What is affective flattening and how to detect it

Affective flattening is one of the psychological pathologies that affects a large part of the world population. People who suffer from it have symptoms, their quality of life is affected, as well as the context in which they produced has a direct relationship with the emotions, thoughts and behaviors shown by those who go through this process.

Several researchers have made a precise study about the main characteristics that make up this psychological condition. Due to the difficulties caused by this psychological condition, it is necessary to acquire certain truthful data that allow us to better understand and address this clinical picture. In this Psychology-Online article, we will provide you with information about what is affective flattening and how to detect it.

Index

1. What is affective flattening?
2. Symptoms of flattened affectivity
3. What causes affective flattening?
4. Treatment of affective flattening

Affective flattening is a condition characterized by the impossibility or inability of a person to react against various stimuli that occur in everyday life. People who experience affective flattening may describe themselves as feeling apathetic, detached, or disconnected from their emotions. They may have difficulty experiencing joy, sadness, or any other emotion in an intense way.

Thus, people with affective flattening have Difficulty expressing emotions through wordss and actions. Although it is complex to locate affective flattening within the diagnoses established by the DSM-V, it is It is possible to identify this pathology in various clinical pictures, such as in cases of senile dementia, schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as well as in people who have suffered verbal and/or physical abuse, sexual abuse, among others.

Flattened affectivity has a series of physical, emotional, and behavioral manifestations that make its early detection possible. Symptoms of flattening affect can vary from person to person, but generally include:

• diminished emotions: one of the main characteristics of affective flattening is the decrease in emotional intensity. You may experience a reduced ability to feel positive or negative emotions, leading to a general feeling of dullness or lack of emotional response.
• Difficulty experiencing pleasure: You may have trouble experiencing joy, excitement, or pleasure in activities that used to be rewarding for you. Even things that used to give you pleasure can seem less exciting or meaningful.
• Lack of interest: You may lose interest in social activities, hobbies, or interpersonal relationships. A lack of motivation and enthusiasm can lead to decreased participation in activities that used to interest you.
• limited emotional expression: You may have difficulty expressing your emotions adequately. You may appear expressionless, display limited emotional range, or have difficulty communicating your feelings to others.
• apathy and disinterest: you can feel a general sensation of apathy, disinterest or indifference towards your environment and the things that surround you. You may feel emotionally disconnected from the situations and people that used to matter to you.
• emotional fatigue: You may experience a persistent feeling of emotional exhaustion or exhaustion. Dimmed emotions can lead to a feeling of constant emotional exhaustion.

Despite this description, it is important that the diagnosis be established by a mental health professional who evaluates the clinical conditions of each person. To achieve this, aspects such as age, sex, pre-existing diseases or family history, among others, must be taken into account.

There are some factors that predispose the appearance of blunted affectivity. In the following items we will develop what causes affective flattening:

• Environmental factors: constitute those life experiences in which the person has suffered high levels of anguish, stress and/or discomfort that generated the symptoms of the condition. Here it is also possible to include traffic accidents, death of loved ones or significant losses, among others.
• Genetic factors: The role played by genetics in the development of this condition should not be neglected. In many people who suffer from affective flattening, there are neural connections linked to information processing that are altered. This is seen especially in severe cases.

Treatments for emotional numbing that have shown good efficacy and effectiveness, and allow an improvement in the quality of life of people who suffer from this condition, are the following:

• psychotherapeutic therapy: individual therapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), may be beneficial in addressing affective flattening. A therapist can help you explore and understand the underlying causes of your symptoms, as well as develop strategies to increase emotional intensity and expression.
• Medication: In some cases, psychiatric medications can be prescribed that reduce the intensity of the symptoms of the affective flattening, especially if it is related to an underlying mental illness, such as depression or disorder bipolar. antidepressants, mood stabilizers, or antipsychotics may be considered under the supervision of a physician. However, it is essential that the intake of these drugs be supervised by a mental health professional.
• emotional stimulation therapy: Some complementary therapies, such as art therapy, music therapy or dance therapy, can help stimulate emotional expression and experience in a creative and safe environment.
• Changes in lifestyle: adopting a healthy lifestyle can have a positive impact on your emotional state. This includes eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, establishing proper sleep routines, and reducing stress.
• Social support: Maintaining social connections and seeking support from friends, family or support groups can be beneficial in combating affective flattening. Sharing your feelings and experiences with people you trust can help you feel more emotionally connected.

This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

If you want to read more articles similar to What is affective flattening and how to detect it, we recommend that you enter our category of Clinical psychology.

1. American Psychiatric Association (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th edition). Arlington: Panamerican Medical Editorial.

• Donnoli, V. F., Santos, L.G., Sepich Almeida, T., Ferreyra, P. (2007). Affective flattening in schizophrenia: a qualitative study. Argentine Journal of Neuropsychiatric Clinic, 14 (2), 26-36.
• Lopez Melero, M. (2018). Affective indifference as a harmful personality trait. Yearbook of Criminal Law and Criminal Sciences, 21 (1), 265-305.