Why Men Can't Identify Their Own Emotions (And What It's Actually Costing You)

*This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. If you’re experiencing persistent emotional distress, consult a licensed mental health professional.*

This article is for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice. Speak with a qualified clinician about your specific situation. See our Medical Disclaimer. In crisis? Call or text 988 (US Suicide & Crisis Lifeline). Or text HOME to 741741.

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Man with a neutral calm expression representing emotional alexithymia and difficulty identifying feelings — Photo by Jason Goodman on Unsplash

**Sources:**

1. Sifneos, P.E. (1973). The prevalence of ‘alexithymic’ characteristics in psychosomatic patients. *Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics*, 22(2-6), 255-262.

2. Levant, R.F. et al. (2009). Gender differences in alexithymia. *Psychology of Men & Masculinity*, 10(3), 190-203.

3. Chu, J.Y. (2014). *When Boys Become Boys: Development, Relationships, and Masculinity.* NYU Press.

4. Lumley, M.A. et al. (2007). Alexithymia and health: Prospective study. *Health Psychology*, 26(5), 687-694.

5. Damasio, A.R. (1994). *Descartes’ Error: Emotion, Reason, and the Human Brain.* Putnam.

6. Lieberman, M.D. et al. (2007). Putting feelings into words: Affect labeling disrupts amygdala activity. *Psychological Science*, 18(5), 421-428.

7. Grynberg, D. et al. (2012). Alexithymia in the interpersonal domain: A general deficit of empathy? *Personality and Individual Differences*, 53(10), 1279-1284.

8. Mattila, A.K. et al. (2008). Alexithymia and somatization in general population. *Journal of Psychosomatic Research*, 64(2), 199-205.

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Marcus Webb

Essayist on men's emotional fitness

Marcus Webb is the column where HappierFit makes the case for emotional fitness in men's lives — the arguments, with the research left in. One of our named editorial voices, produced with AI under BRICK30's editorial standards.