Have you ever felt like you didn’t want anything, with a lack of motivation or energy…? Have you had the feeling that you did not enjoy things as before? If this has happened to you, you may have manifested anhedonia, apathy or apathy.
Although they seem similar concepts, they present their nuances. We tell you what each of them consists of, how these types of symptoms manifest, their differences and how they can be addressed from psychotherapy.
Anhedonia, apathy and apathy: what are they?
Anhedonia
Anhedonia is defined as the inability to feel pleasure. Thus, it implies the loss of the capacity for enjoyment (usually temporarily), and it appears in disorders such as depression, dysthymia or schizophrenia, during the period after a psychotic break (as a negative symptom of the disorder).
When a person experiences anhedonia, the things that they used to enjoy, those that aroused their interest, no longer make them enjoy or generate interest. It is as if the person does not feel anything. To this symptom, the two that we will explain below are often added: apathy and apathy. Although they may seem similar concepts (and are often mistakenly used as synonyms), they are not exactly the same. And they present their nuances.
Apathy
Apathy, according to the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE), has two meanings or definitions: 1. Impassiveness of mind and 2. Sloppiness, indolence, lack of vigor or energy. When someone is apathetic, he feels like he doesn’t want to do anything; It is not so much that he does not enjoy what he used to enjoy, as in the case of anhedonia, but rather that he lacks the desire or energy to start something (he has no initiative).
It is also a typical symptom of depression and other disorders, although we do not have to have a mental disorder to experience this symptom. In fact, both apathy and anhedonia and apathy can appear at any time in our lives and in an “isolated” way (without a basic disorder that justifies said symptoms).
Abulia
Finally, apathy is defined as a state of passivity, disinterest and/or lack of will. It is similar to apathy. In this case, we are talking about a lack of will, which limits our daily functioning. When a person feels apathetic, it means that they are immersed in a persistent state (of greater or lesser severity) in which their ability to motivate themselves, be enthusiastic, or be excited about something practically disappears.
At this point, you may neglect your day-to-day routines, so the symptom may interfere with your functioning and well-being (just like the previous symptoms). In the same way, it is a typical symptom of depression.
How is anhedonia, apathy and apathy expressed and differentiated?
- We have seen, in broad strokes, how each of these symptoms or states is expressed. But let’s go into a little more detail, as this will allow us to better differentiate the three concepts.
- In the case of anhedonia, the person may experience: either “losing” the ability to feel pleasure (with things that did generate that pleasure before), or that this ability decreases. Thus, the stimuli, the activities, the projects, the people… everything that previously gave us pleasure and enjoyment, is no longer stimulating.
- In apathy, we stop having interest and motivation for things: there can also be an absence of that ability to (self) motivate ourselves, or a decrease in it. In this case, we can enjoy things once we have started them, but we have no motivation to start them. In this way, we feel that we lack energy, motivation, that internal engine, that “gasoline” that makes us want to go out, experiment, discover, learn…
- Finally, in apathy, it’s not that we can’t motivate ourselves (as in apathy) or that we don’t enjoy things (as in anhedonia); what happens to us is that we feel powerless when it comes to making our will act, making a decision or fulfilling an act desired and recognized by ourselves. We feel unable to do it (or with great difficulties to do it). In short: we lack the will, understanding this as “the power to decide and order one’s own conduct.”
How are the symptoms of anhedonia, apathy and apathy addressed in therapy?
When addressing these types of symptoms, it will be important to investigate their causes. For example, if there is a basic disorder, a therapy focused on this disorder should be carried out.
In the case of depression, the most validated therapies to date are: behavioral therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy, with techniques such as programming pleasant activities (very effective in combating these symptoms and activating the patient) or cognitive restructuring. to work the dysfunctional thoughts that maintain the symptoms.
Programming of pleasant activities
This type of intervention is aimed at combating the generalized apathy of the patient. It is ideal for patients with severe depression who need to activate so that they can start working through psychotherapy.
However, it is also useful for moderate to mild depression. It consists of the following: therapist and patient draw up a list of pleasant activities that the patient likes (although now he does not enjoy them). The idea is to combat this initial apathy, since it has been shown that the person’s activation leads to an improvement in depressed symptoms.
Exercise to work the symptoms of anhedonia, apathy or apathy
- If for whatever reasons, you cannot or do not want to start a psychotherapeutic process, but you want to combat anhedonia, apathy or apathy, we leave you this idea so that you can start working on it.
Make a list of the things that used to make you enjoy, even if they don’t give you pleasure now. For example: painting, drawing, playing sports, cooking, writing, dancing… Also write everyday actions that you can do, even if they are mere tasks, domestic or daily tasks. For example: go buy the plan, run errands, pick up your nephew at school…
- Start with few tasks during the day to start energizing. Write down the task or activity to be carried out and next to it, the desire you have to carry it out (on a scale from 1 to 10) and the symptom that predominates in you at that moment. After completing the task, do the same: write down how you felt afterwards. Go increasing the number of activities per day. You will see how, little by little, the symptoms begin to subside and you will recover the desire to do things.
- Even if it’s hard for you to start tasks, push yourself a little; These types of symptoms often improve when we activate ourselves, even though at first we don’t feel like anything. Of course, in cases of severe depression, or another underlying disorder, we always recommend seeking professional help.
- And you, have you ever experienced anhedonia, apathy and/or apathy? We believe it is important to begin to normalize and relativize these types of symptoms; Unless they manifest as part of the symptoms of another underlying disorder, we all go through duller times in our lives and that’s okay, it’s normal.
- Remember that it is important to welcome your emotions at all times, give them their space and allow yourself to feel. And, above all, understand their function, why they are there. But if the symptoms become chronic over time or interfere with your day to day, it may be time to seek help.