Awakening the Mind: Overcoming Anhedonia and Welcoming Life Beyond Depression

Do you find it difficult to engage in activities that were once enjoyable? Are you struggling with finding pleasure in experiences in life and with others? If so, you may be struggling with anhedonia. It can be draining experiencing these feelings, but there is support available to you and you are not alone. In this blog, we will discuss anhedonia's connection to depression, and ways to cope with both.

What is Anhedonia?

Anhedonia is the inability to feel pleasure or joy, and the lack of interest from experiences. You may not want to spend time with other people and do activities that you once found enjoyable. While it is normal for a person’s interests to change over time, there is an important distinction between this and those with anhedonia. With anhedonia, you have a lot less pleasure doing things that you like to do. Experiencing anhedonia may feel like there is a constant emptiness in your life, that can come in the form of boredom, numbness, and negativity. 

Although this is a general sense of what anhedonia is, there are two types – social anhedonia, and physical anhedonia. Social anhedonia can occur if you avoid spending time with others, even if you were once close with them. Physical anhedonia can occur if you do not enjoy physical touch or displays of affection, such as hugs or holding hands.

The Relationship Between Anhedonia and Depression

Anhedonia is a very common symptom of depression. It can significantly impair someone’s functioning in their day life and their overall quality of life. When you think of depression, people often think about the lack of motivation, not being able to feel pleasure, and withdrawing from interests and others. These are all core features of anhedonia, which often affects many individuals with depression.

Anhedonia in depression can affect many different areas of your life, including hobbies, work, social activities, and relationships.

An example of how anhedonia can manifest in individuals with depression is you may once have been passionate about your career and enjoyed tackling complex and challenging problems. Suddenly, your motivation plummets and these tasks now seem overwhelming and impossible to complete. You may also struggle to focus and find no passion or achievement in your work anymore, leading to a decline in your performance. 

Although, it is important to distinct that anhedonia is also present in other disorders, and is a risk factor for suicidal behaviours. 

How Therapy Can Help

If you are currently struggling with depression and the features of anhedonia, there is help available to you. Therapy has been shown to be effective in treating depression and coping with anhedonia, specifically Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
CBT is a proven effective treatment for depression, since it can help people identify their negative thought patterns that contribute to their depressive state. Learning what these destructive thoughts are and how to alter their behaviours to engage in activities that promote positive emotions, can help cope with the symptoms of anhedonia. 

In general, therapy can help you learn coping mechanisms and strategies on how to manage depression and anhedonia. Your therapist will be there with you every step of the way to guide you through this journey that can help you awaken your mind and welcome life outside of depression. 

If you are struggling, please reach out and book your free first 15-minute consultation by clicking the “Book Now” button. We have a team of psychotherapists that are trained to help you cope with depression and anhedonia.