Friends may not realize your demeanor is a symptom of your illness, and assume you really are uninterested in them and unenthusiastic about what they’re saying. While not being able to express your emotions fully can be frustrating to live with, sometimes the bigger challenge is coping with other people’s responses to you. Similarly, if your medication is causing flat affect, adjusting your dosage (with the help of your doctor) may improve it. If your flat affect is a symptom of depression or PTSD, treating that underlying condition will likely treat the flat affect as well, Serani said. The frontal lobe is involved in motivation, planning, attention, speech, personality, and reacting to feelings of others. We don’t know the exact process that causes flat affect, but Serani said it’s caused by dysfunction in the frontal lobes and associated pathways of the brain. Drug intoxication and withdrawal are often associated with flat affect as well. Brain injuries can also interfere with how you display emotion. In addition, antidepressants, antipsychotics and other medications can cause flat affect as a side effect.

Apathy is a common symptom of schizophrenia, depression, and other neurological conditions. Serani explained that apathy, which is a lack of emotions and interest in life, is a common cause of flat affect. “It was an important clue.” What Causes Flat Affect? “My husband and mother could always tell when I was entering a depressive phase when my voice became dull and my answers to questions were monosyllabic,” Janet Coburn told The Mighty. Whether the topic is serious or not, there is no expression in her eyes and face that shows she is paying attention, even though she is. Kathleen Kurucz told The Mighty flat affect makes it difficult for her to hold a conversation with anyone. Lack of physically expressive movements.

Deborah Serani, Psy.D., psychologist and author of “Sometimes I’m Sad,” told The Mighty common signs are: People with flat affect still have feelings, they just don’t physically express them like a typical person. The term describes a lack of emotional expressiveness, particularly in the face and voice. It can also be a side effect of medications. What Is Flat Affect?įlat affect can be a symptom of several conditions, including depression, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder, and brain injury. But by talking more about this condition, hopefully, we can reduce the stigma associated with it. Flat affect can be a frustrating symptom to live with and a confusing one to interpret if your loved one is experiencing it.

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