Popular Antidepressant May Cause ‘Emotional Blunting,’ New Study Finds
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A new study finds emotional blunting as a common side effect of taking some forms of antidepressants.
People may not experience the same highs and lows as before with emotional blunting—but experts urge people to continue taking the medications until speaking with their doctor.
Researchers are trying to figure out why emotional blunting can occur.
More than 13% of American adults use antidepressants for a variety of mental health diagnoses. And like most treatments, the medications come with their own host of side effects. A recent study is adding a major one to the list: “emotional blunting,” where patients don’t feel emotions as strongly as they once did.
The study, which was published in Neuropsychopharmacology, took 66 healthy volunteers—32 were given 20 milligrams of the popular selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) escitalopram (a.k.a. Lexapro), while 34 were given a placebo. The patients took the drug or a placebo for at least 21 days and then did a series of self-reported questionnaires and tests to measure their learning, inhibition, and decision-making.
Consult a healthcare provider before discontinuing any treatment. Medication is an important tool for many in combatting depression and anxiety.
The researchers discovered that people taking the escitalopram had reduced reinforcement sensitivity—meaning, they didn’t learn from feedback from their actions and environment as well as people in the placebo group. The patients in the escitalopram group were specifically less likely to use positive and negative feedback to help them learn a task compared to people who took a placebo. This, the researchers said, suggests that the medication impacted their sensitivity to rewards and their ability to act in response.
The study participants in the escitalopram group also said they had more trouble reaching orgasm during sex than those in the placebo group.
The impact on reinforcement learning, the researchers concluded, can explain why some people have an emotional “blunting” effect when they take SSRIs. But what does emotional blunting feel like and what should you do if this happens to you? Experts break it down.
What is emotional blunting, exactly?
Emotional blunting is a side effect that’s estimated to happen in 40 to 60% of people who take SSRIs for major depressive disorder, making it one of the biggest reasons why people go off the medication.
Emotional blunting is a feeling of numbness to positive and negative emotions. “Emotional blunting is basically trouble experiencing emotions,” says Jamie Alan, Ph.D., associate professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Michigan State University. “When people experience emotional blunting, they typically experience a dulling of all emotions, both ‘good’ and ‘bad,’” says Hillary Ammon, Psy.D., a clinical psychologist at the Center for Anxiety & Women’s Emotional Wellness.
But the phrase “sounds a lot more intense than what it sometimes really is,” says clinical psychologist Thea Gallagher, Psy.D., a clinical assistant professor at NYU Langone Health and co-host of the Mind in View podcast. People who experience emotional blunting may not have feelings as strongly as they did before but “in some ways, that’s part of the goal” for people who can benefit from antidepressants, particularly those who struggle with anxiety and depression, Gallagher says.
“Sometimes, it’s simply an adjustment to how people were before—it just may not be what you’re used to,” she says. But Gallagher stresses that there is a range with emotional blunting: If you’re not feeling as upset about things as you once did and you struggle with generalized anxiety disorder, emotional blunting is likely a good thing, Gallagher says. “But if you feel like you’re a zombie, you want to talk to your doctor,” she says.
While this particular study focused on escitalopram, Alan says that emotional blunting “can happen with any SSRI.”
Signs of emotional blunting
Alan points out that emotional blunting “could vary by person.” However, experts say these are generally signs that you may be experiencing emotional blunting:
You don’t react to something that you’re usually happy about.
You don’t feel any response when something troubling happens.
You don’t feel love as strongly as you once did.
You don’t get as angry as you did in the past.
“This can obviously be a frustrating side effect for an individual, particularly for the ‘feel good’ emotions,” Ammon says. “It may also negatively impact interactions or relationships with others for that person. Not only does it impact internal emotional responses, but can also impact body language, creating a flat effect in your facial expressions.”
It’s important to note that emotional blunting is not the same as apathy—that is when you don’t have any feeling or emotion.
What should you do if you’re experiencing emotional blunting?
Gallagher stresses that most medications come with some side effects, and it’s important to figure out what you do and don’t feel comfortable with. Again, if you struggled with anxiety in the past and feel less anxious now, emotional blunting could be seen as a benefit, depending on the level you’re experiencing. But if you feel like emotional blunting is interfering with your life, Alan recommends talking to your doctor.
Experts warn, though, that you shouldn’t suddenly take yourself off your medication. “There can be consequences if you stop your medication abruptly,” Alan says.
It’s tempting to stop taking medication for your condition entirely if you feel like you’re not responding well, but Alan recommends that you talk to your doctor about trying something different first. “There are other options if emotional blunting occurs with a particular medication,” she says.
Ammon agrees. “It’s important to remember that medications are not a one size fits all treatment,” she says. “Each person may react differently to a prescribed medication. There may be some trial and error when finding the medication that works best for you.”
If you recently went on a SSRI and feel like you may be emotionally blunted, Gallagher recommends at least considering giving it a little more time. “With a lot of SSRI medication, you don’t get to see the full effect for four to six weeks,” she says. But, if the feeling continues with time, she says that, “you might need to get on a different type of SSRI or get on a new medication that works for you.”
If you or someone you know is at risk, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or text HOME to 741741 to message a trained crisis counselor from the Crisis Text Line for free.
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