The Enduring Numbness: What You Need to Know About Anhedonia
Why does everything feel so hard? Do you struggle not just with motivation but with feeling joy or pleasure? Activities and social interactions may feel “meh” at best. Anhedonia is one of the hallmark signs of depression and when it shows up, it can be increasingly frustrating.
Being Curiously Unmoved
It is different from sadness or simple low mood. Anhedonia strips away normal human drive and the ability to look forward to the future. Sometimes you wish you could actually cry. With anhedonia, it may seem like you feel empty or bored. Food tastes bland, things feel off, and nothing excites you. This can lead to more pervasive depression.
Anhedonia is tied to the brain’s reward center and your ability to process dopamine. It affects not only the experience of pleasure but also the anticipation of joy as well. So, the perceived reward shrinks while the cost expands. An example of this would be considering the cost of a movie, the time to get ready, and the hassle of actually getting yourself there. You forget the joy of being surrounded by close friends and the anticipation of watching a good film so you decide to stay home.
A Life Without Pleasure
Anhedonia is characterized more from noticing the thing you don’t feel rather than what you do. Imagine taking a walk with your favorite person or animal along a beautiful path, only to feel nothingness. You know there was a time that you enjoyed the surrounding beauty of the lake, noticed the way the trees swayed in the wind, and felt comfort at hearing the birds sing. However, now, it feels impossible to connect with that old experience.
Combatting Anhedonia
Despite the lack of motivation you feel, sometimes it is best to engage in activities or social interactions you used to enjoy. We often wait for motivation or inspiration to strike. With anhedonia, you can pretty confidently know this isn’t coming. A useful skill taught through Dialectical Behavior Therapy is Opposite Action. This is quite simply exactly what it sounds like: you do the opposite of what you would like to do. You get out of bed in the morning even though you would like to lay under the blankets all day.
A core tenant of dialectics is that two things can be true at once. For example, you don’t feel like taking a walk but you know that research shows that it helps not only activate your brain but also your body. You can despise getting up and out for a walk but still do it. The walk increases serotonin and dopamine which your brain is lacking with depression. You often feel more energized after a walk than sitting on the couch.
Breaking the Cycle
Chronic stress is shown to increase anhedonia. It down regulates the surge of dopamine needed to act or get things done. Things feel overwhelming and not worth the effort, keeping you in a state of indecision, which can lead to rumination. Attempts to reduce your overall stress level can help. However, we know this is easier said than done.
Sleep and exercise both help your body and brain destress more effectively. Exercise also reduces inflammation in the body, which is tied directly to anhedonia.
Lastly, stock up on joyful experiences and try to keep a healthy balance in your diet.
There is Hope
Anhedonia can be debilitating and disheartening. It is important to know that this is not a sign of laziness, a character flaw, or any sort of permanent problem. Sometimes we all need a place to process our lack of interest, joy, and pleasure in life. Understanding what is contributing to your anhedonia is often the first step toward reconnecting with your own personal meaning. If you are struggling, depression therapy with Rebecca A. Berg, MFT in Brea can provide the space to enable lasting relief.