what is anhedonia?

Anhedonia - the inability to feel pleasure.

This is the key symptom we look for when evaluating for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMAD), specifically postpartum depression (PPD).

Identifying PPD in the early days after childbirth can be difficult due to the commonly experienced “baby blues”, wherein 60-80% of birthing mothers report symptoms of tearfulness, emotional lability, heightened reactivity and irritability. Mothers often ask, “what’s wrong with me?” Well, there’s a physiological explanation for how you’re feeling.

‘The blues’ occur as a result of plummeting levels of estrogen and progesterone after childbirth, coupled with extreme exhaustion and the pressures of new motherhood. This condition typically peaks between 3-5 days after delivery and should resolve after the first two weeks.

Anhedonia is a hallmark symptom indicating that a mother might be experiencing something more profound, typically coupled with general feelings of worthlessness, inability to conduct activities of daily living and in severe cases, intrusive thoughts of harm to self or harm to baby.

And here’s the thing, because of stigmas around maternal mental health, a reported 1 in 7 birthing mothers are likely to experience a PMAD in the first year after birth, but just a small fraction of those actually receive treatment, leaving the majority of mothers suffering alone, and without proper care.

If you or someone you love is struggling with the emotional turbulence of motherhood, you are not alone. Seek out the help of licensed mental health providers with special training in perinatal mental health to support you throughout your journey.