The pleasure deficiency in patients with depression is a profound and complex psychological experience, far from being able to be summarized simply as a low mood. Before experiencing depression, patients may easily feel the little joys in life: the gentle warmth of sunlight shining through the curtains on their face, the rich aroma and comfort brought by a cup of hot coffee, or the joyful laughter when gathering with family and friends, all of which can evoke pleasure and satisfaction in their hearts. They enjoy the sense of achievement that accomplishments bring and cherish the small joys in ordinary days.
However, once the shadow of depression envelops their minds, these once accessible joys seem suddenly out of reach. Patients may find that even their once favorite activities can no longer stimulate joy and excitement as before. The sun is still there, but no longer warm as it used to be; the coffee is still aromatic, but lacks the former richness; social interactions, even with the closest people, fail to resonate with the soul. This pleasure deficiency is a profound emotional numbness, causing patients to gradually lose perception of the colors in life, as if the whole world is covered by an invisible gray filter, trapping them deeply and making it difficult to break free.
