An empirical research of the alexithymia’s level and coping behavior of patients with autoimmune thyroiditis and type 1 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Within the framework of this topic, coping behavior and emotional responses of patients with chronic autoimmune diseases were studied. The relevance of this topic is beyond doubt, since in recent decades an obvious increase in the number of diseases of this kind can be observed, hence it is especially important to study the psychological factors that affect the appearance and development of their symptoms. The aim of the study is to compare and study the features of the manifestation of emotions and the choice of coping strategies in patients with autoimmune diseases such as autoimmune thyroiditis and type 1 diabetes mellitus. The study involved 62 respondents, whose average age is 40 years. The work used four methods aimed at studying the level of alexithymia, prevailing emotional reactions, coping behavior choices and dissatisfaction rates inherent in patients with the diagnoses considered. As a result of the study, it turned out that in the group with autoimmune thyroiditis, patients have difficulties in tracking and expressing their emotions in a constructive way, since the suppression of negative in favor of positive leads in this case to a gradual accumulation of dissatisfaction with oneself, which with age begins to strongly influence the patient's adaptability. In turn, in the group with type 1 diabetes mellitus, patients also find it difficult to track and constructively express their emotions, both positive and negative, often tend to anxiety-depressive experiences, which affects the adaptability of their emotional and cognitive coping strategies.