Anhedonia Test: Have You Lost the Ability to Feel Pleasure?

Do you take part in activities you once loved without getting any pleasure from them? Do you feel as though you are behind a pane of glass, a spectator of your own life? Anhedonia — the inability to feel pleasure or to anticipate rewards — is a transdiagnostic symptom documented in major depression, dysthymia, certain anxiety disorders and other conditions. It affects two broad registers: consummatory anhedonia (pleasure no longer felt in immediate experiences) and anticipatory anhedonia (the impossibility of imagining or anticipating future pleasure). This test explores four dimensions: loss of pleasure in social interactions, in physical sensory experiences, in the ability to anticipate positive events, and the gradual withdrawal from activities that were once a source of satisfaction. Each dimension receives a detailed score with guidance. This questionnaire is a screening tool — it does not replace an assessment by a mental health professional.

In the article that follows, I address low mood and loss of drive. If you recognise yourself in this theme, I have designed a depression test that lets you take stock of your mood and your morale. It comes with a guide to extend the reflection beyond the results. I also wrote two books on this subject, Overcoming Anxiety and Stress and The Practical CBT Guide, if you would like to go further.

What the test measures

• Loss of pleasure in social interactions, relationships and exchanges with others.
• Loss of pleasure in physical sensory experiences: taste, touch, music, nature, bodily activity.
• Inability to anticipate or imagine future pleasure, to look forward to a positive event.
• Gradual reduction or abandonment of activities, hobbies and projects that were once a source of satisfaction.
• Measures your current readiness to acknowledge the impact of this loss of pleasure on your life and to begin a process of change.

How to interpret your score

The result reads as an intensity, not as a diagnosis:

• Profile not very suggestive of anhedonia: Your overall answers do not suggest a significant loss of pleasure. Your ability to enjoy yourself, to anticipate positive events and to maintain satisfying activities appears relatively preserved. This screening is a snapshot of a specific moment and cannot replace a clinical assessment.
• Some signs of dampened pleasure: Your overall answers suggest a partial dampening of pleasure across one or more dimensions. Positive responses are less intense or less frequent than they used to be. These signs deserve attention without being alarming at this stage — spotting a gradual dampening early makes it possible to act before it takes lasting hold.
• Profile compatible with moderate to marked anhedonia: Your overall answers suggest a notable loss of the capacity to feel pleasure across several dimensions — social, sensory, anticipatory or within activities. This picture is documented in the clinical criteria for anhedonia associated with depressive states. This screening does not constitute a diagnosis, but it indicates that a professional assessment is warranted.
• Profile strongly suggestive of severe anhedonia: Your overall answers place your profile in a zone strongly suggestive of severe anhedonia affecting several dimensions simultaneously: social, sensory, anticipatory, and withdrawal from activities. This generalised loss of the capacity to feel pleasure is a serious clinical symptom associated with advanced depressive states. You do not have to go through this alone. If your distress is intense or if you are having thoughts of harming yourself, contact your local emergency services, or find a helpline in your country at findahelpline.com or via befrienders.org.

What your full report contains

Beyond the 5 free questions, the detailed PDF report (from €2.90) includes:

• Introduction: This screening questionnaire explores four dimensions of anhedonia (loss of pleasure): pleasure in social interactions, in physical sensory experiences, the ability to anticipate positive events, and engagement in activities and hobbies. It draws on the DSM-5 criteria for anhedonia associated with depressive states, as well as on the dimensions explored by the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS).
• Overall Score: Your overall score of {{globalScore}}% summarises your results across the four dimensions explored.
• Analysis by Dimension: Each dimension is analysed individually below.
• Recommendations: Personalised recommendations according to your profile.

The first 5 questions are free; the complete, personalised report (your precise score, your profile by dimension, your recommendations) is paid.

When to take this test

• You recognise yourself in anhedonia, loss of pleasure, depression and want to see things clearly.
• You want a structured reading rather than a vague impression.
• You are looking for an objective starting point before talking to a professional if needed.

FAQ

How long does the test take? 64 questions, about 15 min. The first 5 are free. Does the test provide a diagnosis? No. It measures an intensity and provides reference points; only a professional can make a diagnosis. Are my answers confidential? Yes: the test is 100% anonymous and the report is delivered directly to you.

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👉 Start the anhedonia test: have you lost the ability to feel pleasure? → — first 5 questions free, immediate result, PDF report, 100% anonymous.