What is the difference between primary and secondary alexithymia?
The primary/secondary classification system was introduced early on by one of the original team of alexithymia researchers: Nemiah, Freyberger & Sifneos (1976) Finally, it is of interest that some patients with severe, life-threatening or debilitating bodily conditions may develop an alexithymic picture in the course of their illness. This is particularly the case with individuals in renal dialysis or intensive care units (Freyberger, in press) and has been termed by one of us (H.F.) ‘secondary alexithymia’. Possibly related to a protective denial of the significance and seriousness of the illness, it either disappears when the somatic illness ameliorates or may become chronic in those whose disease remains incapacitating. “Alexithymia: A View of the Psychosomatic Process”, p.434. For Freyberger, primary alexithymia is an enduring feature of a patient’s profile, like a personality trait, that changes little over time or with changing circumstances. Secondary alexithymia, on the other h
