Flat affect
Definition
Flat affect refers to a lack of emotional reactivity on the part of an individual. It's characterized by a person's face appearing expressionless or their voice lacking inflection and variability.
Analogy
Think about watching a movie with no soundtrack - it would seem dull and emotionless. That’s how people with flat affect experience emotions; they don't outwardly express them as most people do.
Related terms
Blunted affect: This is when emotional expression is significantly reduced but not completely absent like in flat affect.
Anhedonia: The inability to feel pleasure. It's one of the main symptoms of major depressive disorder.
Schizoid personality disorder: A condition characterized by consistent avoidance of social relationships and little expression of emotion.
"Flat affect" appears in:
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