When you boil life down to its very essence, you’ll find what’s left is a series of human emotions. All of the experiences in our life come with emotion, whether it’s joy, sadness, anger, or anxiety. That’s why so many people choose to do everything they can to avoid situations that bring pain and only focus on those experiences that offer them pleasure.

How different life would be if we weren’t able to feel the pleasure that human experiences offer us. Some people, however, go through life not being able to feel pleasure. These people suffer from what’s called anhedonia.

What is Social Anhedonia?

Anhedonia is a term used to describe a condition where someone is unable to enjoy the good or pleasurable things in life. Physical anhedonia describes when someone cannot experience pleasure from physical sensations such as the taste of food or the loving caress of a partner.

Social anhedonia describes someone who cannot experience the joy of human companionship. 

Of the two disorders, social anhedonia is far more common. Though having said that, it’s important to point out that social anhedonia is not the same as introversion, shyness, or social anxiety. Instead, social anhedonia describes a condition where the person’s ability to feel pleasure and enjoyment from social interactions is diminished or totally missing.

Some of the most common symptoms of social anhedonia are:

• Social withdrawal
• Lack of relationships
• Reduced emotional responses
• Depression
• Poor social adjustment
• Decreased overall positivity
• Monotone or flat vocal expression

Causes and Treatment Options

At the root of anhedonia is often depression, though not everyone who experiences social anhedonia is depressed. Unfortunately, many prescription medications for depression can actually cause anhedonia. 

Other risk factors for developing anhedonia include:

• A family history of schizophrenia or depression
• A traumatic or stressful event
• A history of neglect or abuse
• A chronic illness that impacts your quality of life
• A major and sudden illness
• Disordered eating

If you believe you or a loved one may be suffering from social anhedonia, it’s important to make an appointment with your healthcare provider to determine if your symptoms are the result of some type of vitamin deficiency or a thyroid disorder. 

If everything checks out physically, then it’s important to begin working with a mental health therapist. They can develop a customized treatment plan that will focus on what is called “behavioral activation interventions.” I have found in my own practice that by prompting clients to take external actions and focus on savoring or noticing positive experiences, healing can occur, and it can become more commonplace to feel joy from social interactions. In addition, if you are suffering from depression and your social anhedonia is a result, that can be addressed through therapy as well.

If you or a loved one are not enjoying life to the fullest and would like to explore treatment options, please be in touch with me.

SOURCES:

https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/Indicators-of-Social-Anhedonia

https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/anhedonia#causes

https://www.psychologicalscience.org/publications/observer/obsonline/why-some-people-get-little-pleasure-from-social-interaction.html

When talking about depression, a lot of people forget that depression is an illness that requires proper attention and treatment. If you’re depressed, it can be incredibly frustrating to hear things like “Just get over it”, “You’re being really dramatic”, “You have to be strong”, “Learn to deal with it”, “Happiness is a choice”. You might start to think of things like ‘Why can’t I just get over it’? We can stop ourselves from doing destructive things like putting our hand in a fire, but when it comes to depression, it’s a bit difficult to just ‘stop’. There are a number of reasons why ‘get over it’ statements like this don’t help. Here are some of the best reasons why.

1. It’s an illness– Depression is an illness, an illness that you have little control over, just like any other illness. Nobody tells people with broken bones to get over their pain. So why should depressed people be forced to ‘get over’ theirs? Always remember that your pain is valid, and as long as you’re getting help by speaking to a mental health professional, you’re on the path to healing.
2. The brain is in control– Studies have shown that people experiencing depression have symptoms controlled by an unconscious emotional process that is usually beyond their control. Remember that depression is an incredibly complex disease caused by a combination of biological, psychological and sociological factors.
3. The symptoms can be debilitating– Depressed people exhibit both physical and emotional symptoms. These symptoms include things like nausea, headaches, restlessness, fatigue and insomnia.
4. You can’t wish it away– Nobody likes being depressed. Just because you want to feel better doesn’t mean you can wave a wand and get rid of it. You can desire to feel better, but until you work with a therapist, there is no magical route to getting better.
5. You can’t always pretend– People always act like depressed people should plaster a huge smile on their face and pretend like everything is perfect. You can’t just shove your emotions down and pretend like they don’t exist. The mind keeps replaying them. This is its way of reminding you that you have an ongoing issue that needs to be handled by a professional.
6. Depression isn’t ‘one size fits all’– People experience depression in different ways and exhibit different symptoms. Just because they can go about their daily activities efficiently doesn’t mean they’re not ill. Don’t compare yourself to other people. Depression changes everything and there’s no universal treatment. A therapist can help you find a treatment perfectly suited to you.

Depression is real and painful. Just because you can’t see or touch it doesn’t make it any less real. If you suffer from depression or know someone who does, working with a therapist is a good start to overcoming your depression. I am available to help. Contact me to book a therapy session.