Can gaming cause alexithymia?

Also, research has shown that regular gamers display higher levels of alexithymia and are less emotionally reactive than irregular gamers (Gaetan, Bréjard, & Bonnet, 2016).

Can you suddenly develop alexithymia?

Several subsequent studies suggested that alexithymia might develop in response to overwhelming stress to avoid experiencing agonizing and unbearable emotions[97,98]. During the previous two decades, this “state or trait” issue has been assessed in several studies discussed in the next section.

Does gaming affect your mental health?

Gaming Causes Poor Emotional Regulation

One of the biggest negative effects of video games can lead you to struggle with regulating your emotions properly. Studies show that people diagnosed with Internet gaming disorder are more likely to be aggressive, depressed, and anxious.

Do people with alexithymia cry?

Some alexithymic individuals may appear to contradict the above-mentioned characteristics because they can experience chronic dysphoria or manifest outbursts of crying or rage.

Is alexithymia low empathy?

A core aspect of social cognition, empathy, has been reported to be reduced in alexithymic individuals (Moriguchi et al., 2007; Grynberg et al., 2010).

Therapist Explains Why You Don't Feel Anything Anymore... (Alexithymia 101)

Can people with alexithymia smile?

He has found, for example, that people with the condition have no trouble recognizing faces or distinguishing between pictures of people smiling and frowning. “But for a few of our really alexithymic people, while they can tell a smile and a frown apart, they have no idea what they are.

Why do I feel sad after gaming?

In addition, excessive gaming creates an environment where individuals are often isolated in the physical world, such as in their room a lot; they may have withdrawn from friends and family, and often, exercise is sparse. This environment and lifestyle can lead to feelings of depression.

How does gaming negatively affect the brain?

Just 10–20 minutes of violent gaming can increase activity in the brain regions associated with arousal, anxiety, and emotional reaction, while simultaneously reducing activity in the frontal lobes associated with emotion regulation and executive control.

Do video games drain your mental energy?

Mental or physical exhaustion

If you're affected by gaming fatigue or burnout, you will most likely experience symptoms of exhaustion which include feeling tired, lethargic, irritable, and emotionally drained. You may also experience physical ailments such as headache or feeling physically weak.

What kind of trauma causes alexithymia?

Another study has found that childhood trauma experiences can affect people's ability to communicate and identify emotions [34, 35]. Moreover, Young and Widom confirmed that childhood emotional neglect can have a negative impact on children's understanding and recognizing emotions, thereby leading to alexithymia [36].

Can alexithymia fall in love?

Can Alexithymia Feel Love? The answer is yes, we can feel love. It might be harder to find the words to describe how you feel, but sometimes it can be easier to show love through actions. If someone with alexithymia feels and recognizes they are in love; it means the feeling is very strong and real.

What alexithymia feels like?

Alexithymia is not a condition in its own right, but rather an inability to identify and describe emotions. People with alexithymia have difficulties recognizing and communicating their own emotions, and they also struggle to recognize and respond to emotions in others.

What is the root of alexithymia?

In fact, subsequent research both from the field of developmental psychology and from neuropsychology has found that the root of alexithymia could lie in either a problem of cerebral organization, or in a marked lack of suitable emotional models during the passage from childhood to adulthood, or else a combination of ...

Do people with alexithymia know they have it?

People with alexithymia feel the usual range of emotions, but they are less aware of their own emotions and the emotions of others. If your partner has alexithymia, there's a good chance they're unaware of their condition.

Will alexithymia go away?

Alexithymia is a complex and challenging condition that can have a significant impact on a person's emotional and social functioning. While there is no cure for alexithymia, therapy and other strategies can be helpful in improving emotional awareness and expression.

What happens to your brain when you play too much video games?

Excessive video game use can lead to the brain being revved up in a constant state of hyperarousal. Hyperarousal looks different for each person. It can include difficulties with paying attention, managing emotions, controlling impulses, following directions and tolerating frustration.

Why do I feel weird after playing video games?

Liquid in the semicircular canals of your inner ear allows you to sense if you're moving. But the brain can get confused if your inner ear senses that you're sitting still while your eyes see the action on the screen and tell the brain you're moving. That may leave you feeling sick, dizzy, or drowsy.

How much gaming is too much?

For kids over the age of 6, the American Academy of Pediatrics says no more than 60 minutes on school days and 2 hours on non-school days. Kids under 6 should spend closer to 30 minutes. It's also appropriate for parents to know and approve the games their kids are playing.

Does gaming cause apathy?

When dopamine exhaustion is reached, not only do games lose their potential for fun and pleasure, but so do other areas and activities. At this stage, individuals often find themselves feeling apathetic, directionless and without meaning in life.

What is gaming disorder?

Gaming disorder is defined in the 11^th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) as a pattern of gaming behavior (“digital-gaming” or “video-gaming”) characterized by impaired control over gaming, increasing priority given to gaming over other activities to the extent that gaming takes ...

Can too much gaming cause depression?

Playing too many video games can make depression worse. Those who are addicted to gaming are twice as likely to be depressed as those who do not game. Excessive gaming can lead to dopamine exhaustion, emotional suppression, and lack of motivation, among other issues.

Who is alexithymia most common in?

Alexithymia is a term to describe problems with feeling emotions. In Greek, it loosely translates to “no words for emotion.” It is estimated that 1 in 10 people has alexithymia, but it is much more common in those with depression and in autistic people.

Am I autistic if I have alexithymia?

Although individuals on the autism spectrum experience alexithymia at much higher rates than the general population, autism and alexithymia appear to be distinct, unrelated, and overlapping conditions in which alexithymia seems to influence affective empathy.

Is alexithymia permanent?

State alexithymia has a specific cause is is often a temporary condition.