Does a flat affect include lack of emotions on your part? I remember there being something about poverty of emotions being some sort of other symptom but I’m not sure.
The only emotion that I really seem to be able to feel lately is annoyance.
So does flat affect mean that you don’t feel any emotions any more or you just don’t show them?
I have emotions, just I’m told I don’t show them. My sis will then say I’m getting the Data look… ( Data from Star Trek)
I feel things… Things still please me, or upset me, but I’m not good at showing it. I feel myself numbed down… encased… wax covered…
But that is my blunt effect or flat effect.
When I get worse… then I slide into loss of emotions… I loose interest in everything even people around me. I have no connection or will to connect… no empathy or caring… Avolition… the loss of everything that makes me… me.
For some reason… I do find myself much more irritated when people try to engage in conversation with me. Because it doesn’t sound like conversation… it just sounds like persistent noise that doesn’t make sense. It takes effort to concentrate… effort that I don’t want to spend.
I hate the negative symptoms… They are the worst for me.
I’m never really happy. Never really sad. I’m stuck in between.
Why more users don’t respond to this topic is indicative of the avoidance of people with schizophrenia have with their symptoms. Flat affect is a huge part of the negative symptoms associated with sz and the subsequent medication needed. Why there are 30 posts on “superpowers” and two for this topic is a slap in the face to people dz with sz. Get a life people.
To answer your question, yes, there is a definite lack of emotion as a result of a medication side effect, or negative symptom. This is why I used to self-medicate with cannabis-- it allowed me to feel certain emotions that I normally have trouble accessing while sober. Unfortunately, dissociation and psychosis comes along with the package, but I feel expressive when I can laugh, cry, feel hurt and happiness while intoxicated. I cannot work or keep relationships while on it, so it had to go.
I believe it is more that you do not feel the emotions as opposed to not showing or having an outward display of such.
What are these emotions you talk of? Mostly I’m pretty comfortably numb in that area. Anger is as you said the main one that comes through as that’s pretty primal.
I don’t like the acidic taste of anger. I don’t like that feeling of anger starting to boil up. I know there was a time where anger was the only thing I could feel.
Feeling something was better then feeling nothing. But I’ve taken anger management classes and learned other things.
I know when I start feeling flattened all the way through, I’m not doing well. I need help. There are times were I feel stuff… just very subtle.
I have emotions, very strong ones,
but I get this restricted effect where I cannot express at all. voice is flattened and face is expressionless. but i still feel.
it comes and goes like the wind
Because we want to talk about superpowers. No one here is forcing anyone to post about anything.
Data was the best Next Generation character.