Depression is a complex (and all too common) mental health issue. Depression isn’t just about feeling sad—it has a wide range of emotional, mental, and physical symptoms, with anhedonia being a key indicator of its severity. But how exactly are the two linked?
What is anhedonia?
Anhedonia is the inability to feel joy doing things you once loved to do. The term originates from the Greek words “an” (without) and “hedone” (pleasure). People with anhedonia often describe feeling emotionally numb and empty, as if they’re just going through the motions of life without any sense of gratification.
Anhedonia can be divided into two types:
- Physical anhedonia: This type involves a reduced ability to experience physical pleasure, such as enjoying a delicious meal, feeling the warmth of the sun on your skin, or feeling pleasure during sex.
- Social anhedonia: This type involves having difficulties in feeling pleasure during social interactions and relationships. People with social anhedonia typically feel disconnected from others, struggle to form meaningful connections and lose interest in seeing loved ones.
Anhedonia is a symptom of several mental illnesses, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolar disorder, anxiety, schizophrenia, and depression.
What is anhedonia’s link with depression?
One of depression’s hallmark symptoms is anhedonia. It’s part of the diagnostic process for anyone with major depressive disorder and other forms of depression. Here are several signs of anhedonia in depression:
Loss of interest in daily life
One of the earliest signs of depression is the loss of interest in activities that you once found enjoyable. Anhedonia intensifies this, making it difficult for people to feel pleasure in hobbies, relationships, or even simple everyday joys such as fulfilling work, eating, reading, or watching television.
Emotional flatness
Anhedonia often comes with a general sense of numbness. People with anhedonia in depression may struggle to feel positive emotions like joy or excitement.
Social isolation
Social anhedonia can lead to withdrawal from others. This further contributes to depression’s vicious cycle. As people with depression retreat from social interactions due to their inability to find pleasure with others, their relationships suffer. This affects the crucial support system that helps people recover from a depressive episode.
Increased risk of relapse
Anhedonia is not only a symptom of depression. It’s also a risk factor for the depression reoccurring after healing. Studies show that many people with major depressive disorder continue to have episodes throughout their lives. Those who experience anhedonia are also more likely to have longer and more severe depressive episodes.
How can you treat anhedonia?
Set small goals
Don’t feel discouraged by the weight of your anhedonia. Start with achievable goals—for example, cooking your favorite meal each week or going for a walk in the park. While it might be hard to find pleasure in these activities at first, setting small targets can help you gradually regain a sense of accomplishment.
Actively socialize
Even if socializing isn’t enjoyable right now, making an effort to keep up connections with loved ones is important. Try out activities that don’t require excessive energy, such as a quiet coffee date with a friend.
Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness will help you become more aware of your thoughts and emotions without judgment. Mindfulness meditation will reconnect you with the present moment and more fully experience sensations.
Are you struggling to find joy?
If you’re suffering from anhedonia due to depression, trauma, or another mental health issue, therapy can help. A therapist who specializes in depression treatment through approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) can help you manage anhedonia. They’ll give you the tools to cope with your symptoms and reframe negative thought patterns. If your treatment plan requires medication, a psychiatrist can prescribe antidepressants to further alleviate your symptoms.
To learn more about how therapy can treat your anhedonia, please reach out to us.