A new study suggests that focusing on a person’s ability to feel joy and pleasure could offer a fresh approach to treating depression. The research, published in JAMA Network Open, examined a condition known as anhedonia, which is a reduced capacity to experience interest or pleasure in response to things that are usually rewarding.
Anhedonia affects most people with major depression. It is linked to more severe cases of depression and worse recovery rates. Most current treatments for depression aim to reduce negative feelings, such as sadness or hopelessness. This study instead looked at whether increasing positive emotions could help.
Researchers used a method called Positive Affect Treatment (PAT). This type of therapy is designed to boost a person’s capacity for joy, purpose, motivation, and a sense of reward. The study involved 98 adults who had anhedonia, depression, and anxiety. Participants took part in a randomized controlled trial, where some received PAT and others received conventional therapy that targeted negative emotions.
The results showed that PAT led to greater improvements compared to standard therapy. Patients who received PAT reported more positive emotions. They also showed reductions in their symptoms of depression and anxiety, even though PAT does not directly address negative feelings. The benefits were still present at a one-month follow-up check.
Study co-author Alicia Meuret, Ph.D., stated in a news release that simply removing negative emotions is not enough. She said treatment needs to ask if an activity is meaningful to a person, if it brings joy or a sense of accomplishment, and if it fosters connection.
The findings point to a novel aspect of treating depression that has often been overlooked: rebuilding the ability to experience joy and pleasure. Meuret explained that there is a difference between feeling helpless and feeling hopeless. When people feel helpless, they still have the drive to change things. When they feel hopeless, they do not believe anything will change. She said this is what anhedonia can look like, and taking away negative emotions does not fix it.
PAT helps patients work directly with the brain’s reward system, retraining what the study authors call the brain’s “positive system.” Exercises in PAT include re-engaging patients with rewarding activities, practicing gratitude, and loving-kindness meditation.
Broader context of depression treatment
Depression is a common mental health condition that affects millions of people in the United States. Standard treatments often include antidepressant medications and various forms of talk therapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy. These approaches primarily focus on reducing symptoms like sadness, low mood, and negative thought patterns. The new research suggests that adding a direct focus on building positive experiences could improve outcomes for patients who do not respond fully to conventional treatments.
The study’s focus on anhedonia is part of a growing effort to understand the different components of depression. Not all patients experience the same symptoms. Some people with depression may still feel sadness but lose the ability to feel pleasure. Others may feel numb or disconnected. Tailoring treatment to these specific symptoms could lead to more effective care.
For people suffering from anhedonia, depression, and anxiety, the study suggests that reducing negative emotions alone is not always enough. Reconnecting with joy through Positive Affect Treatment may be a method worth trying, according to the researchers.
