Depression or Anhedonia?
Max is in his 30s and he came in to tell me that nothing sparked joy in his life. He was once very passionate about boxing, and now he simply has no more interest in it. Connecting with friends drains his energy and he prefers to stay home instead. Not even his favourite food comforted him nor a beautiful piece of music brought excitement in his eyes. This emotional numbness might be anhedonia, a core symptom of depression and other mental health conditions.
While common in depression, schizophrenia, PTSD, and Parkinson’s disease, anhedonia can occur without full-blown depression. My clients often describe it as “living in grayscale” or some call it ‘meh life’ or mediocre life -– it is neither good nor bad, neither positive nor negative. Nothing satisfies!
Anhedonia is the inability to feel pleasure and it is more than just temporary sadness. It is linked to issues in the brain’s reward system (involving dopamine). It appears in two forms: social anhedonia (loss of interest in social connections) and physical anhedonia (loss of sensory enjoyment).
However, understanding it is the first step to reclaiming joy.
Anhedonia vs. Depression: What’s the Difference?
While anhedonia is a hallmark of depression, not everyone with anhedonia is depressed.
Key Differences:
| Depression | Persistent sadness, fatigue, guilt, plus anhedonia |
| Anhedonia Alone | Loss of pleasure without necessarily feeling sad |
What Causes Anhedonia? The Science Behind Emotional Numbness
Research suggests that anhedonia stems from disruptions in the brain’s reward circuitry, particularly in the:
- Prefrontal cortex (decision-making and motivation)
- Striatum (pleasure and reinforcement)
- Dopamine pathways (the brain’s “feel-good” chemical)
When these areas malfunction, the brain struggles to register enjoyment, even from things that once made you happy.
What some of my clients did to overcome anhedonia
1. Mindfulness & Sensory Grounding
Anhedonia often disconnects you from the present. Reconnecting with your senses can help:
- Box breathing: Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds & pause for 4 seconds (1 set). Repeat a total of 8 sets, doing it slowly.
- Mindful eating & drinking. For instance, when you eat dark chocolates or drink coffee/tea, focus on the flavours, textures, smell, and taste.
- Take a walk and observe colours, patterns, movements, and sounds in your surroundings.
2. Lifestyle changes
- Regular exercise can help release both dopamine and endorphins. These neurotransmitters play a role in regulating your moods and can contribute to your sense of well-being. Some of my clients who hated exercising made some leeway by doing 5-10 mins of stretching exercises.
- Adequate sleep and a balanced diet can contribute to your mental and physical health. Eating fatty fish like salmon, including leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds, dark chocolates, yogurt, berries, eggs, or red meat can boost mood-regulating chemicals.
3. Medication & Therapy Options
If anhedonia lasts longer than 2 weeks and interferes with daily life, I normally refer my clients to consult a mental health professional. It could signal an underlying condition needing treatment.
Max was initially resistant to taking medications, but when he saw that normalcy of life is slowly restored, he was happy to be able to socialise and manage his life better together with therapy like Cognitive Behaviour therapy (CBT).
I also have clients who managed anhedonia without any medications but with coping mechanisms and techniques. Everyone is different and there is no one solution that fits all.
Final Thought: Joy Restored!
Anhedonia robs you of the joy and normalcy that you can have in your life. But just as the brain learned to shut off pleasure, it can relearn how to embrace life. Your brain is neuro-plastic. Start with baby steps, be patient with yourself, and the brain can relearn to feel alive again.
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