# My Overcoming Alexithymia Journal



## daaaaave (Jan 1, 2007)

> People who experience Alexithymia are unable to recognize their own emotions and their subtleties, to understand or describe these emotions, and they sometimes misunderstand the emotional experience of others.


I am going to start this journal because I have noticed in my therapy group I am nearly unable to participate or share anything because I can't talk about my feelings. I have basically built a wall that prevents me from realizing my true feelings. I am just going to practice here by talking about how I felt during the day and I will try to update it daily. Please leave me feedback if you can and let me know if you think I am holding back my feelings cause the whole point here is just for me to say how I feel, whether it is positive or negative.

11/9/07

Today I felt annoyed during therapy since people were talking about the same stuff we always talk about and it is unproductive. I was frustrated I didn't take the chance to bring up some issues I had planned to talk about. I felt isolated and alone when people talked about their larger families. I felt angry and sad as I do sometimes after the group realizing how deprived a life I have lived compared to everyone else. Ok, well that is a start, I think I wrote that fairly well, but I still feel distant from the feeling words like "angry", "sad", "frustrated." I don't think I am totally accepting and realizing my feelings. I am hoping this kinda thing improves for me.


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## rabbit07 (Nov 8, 2007)

This journal is a good idea because writing about your feelings helps you release pent up emotions and reading about what you wrote can help you see your problems from an objective standpoint. I write in a journal and when I read my old entries, I feel like I'm reading about someone else's problems and they seem so normal. Whereas, usually I feel my problems are abnormal. 

It seems to me that you are frustrated that you haven't been able to give 100% to the therapy session and therefore, you are not benefiting as much as you could be. For example, if you were able to bring up those issues and connect with people more, you would be more satisfied with the therapy. It also seems like you think a lot of things being discussed are cliche and not helping you. I would advise you to be patient and try to take what you can get out of each session, even if you feel it is not benefiting you at the moment. Subconsciously, you ARE benefiting from being there and it will eventually show. 

You mentioned that you have a deprived life compared to everyone else. I think you should look at who you are comparing your life too. My guess is you are comparing your life to those who have a BETTER life than you..whether that be a bigger family, more friends, etc. But there are others (myself included) who don't have many/any friends and don't have opportunities to connect with people and constantly feel alone and unloved. Your life is not deprived compared to ours.

Don't give up, its great that you are being honest with your feelings. It will get easier with each entry you write.


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## daaaaave (Jan 1, 2007)

I am actually just gonna do this in my regular journal now on instead of online.


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## Fireflylight (Sep 2, 2004)

What a good idea to start a journal. I didn't even know there was a name for it. I used to have this too, and journaling about my feelings helped me too. I hope it helps!


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