1/1/2024 0 Comments Lexapro flat affect![]() ![]() People who experience emotional blunting often report feeling dulled emotions and that they no longer find things as pleasurable as they used to, according to the University of Cambridge. What Is Emotional Blunting and Why Does It Happen? If you or a loved one is dealing with emotional blunting caused by antidepressants, here’s what experts want you to know about it - and what you can do about it. Bradford Reich, MD, a staff psychiatrist at McLean Hospital in Boston, and a senior investigator for Harvard Medical School’s Laboratory for the Study of Adult Development. “These people may begin to fear they cannot experience joys and pleasures,” says D. ![]() One of the risks of blunting is that people may stop taking the medications that are helping them when asking their doctor to make adjustments to their treatment may do the trick. Prior research describes the effect as one’s usual feelings being “dulled,” “numbed,” “flattened,” “blocked,” or “blank.” These drugs - including Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Celexa, and Lexapro - alter the way the body handles the “feel-good” brain chemical serotonin - a hormone responsible for regulating mood and happiness.Īs a result, things that once provoked strong reactions may now leave the same individual unaffected or even apathetic. “These antidepressants may work, in part, by removing some emotional pain depressed people feel, while unfortunately also erasing some of the enjoyment,” says Christelle Langley, PhD, a research associate in the department of psychiatry at the University of Cambridge in England. Roughly half of people taking antidepressants report some degree of blunted emotions, according to a study published in the October 2017 issue of the Journal of Affective Disorders.įor people with MDD, dulling one’s emotions can be a mixed blessing. This flattening of feelings, called “emotional blunting" or “reduced affect,” is a potential side effect of antidepressants, especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). They may also dial down feelings of happiness and joy. However, for the millions of Americans who take antidepressants, these medications may do more than alleviate sadness. Antidepressants can often lift depressive symptoms and make life better for people with major depressive disorder (MDD). ![]()
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