Алекситимия и високорискови професии: психологична грижа и консултативни практики
Alexithymia and high-risk professions – psychological care and counseling practices

Summary/Abstract: A theoretical overview of alexithymia is proposed, discussing construct`s connections with mental and somatic health, as well as with non-clinical phenomena emphasizing high-risk behaviors as a form of emotional self-regulation and a way to satisfy intrapsychic needs. The influence of alexithymia on choosing high-risk professions is discussed as a yet unexplored theoretical point. The focus is on military and police special forces, emphasizing „Difficulty describing feelings“ (considering these structures’ communicative culture) and „Externally oriented thinking“ (as conductive to following a concrete, clear, pragmatic framework). It is discussed whether increased alexithymia is a necessary personal predisposition for choosing and staying in these professions. If so, how increased should alexithymia be to favor the effective functioning within these structures without becoming a health risk. Effective psychological approaches for high alexithymia are discussed, while analyzing the reasons why there is no counseling framework specifically aimed at dealing with it. Existing psychological programs for government special forces high-risk professionals are also discussed. Currently, there is no psychological care program integrating the needs of both groups. This paper formulates guidelines for developing such a counseling strategy.

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