Could you have alexithymia?

Alexithymia can make it challenging to understand, identify, and express emotions. This experience can be overwhelming and impact your relationships in different ways. Fortunately, therapy can help you manage your symptoms and teach you healthy coping tools.We’ve created this alexithymia test to help you discover if you might be experiencing alexithymia. This test isn’t a diagnosis, but it can help guide you in the right direction.

How our alexithymia quiz works

This alexithymia quiz was created by a licensed clinician. It’s based on documented characteristics of alexithymia, as well as clinical measurement tools like the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20).

Although this test is based on research, it’s not a diagnostic tool. Alexithymia isn’t a mental health condition you can be formally diagnosed with. And no online test or self-assessment can replace an evaluation by a professional. The only way to know if what you’re experiencing is alexithymia is to talk to a therapist, psychiatrist, or another mental health professional.

When answering the questions on this quiz, choose the answer that you think fits best. Don’t worry too much about getting the “perfect” answer. Remember that the answers to this quiz are meant to be a framework to help you understand your relationship to emotions more deeply.

Take our free alexithymia test

Each of these quiz questions asks you about a different aspect of how you relate to emotions — including both your own and others’. It considers factors like:

• How well you can identify your own emotions

• How you relate to people showing emotions

• How easily you’re able to express your emotions

Take your time with each question. And if you’re not sure, you can always take a break and return to the test.

1. I have a hard time recognizing my emotions.

   • Almost always

   • Sometimes

   • Rarely or never 

2. I feel overwhelmed when people are emotional around me.

   • Almost always

   • Sometimes

   • Rarely or never 

3. I find it difficult to tell the difference between emotions like anger and fear.

   • Almost always

   • Sometimes

   • Rarely or never 

4. I avoid talking about emotions.

   • Almost always

   • Sometimes

   • Rarely or never 

5. I often can’t find words to describe my feelings.

   • Almost always

   • Sometimes

   • Rarely or never 

6. I prefer to talk about facts instead of feelings.

   • Almost always

   • Sometimes

   • Rarely or never 

7. I tend to jump to problem-solving and it’s difficult to sit in emotional ambiguity.

   • Almost always

   • Sometimes

   • Rarely or never 

8. I find it hard to get emotionally invested with books or movies. 

   • Almost always

   • Sometimes

   • Rarely or never 

9. People tell me I seem distant or “checked out.”

   • Almost always

   • Sometimes

   • Rarely or never 

10. I find it hard to connect to romantic feelings. 

    • Almost always

    • Sometimes

    • Rarely or never 

Quiz content written by Lolly Coleman, MS, LMFT.

Interpreting your results

If you answered mostly “almost always,” you may be showing symptoms of alexithymia. If you answered mostly “sometimes,” you might have some traits of alexithymia. If your answers were mostly “rarely or never,” your experience may be due to other factors.

Next steps for exploring alexithymia

This quiz is only meant to help you start understanding your relationship with emotions and shouldn’t be considered an official diagnosis. If taking this test — and reflecting upon your answers — helped you realize that you might be living with alexithymia, it’s important to know there’s hope. A therapist can also help you identify what might be at the root of alexithymia for you. They can help you figure out your next steps including getting in touch with your emotions.

Alexithymia can stem from environmental factors, genetics, or adverse childhood experiences. But you may also be more likely to experience it if you live with: 

• Depression

• Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

• Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

• Eating disorders

Alexithymia isn’t its own mental health diagnosis, but it can be managed. Some therapy methods that research has found to be specifically helpful for alexithymia include:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

• Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)

• Psychodynamic therapy

Therapy for alexithymia can help you:

• Recognize and name your emotions more easily

• Strengthen communication and connection with others

• Feel more emotionally present in your daily life

Clinician's take

One common misunderstanding about alexithymia is that a person doesn’t care or lacks empathy. In reality, many people with alexithymia care deeply. They just have difficulty identifying, naming, or describing their own inner states. It’s less about not feeling and more about not having the language or clarity to understand what they’re feeling.

Ashley Ayala, LMFT

Clinical reviewer

Find care with Rula

If you’ve taken this alexithymia quiz and realized it matches your experience, that insight alone is a powerful first step. The next step is getting support from a mental health professional. They can help you understand what’s causing your alexithymia and guide you toward feeling more emotionally connected.

At Rula, we’re committed to delivering a comprehensive behavioral health experience that helps people feel seen and understood so they can get back to feeling their best. 

Rula makes it easier to find a licensed therapist or psychiatric provider who accepts your insurance so you don’t have to choose between affordable care and excellent care. With a diverse network of more than 15,000 providers, 24/7 crisis support, and appointments available as soon as tomorrow, we're here to help you make progress — wherever you are on your mental health journey.