Trauma can dramatically change not only our life, but the way our brain actually operates. As a result, often times overcoming trauma relies on addressing these cognitive and emotional changes, because only by doing that can you move forward towards a better future.
An example of this is “Alexithymia.” It’s a condition that doesn’t happen to everyone, and is not always caused by trauma, but when it does occur in someone with PTSD it becomes important to address it.
What is Alexithymia?
Alexithymia is a psychological condition characterized by difficulty identifying, expressing, and understanding emotions. Individuals with alexithymia often struggle to describe their feelings, differentiate between emotions and physical sensations, and engage in emotional introspection.
While alexithymia can occur in the general population, research suggests a strong correlation between trauma and the development of alexithymic traits.
Alexithymia is not classified as a mental disorder but rather as a trait or condition that affects emotional processing. It manifests in ways such as:
Difficulty Identifying Emotions – Individuals may struggle to recognize their own emotional states or describe how they feel.
Limited Emotional Expression – They may appear emotionally distant, struggle with verbalizing feelings, or display a restricted range of facial expressions.
Confusion Between Physical and Emotional States – Bodily sensations, such as muscle tension or an upset stomach, may be misinterpreted as purely physical discomfort rather than an emotional response.
Externally Oriented Thinking – A tendency to focus on external events rather than introspecting about emotional experiences.
Trauma, particularly chronic or severe trauma, can play a significant role in the development of alexithymia. This is especially true in cases of childhood trauma, abuse, neglect, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The connection between trauma and alexithymia is rooted in both neurological and psychological factors.
Neurological Impact of Trauma on Emotional Processing
Trauma affects brain structures involved in emotion regulation, including:
The Amygdala – Responsible for processing emotions, the amygdala may become hyperactive in response to trauma, leading to heightened fear responses while impairing emotional awareness.
The Prefrontal Cortex – Critical for emotional regulation and self-reflection, this area may be underactive in those with trauma, making it harder to process and articulate emotions.
The Corpus Callosum – Trauma, especially in early development, can impact the communication between the brain’s hemispheres, limiting the ability to integrate emotions with rational thought.
When a person experiences severe trauma, the brain may no longer be able to process emotions effectively, and the result is poor emotional processing.
Emotional Suppression as a Coping Mechanism
For individuals who have experienced trauma, particularly childhood emotional neglect or abuse, suppressing emotions may become a learned survival strategy. If emotional expression was met with punishment, rejection, or indifference, the brain adapts by disconnecting from emotional experiences to reduce psychological distress.
Avoidance of Emotional Triggers – Trauma survivors may unconsciously disconnect from their emotions to avoid pain, leading to emotional numbness.
Dissociation – Chronic trauma may result in dissociative tendencies, making it difficult to access emotional states and recognize them as personal experiences.
Hyperarousal and Emotional Overwhelm – Some trauma survivors experience emotions so intensely that they develop a shutdown response, numbing emotions as a form of self-protection.
Some of these issues may also be related to the type of trauma and the age it occurred. Individuals who grow up in environments lacking emotional support may develop alexithymia as a result of insecure attachment styles. When caregivers fail to model emotional recognition or discourage emotional expression, children may struggle to develop emotional awareness in adulthood.
For example, if the person experienced neglect, without consistent emotional validation, individuals may not learn how to recognize or describe their emotions. If they struggled with abuse, fear-driven relationships can create emotional dysregulation, leading to avoidance or suppression of emotions.
Alexithymia and PTSD
Alexithymia is frequently observed in individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Studies indicate that trauma survivors with PTSD often exhibit alexithymic traits, which can interfere with traditional talk therapy and emotional processing treatments. This can make trauma recovery more challenging, as individuals may struggle to verbalize distress, engage in self-reflection, or process traumatic memories effectively.
Managing and Treating Alexithymia in Trauma Survivors
While alexithymia can be a barrier to emotional healing, certain approaches can help trauma survivors gradually reconnect with their emotions and develop emotional awareness:
Mindfulness and Body Awareness – Practices such as mindfulness meditation and somatic therapy can help individuals tune into physical sensations linked to emotions.
Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) – This therapy helps individuals identify and label emotions in a structured, supportive environment.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – Can help trauma survivors recognize patterns of emotional avoidance and develop strategies for emotional expression.
Journaling and Expressive Writing – Encouraging structured reflection on experiences can help bridge the gap between thoughts and emotions.
Trauma-Informed Therapy – Therapies such as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and somatic experiencing may help address underlying trauma and improve emotional awareness.
For those who have experienced trauma, alexithymia can make emotional healing more complex, but it is not a permanent condition. With the right therapeutic support and strategies, individuals can learn to recognize, process, and express emotions in a way that supports their mental well-being. If you’ve been struggling from trauma, reach out to Flourish Psychology today to speak to one of our therapists and get the help you need.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), typically referred to as EMDR, is increasingly becoming one of the most popular treatments available for addressing post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.
Scientists have discovered that one potential cause of PTSD is poor processing after the event has taken place. Essentially, they’ve found that when a person experiences a significant trauma, their brain isn’t always able to fully process the event. EMDR works by essentially helping – in a calm environment – the person with the trauma go through and process the details of the event so that it can be move to long term memory and prevent excessive stress.
This process is extremely effective. But the way that it’s described often has some people worried that it sounds similar to some pseudoscientific treatments, such as hypnotherapy, and they’re worried that it could be responsible for “false memories” – where an individual, typically under the guidance of a therapist, remembers events that did not take place.
QUICK ANSWER: EMDR cannot and does not erase, alter, or place false memories. EMDR’s role is to change where existing, evidence based memories are stored in the brain.
How EMDR Works and How it Affects Memory Processing
During the overwhelming experience of trauma, a person’s memories of the event do not fully form the way other memories form. Instead, memories can be fragmented, emotionally charged, and difficult to process. Because the brain isn’t accurately able to process these memories, they begin to affect the person’s mental health.
EMDR aims to integrate these memories more adaptively by:
Reducing the emotional distress associated with the memory
Helping individuals view past events with less reactivity
Strengthening cognitive insights related to the experience
Since EMDR relies on memory recall and cognitive restructuring, it operates within the natural processes of memory reconsolidation – where memories are reactivated, modified, and re-stored in a way that aligns with new information. In other words, new memories are not being introduced, nor is a person trying to discover information that was not already there. Rather, they’re taking information that is already in their minds, and using the process of EMDR to store it all together.
Why EMDR is Not at Risk for False Memories
For a person to experience false memories, a person would have to be under very specific conditions that all have to align. Research suggests that for someone to have false memoires implanted in their minds, all of the following situations would need to be present:
The person would have to be given new information or provided with new possibilities that were not already present.
The person would have to be in a situation where they could be guided towards new beliefs, with leading questions, suggestive language, hypnosis, or because they are unable to recall any details of the event and are seeking answers.
Unlike some other forms of therapy that explicitly work to “recover” repressed memories, EMDR focuses on existing memories and the emotional responses tied to them. These memories are not hidden or repressed. They are simply very emotional. The person that has these memories already knows they exist, but is simply having a difficult time processing it effectively.
EMDR in the Hands of a Qualified Psychotherapist
Therapists that specialize specifically in EMDR are trained directly not to use leading questions, not to imply any event has occurred, and not to suggest that something is being missed or repressed. The goal of EDMR is to prioritize existing memory recall and use a series of techniques to reduce how emotionally charged the events feel, so that ultimately the brain can move the memories into their correct placement in the brain instead of these fragmented memories that cause significant stress.
Licensed therapists, trained EMDR, like those here at Flourish Psychology, know how to address trauma accurately and correctly and avoid any situation where suggestion or leading questions could alter a person’s thoughts and memories.
EMDR is and remains one of the most effective strategies we currently have for treating PTSD and trauma. But of course, it is important to work with people that have been specifically trained in this type of approach. If you’re looking for help with trauma for yourself or someone you love, please reach out to Flourish Psychology, today.
Most of us have had some strange dreams and, depending on who you talk to, many times people will try to talk to you about what your dream might “mean.” There’s this belief that dreams have meaning, which causes people to remember their dreams more or think about their dreams intensely, using them as fuel to make decisions or better understand themselves.
Scientists frequently debate whether or not dreams have meaning. Most agree that the answer is probably “no.” Dreams occur when our brain are trying to create memories and process the day, and then the dream itself is just how our brain weaves that processing together in order to tell a story.
Still, that doesn’t mean that dreams are useless from a psychotherapeutic perspective. Quite the contrary. While it’s not clear whether or not dreams always have meaning independently, there are ways to decipher dreams anyway that can have meaning.
For example:
YOUR Intepretation
You’ve probably heard about Rorschach Tests. These are tests where a person looks at an ink blot that has no particular design, and tells the therapist what they see. The ink blot itself has no design, but what we see the ink blot can typically be very meaningful.
Dreams can be very similar. For example, imagine your parents are in your dream, and your mom is helping you with a problem but your dad is silent. You interpret that as a sign your dad is distant, or keeping a secret, or neglectful. Within the context of the dream, it may not have had meaning. But the way you interpreted the dream absolutely might have meaning, which in turn can be used to spark discussion.
Common Dream Experiences
Studies have confirmed that certain emotions and experiences could affect some of the themes of our dreams, which is why many of us have very similar dream experiences. For example, many people dream about being chased. Why would so many people dream about being chased, if dreams are just processing events of the day?
We don’t entirely know. But we do know that it’s more common in those with anxiety. Perhaps it is the brain trying to train a person in their sleep on how to flee if they face danger (since anxiety is the activation of a fight/flight response), or maybe a person with anxiety has a heart that is beating faster in their sleep, and the brain is trying to explain that heartbeat increase by having the person run.
These are all ways that how we feel can affect our dreams in some form, even if the content itself is not entirely meaningful.
The Exceptions
What if “dreams” as a whole don’t have meaning, but that we can somehow introduce things that we process within our dreams that have meaning.
This can be hard to explain so let’s look at an example. Imagine that you are someone that has struggled with negative self-talk, referring to yourself in your internal monologue as “trash” or garbage.” Then you go to sleep, and you’re processing the day, and suddenly you see a garbage can in the dream, and everyone is yelling at the garbage can.
Clearly, it’s possible that this garbage can represents you, and you’re dreaming about how you feel about yourself. This would be a dream that “has meaning,” which would directly contradict the idea that dreams are otherwise meaningless.
Even in this situation, the dream itself didn’t create meaning. The meaning came from your brain trying to process your day, and that includes the self-talk that you had earlier in the day. Still, it’s easy to see how this dream subject would be meaningful. The dream wasn’t trying to tell you something, but it still had meaning.
Analyzing Dreams and Discussing You
Dreams themselves may not inherently have meaning. But how we interpret our dreams, or the issues that occurred recently that led to us dreaming the way we did, can still be interesting. We don’t need to envision that dreams mean more than they do, but we can still think about our dreams and talk about our dreams in a way that might be meaningful.
Struggling with your dreams of late? Experiencing mental health challenges that may be affecting your life and happiness? Reach out to Flourish Psychology, today.
It’s Hard to Make Decisions – But It’s Even Harder Not To
Frequently, throughout life, we’re faced with choices. We have to choose where to go for dinner. We have to choose what show to watch next. We have to choose where we want to live, what shoes to wear with our outfit, what to name our dog.
Some of these choices are easy. Others are much harder.
But regardless of difficulty, most of us will, at times, face situations where we simply cannot seem to make a choice. This has a term – choice paralysis. Faced with the need to make a decision, we struggle, and eventually do nothing at all.
How Choice Paralysis Manifests
Choice paralysis refers to situations where, faced with more than one option, we pause on making a choice and ultimately – either intentionally or unintentionally – choose to do nothing at all. There are many examples of this in action:
Sometimes, choice paralysis is caused by being overwhelmed by choices. For example, if you’re scrolling Netflix looking for the next show to watch, there might be so many shows to choose from that you keep scrolling and struggle to make a decision, ultimately watching nothing.
Sometimes, choice paralysis is caused by the choice being too significant. “Should I buy this home” for example is a huge financial decision, and some people do nothing as the home they wanted gets taken by someone else.
Sometimes, choice paralysis is caused by just an overall lack of motivation. “What job should I apply for?” can be a bit stressful, and if you’re not fully motivated, that stress can then lead to simply not making a decision at all, and giving up.
Choice paralysis can be caused by anxiety, ADHD, stress, or nothing at all. But in all scenarios it creates a problem: if you freeze when you need to make decisions, then one of two things might happen:
You run out of time and make the wrong decision and rush to any decision, even if it wasn’t the right one.
You make no decision at all and nothing happens or changes for you.
Either way, it’s easy to envision how this is a problem. If you aren’t making decisions – or you’re not making the right decisions – then you aren’t going to be able to achieve your goals.
What Happens Next?
Choice paralysis is a real issue. It’s something that stands directly in the way of you being able to achieve your dreams and goals.
But addressing it requires an understanding of what it comes from. What is your thought process? Why is it occurring? What are the goals you’re trying to reach and what do YOU need to help you get there?
This will be different for every individual, which is why it is so important for us to meet and discuss your needs. But achieving your dreams and goals requires making sure you have the confidence to make decisions, self-knowledge so that you can motivate yourself, and more.
If you find that you have trouble with these types of decisions, reach out to the therapists at Flourish Psychology today. Let’s start you on a path to reaching your goals and removing choice paralysis from your life.
As psychotherapists, our role isn’t to tell you that you do or you do not need help. Our role is to provide you with what you need to move forward in life, no matter what it is that is holding you back.
Some of our most common calls are not for anxiety, not for depression, not for couples counseling – not for any of the most common mental health disorders. One common reason that many people reach out to a therapist is because they’re struggling with an issue that so many of us struggle with: work stress.
Work stress is not a recognized mental health disorder. It is not something that is diagnosed. But it also plays a very real and serious role in our physical and mental wellbeing – so much so that it can be enough to harm our relationship sand our day to day life.
Should work stress be considered a mental health disorder?
The Nature of Work Stress
Work stress arises when the demands of a job exceed an individual’s capacity to cope with or manage those demands. Common sources of work stress include heavy workloads, tight deadlines, lack of control over job responsibilities, difficult interpersonal relationships, and concerns about job security. While these stressors can vary from person to person, the effects of work-related stress are often similar and include:
Physical symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, and muscle tension
Emotional symptoms like irritability, anxiety, and feelings of being overwhelmed
Cognitive issues, including difficulty concentrating or making decisions
Behavioral changes such as withdrawing from social interactions or neglecting self-care
While these symptoms are common to stress in general, when experienced over a long period, they can lead to more severe mental and physical health issues.
Work Stress vs. Mental Health Disorders
Work stress itself is not classified as a mental health disorder. It is generally viewed as a temporary response to challenging situations in the workplace. However, chronic or unresolved work stress can be a significant contributing factor to the development of mental health conditions, including:
Anxiety Disorders – Long-term exposure to work stress can lead to generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) or panic attacks, especially when stressors persist without resolution.
Depression – Feelings of helplessness, inadequacy, or burnout from unrelenting work pressure can contribute to depressive symptoms. Prolonged stress, especially when coupled with job dissatisfaction, can make individuals more susceptible to developing depression.
Burnout – Although not a formal mental health disorder, burnout is a condition recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as an occupational phenomenon. Burnout results from prolonged exposure to chronic workplace stress and is characterized by emotional exhaustion, reduced job performance, and a sense of detachment from the job. Burnout can significantly impact mental health and lead to more serious conditions if not addressed.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – In high-stress or high-risk professions, such as first responders, healthcare workers, or military personnel, individuals may experience traumatic events that can lead to PTSD. While the trauma may occur in the context of work, the disorder itself is recognized as a mental health condition.
Work stress itself may not currently be a mental health disorder. But it does appear it can CAUSE them, and that alone may be enough to warrant concern.
While work stress itself is not a disorder, it can become a mental health concern when the stress becomes overwhelming, unmanageable, or persistent. If work-related stress leads to ongoing feelings of anxiety, sadness, or anger that do not subside when away from the job, it may indicate that the stress is contributing to a deeper mental health condition.
When work stress begins to spill over into personal relationships or activities, causing withdrawal, irritability, or neglect of responsibilities at home, it can be a sign of a more serious issue. Chronic stress is linked to physical conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and gastrointestinal problems. If work stress is manifesting in physical health issues, it may signal the need for intervention.
If stress is affecting job performance – such as reduced productivity, absenteeism, or difficulty meeting job expectations – it may indicate that the individual is experiencing burnout or another mental health issue.
Why Work Stress Should Be Taken Seriously
While work stress may not be classified as a mental health disorder, its effects on an individual’s well-being should not be underestimated. Unaddressed, chronic work stress can:
Lower job satisfaction and increase the risk of burnout
Negatively affect mental health, leading to conditions like anxiety and depression
Contribute to physical health problems
Diminish quality of life and overall happiness
Recognizing work stress as a legitimate concern is important for both employers and healthcare providers, as early intervention can prevent the escalation of stress into more serious mental health conditions. Employers should prioritize mental health support by fostering a healthy work environment, offering resources such as counseling services, and encouraging work-life balance.
Work stress is significant and important. It may not be considered a mental health disorder, but the mental health world as a whole is moving away from disorders and diagnoses anyway, as it starts to prioritize the needs of the individual. As therapists, our role is to help patients learn more about themselves and get the support they need to thrive in their personal and professional lives, diagnosis or not.
If you are struggling with work stress, or you’d like to learn more about our therapy and mental health services, please feel free and reach out to Flourish Psychology today for help managing work stress and the pressures of high profile work lives.
Many of us use the term “overwhelmed” to discuss how we’re feeling in today’s fast paced, increasingly connected, loud world. It’s a word that we are also using correctly. We ARE overwhelmed. We are frequently finding that there is almost no moment in the day where we are not being stimulated, asked to do things, or surrounded by noise and movement.
Being overwhelmed means that we are stressed, overstimulated, and unable to find opportunities to refresh and replenish our reserves. So it might not come as a surprise to learn that an effective way to help address being overwhelmed is finding yourself in quiet, disconnected, solitude.
Evidence increasingly shows that there are times when what we need to be less overwhelmed is to spend even just a few hours in completely quiet solitude – no noise, no phones, no distractions, no stresses. Sometimes, to address feeling overwhelmed, what need more than anything is silence.
The Psychological Impact of Silence
Silence can have a profound effect on the brain, particularly when it comes to stress reduction. In our daily lives, we are often bombarded with noise – whether it’s the constant hum of urban environments, the chatter of social interactions, or the endless stream of digital notifications. These stimuli can keep our minds in a heightened state of alertness, which can contribute to stress and anxiety over time.
Being alone in silence gives the brain a chance to:
Reset and Recharge – Quiet time allows the brain to enter a more restful state, which can help reduce mental fatigue. When freed from the need to process constant input, the brain can focus on recovery and repair.
Foster Mindfulness – Silence creates the perfect environment for mindfulness, where individuals can focus on the present moment without distractions. This shift in attention can reduce feelings of overwhelm and promote a sense of calm.
Improve Emotional Regulation – Without external noise and distractions, silence allows individuals to become more aware of their emotions and thoughts. This increased self-awareness can lead to better emotional regulation, helping individuals manage stress more effectively.
Silence gives our brain a chance to process the day, free of digital overload and the people and things demanding our attention. Our brains are always processing information, and need a bit of time to do that without distraction.
Physiological Benefits of Silence
Spending time in silence can also have a positive effect on the body. Stress often triggers the “fight or flight” response, which raises cortisol levels and increases heart rate and blood pressure. Silence, on the other hand, can activate the body’s “rest and digest” system, allowing for physical relaxation.
Some of the physiological benefits of silence include:
Lowered Heart Rate and Blood Pressure – When the brain isn’t processing external stimuli, the body naturally shifts into a more relaxed state. Studies have shown that quiet environments can lead to decreases in heart rate and blood pressure, which are key indicators of reduced stress.
Decreased Cortisol Levels – Cortisol is a hormone associated with stress. Spending time in silence can help lower cortisol levels, reducing the physical effects of stress on the body, such as tension, headaches, and fatigue.
Improved Sleep – Silence promotes relaxation, which can help individuals unwind and prepare for better sleep. Since stress is one of the primary causes of sleep disturbances, incorporating periods of quiet into your day can improve overall sleep quality.
In addition to its calming effects, silence can also lead to greater mental clarity and focus. When our minds are free from distractions, we are better able to process information, reflect on important decisions, and think creatively.
How to Incorporate Silence Into Daily Life
As hard as it is to schedule silence when you need it most, there are situations in which it is a good idea to see if, when you’re feeling overwhelmed, you can find a quiet place outside or inside, leave your phone behind, and sit in total silence for awhile if you can. All it may take is a few hours of silence to find that you’re able to take on the stresses of the day.
When it’s not possible to carve out large chunks of quiet time in a busy schedule, there are simple ways to incorporate moments of silence into daily life to help manage stress:
Morning Silence – Start the day by setting aside 10 to 15 minutes for quiet reflection, meditation, or deep breathing. This practice can set a calm tone for the day ahead and reduce stress levels.
Scheduled Breaks – Throughout the day, take short breaks in a quiet environment, whether it’s stepping outside, sitting in a calm room, or simply turning off digital devices. Even just a few minutes of silence can help reset your focus and reduce stress.
Unplug from Technology – Silence isn’t just about the absence of sound – it’s also about disconnecting from digital distractions. Set aside time each day to unplug from phones, emails, and social media to create a more peaceful environment.
Spending time alone in silence, even for a few hours, can be a powerful tool for stress relief. By allowing the mind and body to disengage from constant noise and stimuli, silence fosters relaxation, reduces physical signs of stress, and promotes mental clarity.
Whether through mindful practices or simply taking a break from the daily hustle, incorporating periods of quiet into your routine can significantly enhance your ability to manage stress and improve overall well-being. For more help controlling stress and feeling overwhelmed, please reach out to our team at Flourish Psychology, today.
Location: 300 Cadman Plaza West Floor 12 - Brooklyn, NY 11201
Manage Consent
By clicking “Accept”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
