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AUTISM GLOSSARY
Alexithymia
DEFINITION
Alexithymia describes difficulty identifying and describing one's own emotions. People with alexithymia may not know what they are feeling, may experience emotions primarily as physical sensations, or may have a limited emotional vocabulary.
WHY IT MATTERS
Roughly 50% of autistic people experience alexithymia. It affects emotional regulation, self-care, and relationships. It is not the same as not having emotions — it is difficulty recognizing them.
COMMON MISCONCEPTION
Alexithymia is not the same as being unemotional or lacking empathy. Many people with alexithymia feel emotions intensely but cannot label or communicate them clearly.