Flat Affect: Definition, Causes, & Treatments

What Is Flat Affect?

Flat affect is a symptom of numerous mental health conditions. People with a flat affect rarely show emotions on their faces and do not appear to have heightened reactions to emotionally charged information. Flat affect is common in schizophrenia but also prevalent in other psychotic disorders or neurodevelopmental conditions.¹

Although some people use the terms interchangeably, flat affect refers to a lack of response to emotional material, whereas blunted affect describes a more constricted or reduced response. Blunted affect may be more common in mood and anxiety disorders. However, both flat and blunted affect are considered negative symptoms of psychosis.²

Flat Affect Vs. Emotional Blunting

Flat affect refers to having very little to no emotional reactions, while emotional blunting indicates having a limited amount of emotional reactions. People with a flat affect do not smile, cry, or show nonverbal cues of anger or shock in the same way most people do. People with emotional blunting often describe themselves as feeling apathetic or numb to most stimuli. Sometimes they report having no emotions at all, which may be due to various mental health conditions or substance use.

Flat affect tends to be more prominent and chronic over time. Emotional blunting may improve if and when mental health symptoms improve.

Signs & Symptoms of Flat Affect

The signs and symptoms of flat affect can vary depending on the person. It’s important to note that flat affect doesn’t indicate the absence of emotions. Instead, it’s about how emotions are expressed and oriented.³
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Signs of flat affect may include:

• Little to no emotional facial expression
• A monotone tone of voice
• Limited to no laughter
• Limited to no crying
• Avoiding eye contact
• Appearing apathetic or not listening
• Lack of ordinary body language
• Lack of changing pitch or tone in speech

What Causes Flat Affect?

Experts don’t know what exactly causes flat affect. However, it’s theorized that it’s probably due to abnormal brain activity. The part of the brain responsible for fear, arousal, and pleasure may not be as active as it is in people who don’t have a flat affect.

Possible causes of flat affect include:

Antidepressants

Research shows that medications for depression, including SSRIs, may cause blunted feelings or flat affect. However, some psychologists believe it may not have to do with the actual antidepressants. Rather, these symptoms can be attributed to residual depression.⁴

Autism

Many people on the autism spectrum have flat affect. This can be due to having a hard time expressing emotions and responding to certain types of social interactions. Flat affect in children- along with a lack of smiling and eye contact- is often one of the first signs of autism that parents or teachers notice when evaluating for it.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Flat affect can also be a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom. The flat affect is likely an automatic response from being overwhelmed by traumatic material. As part of the fight-or-flight response system, the brain essentially shuts down to avoid becoming excessively overwhelmed.

Traumatic Brain Injury

Flat affect can occur after a traumatic brain injury. This is most apparent if the injury impacts the brain that controls emotions. Changes in these regions and to the subsequent neurotransmitters affect how people express emotion.⁵

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia closely coincides with flat affect, and flat affect is one of the negative schizophrenia symptoms evaluated when making a schizophrenia diagnosis. This is likely due to disruptions in how people with schizophrenia function emotionally. Research shows that people with schizophrenia who have flat affect also have more severe negative symptoms on other domains and more severe positive symptoms as well.

Depression

It is not likely that depression causes flat affect, but flat affect is a common symptom of depression. This may be due to chemical imbalances with serotonin and dopamine, both of which play integral roles in emotion and mood. People with depression have higher rates of anhedonia, which refers to a lack of pleasure or emotional numbness, which may contribute to flat affect.

Dementia

People with dementia may present as emotionally flat. Research shows that dementia can decrease someone’s ability to experience emotions. They don’t feel as positive about positive events or as negative about negative events, which may show up as a general sense of indifference.⁶

Drug Withdrawal

Acute drug withdrawal can be highly distressing, but many people experience temporary flat affect during this time. They may present as emotionally detached or numb from the process. If they are taking specific withdrawal drugs to support the detox process, the flat affect may be even more intensified.

How Is Flat Affect Treated?

There are no specific treatments aimed at treating flat affect specifically. Instead, treatment is intended to focus on improving other health conditions that may cause or exacerbate flat affect. Treatment varies based on the individual, and it may be multifaceted and include a combination of therapy, medication, and lifestyle changes. In some cases, it is possible to reduce or eliminate flat affect and restore a more normal range of emotional display.

Medications

Medications treating flat affect largely depend on its cause. For example, antipsychotics are typically the first line of defense for treating schizophrenia symptoms. SSRIs, such as Zoloft, Prozac, and Paxil, are often recommended for treating PTSD.

Only a medical doctor or psychiatrist can prescribe psychiatric medication. Keep in mind you have numerous in-person and online options for psychiatric care. All medications have risks and benefits, and it’s important to review potential side effects with your healthcare provider.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is one of the best treatment options for most mental health conditions associated with flat affect, including depression, PTSD, and substance use disorders. Therapy focuses on reducing unwanted behaviors and increasing self-esteem and self-worth. As people feel better about themselves, they tend to experience greater ranges of emotional expression.

Effective therapy largely depends on the therapeutic relationship, so it’s important to choose a therapist that you feel safe talking to. There are numerous in-person and online therapy options available based on your preferences, location, and financial situation. You can also use an online therapist directory to start your search.

Family Therapy & Couples Counseling

Mental health issues are often systemic, and having your support system on board can be invaluable for your treatment success. For these reasons, family therapy or couples counseling may be recommended. These treatments support the entire system by strengthening communication and implementing healthy boundaries.

Speech Therapy

Speech therapy can help people reduce or eliminate the monotone voice often associated with flat affect. Speech therapy focuses specifically on using voice to express more emotion. This work will strengthen speech pitch and tone to provide more variance in sound.

Social Skills Training

Social skills training refers to specific treatment strategies intended to improve social performance in people with schizophrenia. Such strategies may include goal-setting assignments, role-plays, positive feedback, social modeling, and homework assignments to practice skills in real-life situations.⁷

In My Experience

Flat affect can make it difficult to connect with others, and it can impact certain types of academic or work-related tasks. In my experience, clients with flat affect often have untreated mental health issues. Sometimes clients in active psychosis or under the influence of drugs or alcohol also have flat affect. When this symptom is present, it’s important to refer the client for a thorough physical assessment. That assessment permits us to rule out any potential medical concerns before considering other mental health diagnoses.