Disclaimer. While a lot of jargon will be used the writer will attempt to make it understandable.
The writer is guilty of oversimplification. The writer is incapable of exhausting the topic in a single article.
Pleasure is defined by the dictionary as a happy feeling of satisfaction and enjoyment. APA dictionary of psychology on the other hand defines pleasure as an emotion or sensation induced by the enjoyment or anticipation of what is felt or viewed as good or desirable.
We experience pleasure from engaging is particular activities unique to all of us. For some it is reading, watching a movie, playing video games, drawing, travelling, painting, knitting…. For all of us (at least in theory) sex is part of the activities that yield pleasure but as you shall notice, that’s not the major focus of this article.
Let us delve into complicated matters now. According to the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) 5, anhedonia is described as decreased ability to experience pleasure from positive stimuli or a degradation in the recollection of pleasure previously experienced. The dictionary puts it simply as the inability to feel pleasure in normally pleasurable activities.
Definitions haves been recorded word for word so as not to lose meaning.
Like many words, anhedonia is a Greek originating term which means ‘without pleasure’. There are two forms of anhedonia. Social anhedonia where people avoid social interactions due to reduced interest and pleasure from engaging socially, and Physical anhedonia where sensations such as eating, touching or sex no longer produce pleasure.
When experiencing anhedonia, not only will song writing not feel pleasurable or invoke happy feelings but also, the frequency of song writing will decrease. It ends up being a cycle in itself. Reduced pleasure hence reduced activity causing reduced pleasure resulting in reduced activity. See what I mean?
Anhedonia manifests itself through social withdrawal (including personal relationships), reduced libido, reduced motivation (some may mistakenly label it laziness), and reduced interest in activities that were once considered pleasurable (i.e. hobbies), negative feelings towards self and others…
While it is not a disorder in its own right, Anhedonia is a symptom of declining mental health and a symptom of mental health issues such as depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, anxiety, Substance Use Disorders, PTSD… It also indicates mental health disturbances resulting from increased stress or problems with the brain’s reward system: reduced dopamine levels.
Enjoyment may either be present in some activities, or never present or may fluctuate. In my own words, there are different shades of anhedonia. The key is in observing the pleasure you experience from activities you enjoy engaging in.
Ps; this is a reversible feeling.
Have you been experiencing pleasure lately? How often are you engaging in activities that bring you joy?
©Kness
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