Sometimes depression doesn’t begin with sadness.
Sometimes it begins when the things you used to look forward to simply stop feeling the same.
You still go out to dinner. You still see friends. You still exercise, listen to music, watch your favorite shows or do whatever you’ve always enjoyed. But something is different. You’re doing the same things without getting much pleasure from them.
This loss of interest or enjoyment is called anhedonia, and it can be an important symptom of depression.
People don’t always recognize it that way. They may assume they’re bored, tired, getting older or simply in a rut. Some become frustrated with themselves because they can’t understand why things that once made them happy no longer do.
One of the questions we often ask when evaluating depression is, “What do you still look forward to?”
The answer can tell us a lot.
Depression can affect our ability to experience pleasure and motivation. Things that once felt effortless may suddenly require energy we don’t seem to have. We may stop calling friends, lose interest in hobbies, exercise less or turn down invitations we once would have accepted.
And it doesn’t always happen overnight. Sometimes the change is so gradual that other people notice it before we do.
Of course, losing interest in something doesn’t automatically mean someone is depressed. Interests change. Life gets busy. Stress, grief, medical problems, medications and exhaustion can all affect how we feel.
But when the loss of enjoyment persists, especially when it occurs along with changes in sleep, energy, concentration, appetite, motivation or mood, it’s worth paying attention.
One of the difficult things about depression is that it can convince us that the way we feel today is simply the way life is going to feel from now on.
It isn’t.
Depression is treatable and the ability to enjoy life can return. Sometimes simply recognizing that something has changed is the first step toward feeling like yourself again.
Peter P. Zafirides, MD
Central Ohio Behavioral Medicine
