What is anhedonia?

Anhedonia is a person's inability to feel pleasure. Most people know what pleasure is, so they expect some specific things that happen in their lives to bring them a sense of happiness. Perhaps it's cycling, skiing, or rollerblading, listening to your favorite music, or other joyful events. But some people lose their sense of joy. The things that used to bring them joy no longer bring them pleasure. This condition is called anhedonia.

Experts distinguish two main types of this mental disorder:

1. Social anhedonia, when a person does not want to meet and spend time with relatives, friends and other people.
2. Physical anhedonia, when a person is uncomfortable with physical contact. The simplest hugs do not bring pleasure but leave them indifferent, their favorite food seems tasteless, and even sex is no longer enjoyable.

With anhedonia, relationships with loved ones turn into a struggle. When there is no sense of satisfaction, it is difficult to force yourself to spend time with other people. In this case, a person refuses invitations to birthdays, parties, corporate events, and other celebrations because he or she does not believe that they will bring him or her any benefit in life.

It can also indicate social anxiety, when a person feels that he or she cannot fit in, especially if he or she is surrounded by people he or she does not know.

Normal relationships are meaningful if there is positive feedback, because otherwise they will simply begin to fade and stop. For example, can you imagine not being able to tell your partner that you love them or that you really enjoy spending time with them? With anhedonia, you can't express your feelings because you don't have them. Also, loss of libido can negatively affect romantic relationships with your partner.

According to some scientists, anhedonia is not always presented in black and white. A person may not feel joy at all, or positive emotions may be dulled. In other words, you may still like eating chocolate cake or listening to music, but you just don't like these things as much as you used to, and you don't know the reasons for this.

Causes of anhedonia

Let's take a look at what anhedonia means and how it manifests itself in a person's life. This disorder is closely related to depression, but it is not necessary to feel depressed and sad to suffer from this disease. This condition also affects patients with other mental health problems, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Various symptoms of anhedonia can occur in people suffering from diseases such as Parkinson's disease, diabetes, coronary heart disease, and if they abuse psychotropic drugs.

According to experts, this type of disorder may be associated with changes in the brain. The problem may lie in the brain's production of or response to dopamine, the hormone of “joy.” This is a chemical that is responsible for the presence of a good mood. Previous studies in rats have shown that dopamine neurons in a part of the brain called the prefrontal cortex can fire at an overactive rate in people with anhedonia. This activity can interfere with the pathways that control how rewards are sought and realized.

This condition can also be exacerbated by morning anxiety, making it even more challenging to manage throughout the day.

How to treat anhedonia

This type of disorder is difficult to treat because scientists have not yet found specific methods to combat it. First, you need to find the cause of anhedonia, choose the best treatment methods, and hope that they will help you cope with the disease.

People who take antidepressants for depression, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, may notice that the symptoms of anhedonia disappear along with other signs of depression. But this is not always the case. Sometimes SSRIs can dull emotions and worsen problems with feelings of pleasure.

Many scientists are searching for new therapies that will make treatment of anhedonia as successful and effective as possible if SSRIs and psychotherapy fail.At the same time, a number of different studies need to be conducted to confirm its effectiveness. One study found that patients with bipolar disorder who also suffered from anhedonia began to feel much better within 40 minutes of intravenous ketamine administration.

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