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    Anhedonia Symptoms, Treatment, And More

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    MENTAL WELL-BEING Life Youth in Focus Mind & B

    What Is Anhedonia?
    Medically reviewed by Karin Gepp, PsyD — By
    Jennifer Purdie — Updated on May 10, 2023

    Examples Causes Risk factors Diagnosis


    Treatments Outlook

    Anhedonia describes a reduced


    interest in activities an individual used
    to enjoy. It’s a core symptom of major
    depressive disorder, but it can also be
    a symptom of other mental health
    disorders.

    While researchers are still debating whether


    anhedonia can truly be categorized into two main
    types, some literature suggests that this mental
    health issue can be divided into social anhedonia
    and physical anhedonia.

    Social anhedonia is often defined as an increased


    disinterest in all aspects of interpersonal
    relationships and a lack of pleasure in social
    situations. Physical anhedonia is an inability to
    feel tactile pleasures such as eating, touching, or
    sex.

    The symptoms of anhedonia can include:

    social withdrawal

    diminished pleasure derived from daily


    activities

    a lack of relationships or withdrawal from


    previous relationships

    less of an interest in previous hobbies

    a loss of libido or a lack of interest in


    physical intimacy
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    Examples of anhedonia
    Some examples of what it feels like to experience
    anhedonia:

    You used to love playing in a soccer league


    in the evenings but now no longer have the
    desire to play the game or interact with
    anyone from your team.

    Cooking used to be a favorite hobby of


    yours, but now you aren’t interested in it
    anymore and sometimes have to remind
    yourself to eat.

    You’re no longer excited to go out with


    friends.

    You feel indifferent or withdrawn from your


    partner, and have a severely lowered libido.

    An activity that used to fill you with


    happiness, such as going to see live music,
    no longer provides positive feelings.

    While anhedonia can be a sign of a serious mental


    health condition, it’s important to resist self-
    diagnosis. If you believe you may be dealing with
    anhedonia, talk with your doctor or a mental
    health professional as soon as you can.

    What are the causes of


    anhedonia?
    Anhedonia is a core symptom of depression and
    schizophrenia but has also been identified  in
    individuals dealing with chronic pain and
    Parkinson’s disease.

    Additionally, it can be caused by substance


    misuse (like habitually using illegal drugs).

    One important note of differentiation: Anhedonia


    is not the same as social anxiety, which is
    categorized as withdrawal from social situations
    due to a fear of how those situations might go. If
    an individual is dealing with anhedonia, they avoid
    social situations because there seems to be no
    reward or point to participating.
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    What are the risk factors for


    anhedonia?
    If you have been diagnosed with depression or
    schizophrenia, there is an increased risk of
    developing anhedonia. Other risk factors include:

    living with PTSD  from a traumatic event or


    events

    a chronic illness that impacts your quality of


    life

    an eating disorder 

    Not everyone who experiences anhedonia has a


    diagnosed mental health issue.

    How is anhedonia diagnosed?


    Your doctor will ask you questions about your
    symptoms and your general mood. They may also
    ask if you have a history of using substances such
    as illegal drugs.

    Your doctor may perform a physical exam to


    determine if you have any physical problems.

    Additionally, your doctor may order a blood draw


    to test for a vitamin deficiency (like vitamin D)  or
    a thyroid problem, which could be contributing to
    symptoms of depression.

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    How is anhedonia treated?


    Anhedonia can be challenging to treat. In many
    cases, treatment starts with tools to help you
    manage the mental health issue that’s likely
    causing the symptom, such as depression.

    The first step in your treatment should be seeking


    the help of a medical professional. A primary care
    professional should be your first choice to rule out
    a medical cause of your symptoms. If they don’t
    find any medical issues, they may recommend you
    see a psychiatrist, psychologist, or other mental
    health professional.

    A primary care professional can refer you to a


    therapist, or you can ask your insurance company
    to help you find someone.

    Medications and therapy

    Your treatment may include talk therapy, along


    with prescription medications such as
    antidepressants. In some cases, other classes of
    medications may be recommended, your doctor
    will help you create a treatment plan that is right
    for you.

    You should take the medication as prescribed and


    let your doctor know if you have any side effects.
    They may need to adjust your dosage or
    medication.

    These medications affect people in different ways.


    A medication that works for you may not work for
    someone else with the same symptoms.

    ECT therapy

    Another type of treatment that may be used in


    some cases is electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).
    ECT is one of the most effective treatments for
    severe depression that has not been relieved by
    therapy or medication. Some experts  feel that it
    should be used sooner rather than later —
    especially with people who have uncomplicated
    depression.

    During this treatment, a doctor places electrodes


    on the head and applies an electric current while
    the person undergoing the procedure is under
    general anesthesia. This induces a small brain
    seizure.

    TMS

    Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) uses a


    magnetic field to stimulate nerve cells. It uses a
    smaller electric current than ECT and does not
    require general anesthesia. TMS can treat major
    depression  in people who have depression that
    is not responding to medication.

    VNS

    A third treatment option is vagus nerve stimulation


    (VNS). Your doctor will implant a medical device
    similar to a pacemaker in your chest. The wires of
    this device create regular electrical impulses that
    stimulate your brain. As with ECT and TMS, VNS
    can treat depression in people who have
    depression that hasn’t responded to other
    treatments.

    Online therapy options

    Read our review of the top online therapy


    options to find the right fit for you.

    Was this helpful? s r

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    What is the outlook?


    An inability to experience pleasure and/or a
    reduced interest in things that used to make you
    happy can impact your quality of life. You don’t
    have to live with these feelings, and help is
    available.

    If you’ve noticed a waning interest in things that


    once brought you joy, contact a doctor or a
    mental health professional.

    The good news is, once you start treatment, you


    should be able to start feeling pleasure and
    happiness again. Typically, anhedonia dissipates
    once the underlying condition is managed.

    Last medically reviewed on October 29, 2021

    How we reviewed this article:


    SOURCES HISTORY

    Our experts continually monitor the health and


    wellness space, and we update our articles when
    new information becomes available.
    Current Version

    May 10, 2023

    Written By
    Jennifer Purdie

    Edited By
    Jessica DiGiacinto

    Copy Edited By
    Delores Smith-Johnson

    Oct 29, 2021

    Medically Reviewed By
    Karin Gepp, PsyD

    VIEW ALL HISTORY 

    Share this article

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