Silent Autistic Struggles: Alexithymia #momonthespectrum #latediagnosedautistic

[Amy-kizc]

I have found that using music to explain how I feel to others helps me get the message across in a way that I can't.

[stephonh.]

As a kid, I struggled with that pretty badly. Not as bad in my adult years, yet, there are moments when I can't talk for myself. This can happen to me, especially when I'm very tired. It's pretty bad then.

[jmrumble]

I have alexithymia; so far I’ve learned that checking in with myself regularly helps because otherwise what I’m feeling might not register as relevant in the moment because it gets put on my mental todo list as “figure this out later when I have more bandwidth” but of course figuring it out now will give me more bandwidth already because it will be off the pile of unknowns vying for attention. Also, sometimes it helps to not try to tackle it as an unknown emotion, but as a series of physical sensations or feelings related to thoughts, which can help demystify what the emotions actually are and what the related thoughts are trying to tell me about what’s really going on.

[echase]

It can also occur in schools, social settings, relationships or entire social systems/structurallly oppressive institutions where there’s gaslighting or minimization/dismissiveness. People are told that their emotions are ‘not real’ or ‘not justified’.

[dwightmcmillan]

"... big emotions..."

Yeah... really big and intense.

[adamtobin]

Also often in the moment people who really get me will seem to pick up on an emotional shift in me before I realize I’m now…hurt, afraid, excited etc.

[scmtnchick]

Learning so much from your channel! Got any advice for ASD mom in menopause dealing with ASD almost adult know it all teen daughter in puberty???
So much drama and emotions out of control
Working hard to stay sane!
Thanks

[PaperRabbits_]

Not only 'put into words', it can even cause difficulties with 'identifying emotions' for yourself.

So not only does it cause difficulty with communicating outwards, also internally not knowing what or why you do weird stuff because there is some unexplainable... Probably 'emotion?' going on that is hampering your productivity.

[Misszebyrobloxvideos]

i am autistic i do show emotions sometimes but most times i cant show the emotion i am feeling so if my face is strate and some ask i im alright i will say yes but i mainly struggle with showing happiness anger and sadness i can show but happiness i struggle to put on my fce

[adamtobin]

I’m so damn smart. Intelligent. Etc. but when I start trying to verbalize how I’m feeling I sound crazy.

[TheKjoy]

I have found that discussing an emotional misunderstanding after the emotions calm down makes it easier for me to explain things to my mom and my brother. If I suspect that I am going to experience a trigger, I try to give them a heads up so that they can be prepared.
I had a mini meltdown a couple weeks ago at my grandfather's 92nd birthday party. I had gotten up to get dessert and someone had taken the chair I had been sitting in and I didn't know where it went. The person who had taken it didn't know me and didn't know how distress it would make me. My brother wound up tracking down our 3rd chair and putting it back where mine had been so that I could sit down. That led to a discussion about how much I sit in specific spots in the house and the cars I ride in. I always sit on the passenger side of the car if I can. I have "my end" of the couch. I had picked my spot at the party because I was close enough to the group to not feel completely separate, but not so close that I got overwhelmed by all the conversations going on around me.

[HalfBlindPlans]

Is this the thing where it's often helpful to write it down to process and share what's going on inside because your brain just can't verbally express what's going on emotionally? The more you try the fewer words you can even form in your mind, let alone speak?

[mayosmayo]

It’s that my emotions are so odd and controversial that I’m not sure if it would lead to anything

[MoreFeen]

There is only neutral/EMOTION/happy. I learnd a lot tho and I can usualy identevie the emotion in hinde sight. But if it is a BIG thing I sometimes can't.

[PushaT_cells]

Is there a word for being unable to explain physical pain, like where it hurts? I have no problem explaining my enotions but I can't explain how I feel physically when I'm in pain.

[MrTzarBomb]

That’s not autism. That’s called being a person.

[BCSchmerker]

+momonthespectrum *As a son o' the victim of an abusive first marriage by a second wife who survived the War Relocation of 1942-45, I had **_enough_** trouble lined up for me sans Kanner's Syndrome and the ’üpothümía* (Gk. ᾿ϋποθϋνία "insufficient affect") *that came withal.* A secondary characteristic of ’üpothümía is alexithümía (Gk. ᾿αλεξιθϋνία "lack of affect vocabulary").