The Unfelt Feelings

Are You Emotionally Blind?

- Samriti Dhatwalia

Have you ever wondered whether the person sitting next to you might not be able to feel emotions the way you do? This person you know might be suffering from Alexithymia, also known as Emotional Blindness. Simply put, it can be defined as the inability to be in touch with one's own feelings.

'Cause I, 'cause I

I don’t know how to feel But I wanna try

I don’t know how to feel But someday I might Someday I might

The song What Was I Made For? by Billie Eilish attempts to express the feelings of a person suffering from Alexithymia—someone who is eager to experience emotions but, for some reason, is unable to, despite trying. Interestingly, one surprising fact about Alexithymia is that a person suffering from it might not even be aware of their condition.

Throughout our childhood, we learned how our sensory organs function. These organs sense alterations in our surroundings, respond to stimuli, and transmit signals to the brain. According to conventional definitions, the heart is not considered a sensory organ since it does not perceive external stimuli. However, we recognise that it does sense internal stimuli, which can include stress, joy in a relationship, or even arguments with parents—each of these influencing the heart.

Kashvi, 20, has been dating a boy for a few months and has experienced some discomfort in her relationship. She asked him for a break to figure things out and spent this time journaling.

She was trying to understand the reason behind her unhappiness with this boy, who, in many ways, seemed right for her. But two weeks later, when she met him, she told him that their relationship could not continue. He asked her why, furious at her decision. She had no answer—she was completely blank. Words disappeared from her mouth as she didn’t even know what she was feeling. She was neither happy nor sad about the breakup. To this day, she believes she has a Heart of Stone.