anhedonia

American  

[an-hee-doh-nee-uh] / ˌæn hiˈdoʊ ni ə /

noun

Psychology.

1. lack of pleasure or of the capacity to experience it.

   Severely depressed people often exhibit decreased interest in social interaction, disturbed concentration, and anhedonia.

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Other Word Forms

• anhedonic adjective

Etymology

Origin of anhedonia

First recorded in 1895–1900; from Greek an- + hēdon(ḗ) “pleasure” + -ia; an- ¹, -ia

Example Sentences

Depression also comes with anhedonia, or the inability to experience pleasure in activities or social situations that were once enjoyable.

From The Wall Street Journal

“My biggest symptom after that was extreme anhedonia, like a feeling of not being myself or getting pleasure from anything — almost not feeling human,” she said.

From Salon

But you also have to meet criteria for having a low mood, or anhedonia.

From Los Angeles Times

I ended up leaving midyear due to my anhedonia, a clinical term that refers to the inability to experience pleasure.

From Seattle Times

Others have reported negative side effects, like experiencing anhedonia, or the inability to feel pleasure.

From Salon

Related Words

• grief
• misery
• sadness
• sorrow
• woe