Welcome to the Alexithymia Awareness Network
Bridging the gap between emotions and understanding.
The Alexithymia Awareness Network (AAN) is dedicated to increasing awareness, supporting research, and providing resources for individuals affected by alexithymia — a personality trait that affects how people identify, understand, and express emotions.
What is Alexithymia?
Alexithymia, from the Greek meaning "no words for emotions," is characterized by:
- Difficulty identifying emotions — trouble recognizing what you're feeling
- Difficulty describing emotions — struggling to put feelings into words
- Limited emotional awareness — reduced ability to distinguish between emotions and physical sensations
- Externally-oriented thinking — focus on external events rather than inner emotional experiences
It affects roughly 10% of the general population and can shape relationships, mental health, and quality of life.
Where to start
🧠 Understanding Alexithymia
- FAQ — common questions and answers
- Diagnosis & Assessment — how alexithymia is identified
- Comorbidities — what it co-occurs with
- Treatment — therapeutic approaches
- Lexicon — alphabetical glossary of feeling words
- Emotion Frameworks — Plutchik, Ekman, Wilcox, Damasio, and more
📱 Resources
- Apps — mobile and digital tools
- Assessment Instruments — TAS-20, BVAQ, and others
- Books — recommended reading
- Research Papers — searchable, sortable
- Podcasts — episodes and shows
🔬 Research
- Research Labs — institutions worldwide
- Emotion Researchers — profiles of the people behind the field
🤝 Community
- Support — therapists, peer communities, family resources
- Conferences — events and proceedings
- News — updates from AAN
If you're in crisis
→ Crisis & Urgent Support — 988 (US) call or text · Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741741 · Emergency: 911
Our mission
We exist to:
- Increase awareness of alexithymia in the general public and healthcare communities
- Support research that advances understanding of emotional processing
- Provide resources for individuals, families, and professionals
- Foster community among those affected by alexithymia
About AAN
Read about our mission, the network, and contact us to get involved.
The Alexithymia Awareness Network — empowering understanding, one emotion at a time.