Alexithymia and solace

Thirteen alexithymic patients and 13 panic disorder patients were compared with matched controls regarding their use of self-solacing strategies. Whereas the panic disorder group used significantly more (p less than 0.001) solacing objects, activities and sounds than normals, the alexithymic subjects used significantly fewer self-solacing strategies (p less than 0.001). In view of the developmental, clinical and subjective importance of the ability to solace oneself, the hypothesis that alexithymia may, in some cases, represent a basic feeling deficit is supported.