What Is Anhedonia? Symptoms, Causes, and How to Treat It
If you’ve found it difficult to find joy in all the things that once brought you this wonderful feeling, you could be experiencing the medical disorder anhedonia.
In this article, we’ll be exploring this condition in detail, from what causes it, to its symptoms, and steps you can take to treat it.
Let’s start with the basics, though: the anhedonia definition.
What Does Anhedonia Mean?
For someone experiencing anhedonia, it means the inability to experience joy or pleasure. If you’re experiencing this condition, you’ll likely feel numb or deeply uninterested in what you once found a lot of joy in, from movies to TV to music to video games—anything that you once found joy in will be sapped completely under the effects of anhedonia.
It often accompanies mental health conditions such as depression, but for those affected, fret not, because anhedonia treatment is available.
Anhedonia Definition in Clinical Terms
So, what is anhedonia, exactly, as least as it pertains to mental health? The de facto psychiatric handbook on all things relating to the mind, The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, defines the anhedonia meaning as the “lack of enjoyment from, engagement in, or energy for life’s experiences; deficits in the capacity to feel pleasure and take interest in things.”
Types of Anhedonia
Though they can overlap in a lot of cases, there are primarily two different types of anhedonia: social and physical. As their names imply, social anhedonia refers to not finding joy in socializing and being around other people, be they friends or relationships. When you don’t find joy in other people, you tend to cut yourself off from them, isolating yourself in the process.
Next to that, physical anhedonia signifies a lack of enjoyment from the physical senses; you know, stuff like sight, smell, touch, and taste. If the mere thought of food, music, hugs, kisses, and even sex brings you no joy, then physical anhedonia is probably to blame.
Anhedonia vs Depression
Although the two are intrinsically connected—and those who are amidst a depressive episode will typically also experience at least one, if not both types, of anhedonia—the two are distinct.
Severe depression can have a resounding effect on your quality of life as a whole, reducing your energy, affecting your appetite, messing with your sleep … the list goes on.
What Causes Anhedonia?
Anhedonia causes actually stem from a host of different sources; as we just touched on a moment ago, it is often seen alongside cases of depression, but it can also be triggered by extreme stress and trauma, as well as other mental health disorders, like anxiety, schizophrenia, PTSD, or eating disorders. Parkinson’s disease has also been known to cause it, too. Even extreme drug use has been known to cause anhedonia as well.
Anhedonia Root Causes
On the physical side, we have the brain. Scientists have found a link between the causes of anhedonia and the brain’s inner workings. In particular, those with this condition have been seen to have less activity in their ventral striatum, which may contribute to an imbalance of chemicals, reducing the amount of dopamine and serotonin (the neurotransmitters that make you feel good) you would otherwise receive from the things you enjoy. This research could eventually prove exceedingly useful in helping patients come back from anhedonia.
Anhedonia vs Apathy
Much like anhedonia vs depression, in regards to anhedonia vs apathy, the two are intrinsically connected—but are very much their own separate things.
Apathy is best defined as a feeling of indifference. Apathetic individuals have little interest, motivation, or enthusiasm for their surroundings, activities, and social interactions—and as we’ve established, anhedonia is the inability to experience joy.
Though similar, anhedonia and apathy are certainly not mutually exclusive. A person can certainly have difficulty finding interest in doing things—and find little joy when they do them. It’s also possible to have no enthusiasm, but to still experience joy once a person is “in the thick of it.”
Symptoms of Anhedonia
We know that it’s defined by the inability to feel joy, but what exactly are the symptoms of anhedonia? Keep in mind many of these symptoms will also overlap with depression since the two have so much in common.
· Numbness: Those with anhedonia typically feel numb, as though the volume knob on their emotions—especially enjoyment—has been turned all the way down.
· Isolation: Those who find no joy in activities or social interactions will typically not go out of their way to seek out those experiences, which leads them to isolate themselves from friends and family.
· Low energy and sleep issues: Anhendia will often show itself in fatigue—such as still feeling groggy all day even after a full night’s sleep. Similarly, you might also expect sleep issues, either the inability to fall or sleep, or staying asleep once you actually get there.
· Feeling down: Understandably, those who have a difficult time feeling joy will often instead feel a sense of sadness or despair. Similarly, you may also experience other negative emotions, such as shame, worthlessness, or guilt.
Treatment for Anhedonia
So, with all of these anhedonia symptoms in mind, let’s explore some steps to learn how to treat anhedonia. There are multiple paths you can take, and although some of them require the help of a professional, others you can explore on your own without any outside assistance.
How to Treat Anhedonia: Effective Strategies
Treatment for anhedonia falls into three distinct categories: lifestyle changes, prescription medications, and psychotherapy. Naturally, psychotherapy is the one that is most effective with the help of a professional, like the counselors at Serenity Space Therapy, but you can try some of these techniques yourself.
Lifestyle changes: Since serotonin and dopamine are two neurotransmitters closely linked to feelings of pleasure and joy, some simple changes, specifically exercise, can help alleviate anhedonia. If you don’t exercise, you’ll be surprised by how good it makes you feel, both in the short and long term. Exercise can be anything that gets you active, too, from walks to rock climbing.
Psychotherapy techniques: While the above can certainly help with mild cases of anhedonia, for more severe instances, talk therapy can prove exceedingly effective. That includes:
· Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT techniques prove effective for a host of different mental health concerns, including anhedonia. With the help of a therapist, individuals can leverage CBT to counter negative thought patterns while also learning practical strategies to help their natural well-being. It’s great for depression as well as anhedonia.
· Interpersonal therapy (IPT): This technique of talk therapy is a great way of helping sufferers of depression and anhedonia improve their relationships with others (hence the interpersonal). It’s a great way of revealing how emotions affect relationships and helps individuals feel more comfortable with relying on their close ones for support.
· Mindfulness: Although a therapist will certainly help facilitate mindfulness techniques, you can get most of the way there on your own. Mindfulness helps individuals focus on the current moment, which can help them set aside negative thoughts and instead focus on what may make them happy.
Prescription medication: In addition to talk therapy, a trained counselor will be able to also prescribe you a few different medications that will possibly help with anhedonia, including antidepressants, antipsychotics, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and ketamine. Speaking with your therapist will help you decide which—if any—medication is right for you.
In addition to medication, there are a couple of non-invasive procedures that might help, specifically transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). TMS leverages a magnetic coil to influence your brain's natural electrical activity, which proves really effective in cases of depression and anhedonia. ECT zaps the brain with a minuscule amount of electricity, inducing a minor seizure—though it sounds barbaric, ECT is actually a safe and effective way of handling more severe mental issues, like extreme depression and anhedonia.
How Long Does Anhedonia Last?
Depending on the underlying causes, anhedonia can last anywhere from a few hours to days, weeks, months, or even years (if left unresolved). The key to taking care of anhedonia quickly is to treat the underlying causes first and foremost, like depression or substance abuse. To treat anhedonia as quickly as possible, a trained professional is a necessity.
Conclusion
Anhedonia can literally sap the enjoyment out of many of the best aspects of life, so having it treated should come as a high priority. If you’re in Arizona or Florida and are struggling with anhedonia—or severe depression as an underlying cause—the talented staff of counselors at Serenity Space Therapy can help treat it with cutting-edge modalities and therapy techniques, many of which, like CBT, we discussed above.
Reach out today to start your healing journey.
FAQs
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While anhedonia can occur on its own, it’s often a symptom of a deeper condition. Most commonly, it’s depression, but anhedonia can also occur due to schizophrenia, substance abuse, PTSD, and even Parkinson’s disease.
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Three separate deficiencies can be linked to anhedonia:
· Vitamin D: A lack of this vitamin can be linked to an increase in depressive symptoms
· B vitamins: These vitamins help to fuel dopamine synthesis—the neurotransmitter key to feelings of pleasure
· Thyroid hormone: Hypothyroidism can also lead to feelings of depression
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B vitamins and vitamin D supplements, taken with the advice and help of a professional, can help to alleviate instances of anhedonia.
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Though anhedonia itself is not a neurological disorder, it can be considered a symptom of many disorders, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, as well as Parkinson’s disease.