pockets to pay a specialist counselor.

Children
  • Hi Starbuck, glad I'm not alone but sorry to hear you're in the same situation. I think you're right that number 2 may be ultimately better, but more difficult. Number 1 is easier, but isn't a cure. I've done similar things to the list of exciting stuff that Plastic suggested above (thanks Plastic btw) and certainly found some emotions in learning to ride motorbikes, owning and riding them to an advanced standard (I taught this for a while too), and rediscovering some childlike joy. But ultimately, for me, the bucket list approach seems to verge on hedonism which defeats itself I think, because it's impossible to be satisfied. Looking back at my original post I was already hinting at this; new experiences can't go on forever (well, maybe they could, but it depends how you define "new").

    Almost certainly, as we age everything becomes more familiar and less "new" (Christmas anyone?).

    I can't think of a good "answer" at the moment............