Blunted Affect

A woman in a blue shirt stares at the camera without any facial expression.Affect is the outward display of one’s emotional state. One can express feelings verbally, by talking about events with emotional word choices and tone. A person’s affect also includes nonverbal communication, such as body language and gestures.

Blunted affect is a markedly diminished emotional expression.

What is Blunted Affect?

Someone with a blunted affect displays little feeling in emotional contexts. For example, a person recalling their father’s death might simply recount the factual details of the death. The person might not share much information about how they felt. They may show little facial expression or speak in a monotone voice.

Blunted affect occurs on a spectrum of expression.

  • Flat affect describes when a person displays absolutely no emotion.
  • Blunted affect is a step above flat, with some mild expression present on occasion. Any emotional display is severely restrained.
  • Restricted affect involves slightly restrained expression. It is a step below typical behavior but less severe than blunted affect.

Blunted Affect and Emotional Blunting

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When blunted affect reflects a person’s emotional state, they are said to have “emotional blunting.” The person may experience an inner apathy or emptiness. They may be unable to draw up strong emotions about things they cared deeply about in the past. If someone feels little emotion, they will likely express little emotion.

Yet the amount of emotion expressed is not always the same as the amount of emotion possessed. Someone may display blunted affect yet feel strong emotions inside. One person may avoid expressing emotions to prevent feelings of vulnerability. Another person may struggle to express their feelings due to a psychological condition.

What Causes Blunted Affect?

Blunted affect is a symptom rather than a diagnosis in itself. Ongoing blunted affect is a common symptom of the following conditions:

Certain medications, such as antidepressants and antipsychotics, can also cause blunted affect.

Treatment for Blunted Affect

A blunted affect can interfere with communication and social relationships. It can also be a sign of a larger mental health concern. People who experience ongoing blunted affect may benefit from seeing a mental health professional.

Treatment for blunted affect often involves treating the underlying diagnosis. If the person has no diagnosis, a therapist can still help them practice recognizing and communicating emotions. With time and help, a person can become better at expressing their feelings.

References:

  1. American Psychological Association. APA concise dictionary of psychology. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2009. Print.
  2. Blunted affect. (n.d.) Medical Dictionary. Retrieved from https://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/blunted+affect
  3. Folk, J. & Folk, M. (2018, April 21). Emotional blunting anxiety symptoms. Anxiety Centre. Retrieved from http://www.anxietycentre.com/anxiety-symptoms/emotional-blunting.shtml
  4. Killian, S., Asmal, L., Goosen, A., Chiliza, B., Phahladira, L., & Emsley, R. (2015, June 2). Instruments measuring blunted affect in schizophrenia: A systematic review. PLoS One, 10(6). Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4452733/#__ffn_sectitle

Last Updated: 06-7-2018