A life of meh

So, what is anhedonia?

Although you may think it’s a beautiful word, anhedonia derives from a Greek word which means ‘without pleasure’, and can be explained as losing the ability to enjoy things which we normally would.

According to Dr Bateup, this can apply to both social situations and physical sensations.

“Social anhedonia might mean that, instead of looking forward to a friend’s birthday gathering, you feel numb at the prospect. Physical anhedonia might leave you unable to enjoy the taste of your favourite meal,” she explains.

Sometimes, anhedonia is a symptom of mental health issues such as anxiety or depression.

“But it can also be a symptom of simply living in a world where constant dopamine hits – by way of endless choice and instant gratification – skew our brain’s reward system and stop bringing us pleasure as a result,” she adds.

Source

That last part is terrifying.

The article says that the number one tip for managing it is to limit screen time, to the surprise of no one. My strategy is to remove and block everything fun from my phone except for ebooks.