This symptom is known as anhedonia and is present in up to 75% of adults and young people with depression.
It is often thought that a depressed person feels sad or depressed most of the time. But what many people don’t realize is that these aren’t the only symptoms of depression.
Another common symptom that is sometimes overlooked is a feeling that the things you used to enjoy are no longer interesting or enjoyable.
This symptom is known as anhedonia and is present in up to 75% of adults and young with depression. But even though it’s a common symptom, anhedonia is still difficult to treat and manage.
loss of pleasure
Anhedonia is defined as the reduction of interest or pleasure in all or nearly all activities previously enjoyed by a person.
A person who has anhedonia for a long time (constantly for at least two weeks) may be diagnosed with depression even if they do not feel sad or depressed.
And while it’s mostly associated with depression, anhedonia can also be a symptom of other disorders, such as schizophrenia, anxiety, and Parkinson’s disease.
My colleagues and I conducted in-depth interviews with young people about depression. Many of them described anhedonia as not only a loss of joy, but also less motivation to get things done.
For some, this lack of motivation was only related to specific actions, such as going to school or meeting friends. But for others it was something more serious. They felt like they didn’t want to do anything at all, not even live.
But as disturbing as anhedonia can be, it’s often not the primary focus of depression treatment.
It is recommended that mild cases of depression be treated with psychotherapy. And for people with moderate to severe cases, antidepressants may be prescribed.
All of these treatments aim to help patients cope with their symptoms and overcome them, yet more than half of people with depression do not respond to the first recommended treatment. And, even after switching treatments, about 30% of patients still experience their symptoms.
It is argued that one reason for these low reaction rates may be that current treatment techniques do not adequately address anhedonia.
Research also shows that suffering from anhedonia is a harbinger of chronic relapse of depression. And it’s also possible that some antidepressant treatments could make anhedonia worse.
Why does this happen? One possibility is that current standard treatments focus primarily on treating depressive mood and the brain processes underlying despondency, but not anhedonia.
The main goal of psychotherapy – like cognitive behavioral therapy, for example – is to reduce patients’ negative thoughts. Even the most common antidepressant drugs primarily affect serotonin, which is believed to be one of the factors responsible for how the brain processes negative information.
But since anhedonia is the loss of joy in life, treatments such as behavioral activation (a form of psychotherapy) may work better for anhedonia. This is because behavioral activation aims to help people with depression take simple, practical steps to enjoy life again.
However, other studies have concluded that behavioral activation is no better than standard treatments to combat anhedonia. This can occur, as the very nature of anhedonia leads to a lack of motivation, making it difficult for patients to pursue any therapy, even those that may offer the greatest benefits.
Anhedonia has also been linked to disturbances in the brain’s reward mechanisms. Thus, treatments dedicated to improving the way brain processes deliver rewards may help reduce anhedonia more effectively than current treatments.
But the brain’s reward mechanisms are far from simple. In fact, they involve several sub-processes, which include reward anticipation, motivation, pleasure, and learning.
And the existence of difficulties in any of these subprocesses may collaborate with the development of anhedonia. Therefore, it is important to search how these subprocesses work in people with anhedonia, to develop better treatments.
treatment options
Anhedonia can be complex, but that doesn’t mean there is no hope for those affected.
Research shows, for example, that psychotherapy directed at reward processing can help reduce anhedonia.
a recent pilot study also concluded that a new type of psychotherapy, called augmented depression therapy, may work better than cognitive behavioral therapy in treating depression. One reason is that therapy for acute depression specifically targets anhedonia, making patients focus on both their negative and positive experiences.
Additionally, antidepressants that target neurotransmitters involved in reward mechanisms (such as dopamine) may be more suitable for patients with anhedonia. Early studies have looked at drugs such as ketamine, which can affect dopamine activity, and indicate it may hold promise for treating anhedonia.
While it can be difficult to find motivation in the case of anhedonia, trying to make time for fun and enjoyable experiences or activities, such as a previously loved hobby — or even a new hobby — can help reduce it.
If you think you may be suffering from anhedonia or have other symptoms of depression, it’s important not to ignore your feelings so you can get the help and treatment you deserve. And if you don’t know where to start, you can try describing how you feel to a loved one or your GP.
If you need to speak to someone in the UK, you can also contact Samaritans (phone 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org). In Brazil, you can search for the CVV (telephone 188, website https://www.cvv.org.br/). Both are anonymous and free.
* Ciara McCabe is Professor of Neuroscience, Psychopharmacology and Mental Health at the University of Reading, UK.
This article was originally published on the academic news site The conversation and republished under a Creative Commons license. Read the original English version here.
Where to find help?
– Psychosocial Assistance Centers (CAPS) and Basic Health Units (UBS) – family clinics, principals and health centres;
– First Aid (UPA 24h);
– Mobile First Aid Service (SAMU 192);
– Hospitals;
– First aid.
Emotional Support and Suicide Prevention:
– Centro de Valorização da Vida (CVV) — operates 24 hours a day by calling 188 (toll free from any landline or mobile) and also provides assistance via email, chat and in person (check on the site https: //www.cvv .org.br/).
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
