Anhedonia
Anhedonia is the inability to feel pleasure.
It is one of the many symptoms of depression as well as other mental illnesses.
And can show up in heart disease, Parkinson's as well as diabetes. However, Anhedonia can stand alone and many times gets treated as though the person has depression. Anhedonia can look like Social Anhedonia: not wanting to get together with people, Physical Anhedonia: a hug no longer provides reassurance or pleasure. Even sex can loose its appeal.
Although it is closely linked to depression you do not have to be depressed to experience a loss in pleasure. Anhedonia is marked by this reduced capacity to sustain positive reward, so you may not find a good reason to go be with people or eat your favorite foods .
Relationships thrive on positive feedback and reward. Thus, all relationships will suffer.
It is not a clear issue. There may be times when some foods still bring pleasure and if you get out you might enjoy the experience. Yet, you might not enjoy it like you once did. As though it is muted or you find you just do not have the drive to do the once pleasurable thing.
Researchers have linked it to brain activity and the way dopamine, the “feel good” hormone is produced and processed in the pre-frontal cortex. Which somehow interferes with how we seek out reward and experience it.
How is it treated? Good question. SSRIs can affect the depressive part of the experience however, if you are not depressed it will have no affect on you. And can actually make it worse since these medications can blunt feelings. So, it is important to get into talk therapy. Good talk therapy. Someone who will piece through this complex situation and understand the difference. A therapist with experience in depth psychotherapy. This way you can customize your treatment to find what fits.
Anhedonia is tricky with no one clear method to treatment.
However, every day researchers are looking for more viable methods to treat this condition. There are options available. The first step is psychotherapy.