Anhedonia is the reduced or absent ability to feel pleasure in activities that previously generated it. It goes beyond 'not feeling like it': the brain's reward system — especially the dopaminergic circuits of the nucleus accumbens — responds with less intensity. It is one of the core symptoms of depression and a predictor of treatment response.
Concept origin
Ribot (1896) coined the term. Contemporary neuroscience distinguishes anticipatory anhedonia (inability to imagine that something will be pleasurable) from consummatory anhedonia (not feeling pleasure during the activity), the former being more pronounced in depression and more treatment-resistant.
How it manifests
- ▸ Previously enjoyed activities feel flat or meaningless
- ▸ Difficulty anticipating that something will be enjoyable
- ▸ Reduced social, sexual, or achievement desire
Therapeutic approach
Behavioral activation directly addresses anhedonia through the principle of "act first, feel later": gradual exposure to valued activities progressively restores the hedonic response. Mood and activity monitoring helps detect which activities still generate minimal positive response.
Related concepts
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