Celiac And Alexithymia?

[McMoody]

My loved one has Celiac disease, and it has been left untreated for many years. I've been doing research on it and some research says that some celiacs may have symptoms of alexithymia, the state in which a person can't express, feel, or think about what they are feeling. Sometimes the way in which they express a feeling is through bodily function, such as a drastic decrease in body temperature if they are angry or sad. I am wondering if anyone has had a problem with this, and does a gluten free diet resolve it. I've read also that people with celiac who stick to a gluten free diet may become more sociable and active in their daily life. Since memory is linked with emotion and many people with Celiacs have memory problems it seems on fit that they may have emotional problems in some instances.

[mommida]

I am really replying to bump your post.

Celiac Disease can cause many vitamin and mineral defiencies. Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause nuerological disturbances/damage.

[T.H.]

Woah, I had not heard of alexithymia. How...interesting. I think I'm going to have to check this out. My daughter has HUGE issues with her emotions when she gets gluten. And yes, when she is off of gluten, she is much, much better.

For both she, my son, and myself, we are much more active, sociable, calm, happier - it's like we were sitting in the middle of depression and it just went away.

[Muffy]

That really is interesting.

My expereince is the same: gluten-free = calmer, more social, and happier, despite that I am pretty sure I still need more B12.

Woah, I had not heard of alexithymia. How...interesting. I think I'm going to have to check this out. My daughter has HUGE issues with her emotions when she gets gluten. And yes, when she is off of gluten, she is much, much better.

For both she, my son, and myself, we are much more active, sociable, calm, happier - it's like we were sitting in the middle of depression and it just went away.

[McMoody]

I don't know if it's lack of B 12 or something else, but apparently there have been studies on GI issues.

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Two instances of Crohn's that I know of one person feels like "death" when she consumes anything she's not supposed to, and the other started to become emotionally distant when symptoms appeared. I can only imagine how ongoing Celiac Sprue feels...

What I'm wondering is how long it takes to become more sociable, if ever? I'm sure memory problems don't help with sociability...I've heard that B12 deficiency can last for as long as a year for someone who just started their gluten free diet and is taking vitamins.

[revenant]

Oh wow... thankyou for posting this..

I seemed to show emotions when I thought they were appropriate but I never, ever felt, thought about, or expressed them... I never felt anything!! It's hard to believe. I believe that I like road trips so much because that's the only time I FELT. I got car-sick, and couldn't eat anything except fruit on long road trips. Those were the only times I would wake up and see beauty in life, and realize I was a person! A physical, emotional person!

I could not think "I am sad" or "I am happy". I could cry, but usually those tears were related to gluten-angst. Even then I wouldn't think "I am upset". I woulds smile but the only time I felt happiness was on those roadtrips. I didn't even know what I thought until I came out of my gluten stupor and could look back. I also had no opinions, like a robot. A doormat, I was often. It made me seem very generous because I never stopped anybody or fought back. I guess it helped me out some because I hear that I was made fun of a lot, but it never got through this wall of no emotions.

I'm so glad there is a name for this. It is a hard state to describe being in. I attribute it to my detached feeling throughout my childhood and early teenage years, I can't remember feeling. The experience of feeling things is still new and scary to me, and is truly a gift

I wonder if this is what Autism feels like, as well? I sure showed the most symptoms of being autistic during the worst of these states...

[eatmeat4good]

Revenant: You express yourself so well regarding the internal experience of gluten/Celiac and the sensations it caused you.

I had those feelings too.

I would go to therapy and say

"I think I've lost my soul."

I can't feel anything.

I would describe a deep sense of loss.

And hold my stomach.

They invariably commented on my solar plexus or something.

My god, it was Celiac.

Without gluten I don't feel any of these things.

Absence of occupation is not rest

A mind quite vacant

Is a mind distressed.

[McMoody]

Oh wow... thankyou for posting this..

I seemed to show emotions when I thought they were appropriate but I never, ever felt, thought about, or expressed them... I never felt anything!! It's hard to believe. I believe that I like road trips so much because that's the only time I FELT. I got car-sick, and couldn't eat anything except fruit on long road trips. Those were the only times I would wake up and see beauty in life, and realize I was a person! A physical, emotional person!

I could not think "I am sad" or "I am happy". I could cry, but usually those tears were related to gluten-angst. Even then I wouldn't think "I am upset". I woulds smile but the only time I felt happiness was on those roadtrips. I didn't even know what I thought until I came out of my gluten stupor and could look back. I also had no opinions, like a robot. A doormat, I was often. It made me seem very generous because I never stopped anybody or fought back. I guess it helped me out some because I hear that I was made fun of a lot, but it never got through this wall of no emotions.

I'm so glad there is a name for this. It is a hard state to describe being in. I attribute it to my detached feeling throughout my childhood and early teenage years, I can't remember feeling. The experience of feeling things is still new and scary to me, and is truly a gift

I wonder if this is what Autism feels like, as well? I sure showed the most symptoms of being autistic during the worst of these states...

When did you give up gluten? Have your symptoms improved? Are you able to understand your emotions better?