ABSTRACT
Alexithymia, which means not having a word for emotion, is implicated in medically unexplained symptoms. Patients typically have problems identifying and describing emotion, and think in an external way. They may have beliefs and rules which drive this. Once this has been identified, techniques such as emotional labelling, expressive writing, tracking emotions, facing situations, sitting with emotions can be used within the session and as homework. Negative affect, which means high anxiety and/or depression, is also associated with medically unexplained symptoms, and can be treated with normal CBT techniques. Another thing to consider is that the symptoms may be medically unexplained, but in some cases are really a symptom of a primary anxiety or depression condition.
