Does anyone know about "blunted affect"?

My husband has had 5 major episodes - 4 requiring hospitalization. With this past one being the worst. His therapist seems to think that maybe one of his medications would be doing it and asked us to speak to his psychatrist about it. So we did and his psychatirist said ok, but he is to know as soon if there is any bad thoughts going on.

This is the problem. When I ask him, everything is ok. So what should I do? Worry and think "here we go again". Or what. I really want to hear from you.

its the same as saying lack of affect, means he can not feel and show his emotions.

take death. when someone does not have lack of affect they show their sadness for losing that person, they are able to grieve for the loss of that person, they are able to feel angry with the powers that be for taking the person they love from them.

in blunted affect (lack of affect) and we use the same topic death. the person with lack of affect doesnt feel sadness of losing someone they love, they cant feel angry with the powers that be for taking the person they love from them, they cant move through the grieving process because they feel no emotions and show no emotions.

Wow, it sounds like a tough situation. It can take forever to figure out which combination of meds work, and then after awhile they might not work as well. What type of disorder is your husband being treated for? Mood? Psychotic? My mom goes through similar struggles with my dad who has schizoaffective disorder (psychotic with mood). If the voices are telling him that nobody can know he can hear them, then he won't say.

Are you asking what a blunted affect is? It's in the title, but not your post. As I understand it, affect refers to one's emotional presentation and experience of emotions. So a person with a blunted affect would likely not have much range of emotion and appear flat or vacant. When I was at the worst of my depression, I experienced utter emptiness. An art therapist asked me to draw what I was feeling. I had such difficulty talking at the time, that I couldn't explain that the blank, empty page perfectly expressed how I was feeling. This is what I associate with the term "blunted affect". I don't think though that it has to be as extreme as my experience to be considered blunted though.

I think it's hard not to worry and think "here we go again." Your experience shows that there is valid reason for concern. Just brainstorming, one idea might be to write down things you notice that are concerning to you. Has your husband signed a release for you to exchange information with his therapist and his psychiatrist? Even if he hasn't, you can always call either of them to share information and express your concerns. Whether or not they can provide you with information depends on whether or not he has signed the release. They might be able to help you understand and decide if there is a problem.

Is your husband consistent with taking his medication? I assume there is concern for his own safety, what about your safety and the safety of others? Do you have a safety action plan? Does your husband have a mental health advance directive? (I don't know if that's the right term, but it's basically a plan that he would develop with you and his therapist and doctor that states what he would want in case of hospitalization, etc..)

I can imagine it's frightening. Do you feel like if you ask too much, it upsets him and could trigger something? like if there is a problem, he's not going to tell you because--well, for many reasons that I can think of...

I'm so sorry you're going through this. Take care of yourself.

-Sara

Thanks Sara,
I was pretty sure I knew what the term meant. I wanted to see if anyone else out there heard of the same thing.

He was first diagnosed back in the 80's with clinical depression. But then over the years, with others and this one being the worst, his psychatrist thinks that maybe there might be some bi-polar element going on. He was delusional, so his dr. put him on Geodon for psychosis, but he never was diagnosed as psychotic, but this medication did wonders for that Now his therapist is wondering if maybe that is what's happening. He had surgery (2009)and was really doing very well up until the day of the surgery and then afterward everything went haywire. The one and only med that he was taking (Luvoxx) stoped working and then it was a downward spiral, and had to be hospitalized. (voluntarilly)

He does take his meds now, but it was a problem last year. I had to be "Nurse Ratchett" and give them to him. Now I count the pills to make sure that he is getting them.

We see his therapist together - in fact we are going tonight. He also said about writing anything that looks funny, or making lists of things that he can do. Right now the motivation is not there. But that makes me feel like the parent with a child but we are both adults. And yes, I am afraid that if I probe too much or ask too many questions, it might make him relapse again. But his therapist tells me that it's ok to take the kid gloves off now, since he is well enough - last year was not a good time, and he said some pretty mean things then, and it still haunts me now, but figured it was the illness talking, but now he says that he dosent remember them. If I notice anything strange, I'm to let him know right away.

Here's the kicker - He did have an advanced directive set up before all this happened. In fact, it was almost finished. Now he is working with his peer specialist to get it finished - this time I hope he does and gets it signed.

I forgot to mention that all this happened during the holidays in 2009. This year is better that the previous, but still a long way with the work that needs to be done. I can go on and on and write a book, but I think I'll stop here. Thanks for listening.

IMO, now is the time to get him in front of his physicians early and often. If his affect is significantly blunted, then it is unlikely that anyone without a trained eye will be able to tell what is going on. You also need to talk to his docs to determine, in a concrete manner, what signs to look for.

What kind of operation was it? Some medical problems, especially with the heart, can cause depression all of their own and that might have had something to do with everything going to heck in a hand basket?

http://my.clevelandclinic.org/heart/...nandheart.aspx

And, the blunted affect could be a result of medical problems as well:

http://brn.sagepub.com/content/13/2/164.abstract

Perna,
It was hiatal hernia surgery. It was a long surgery - about 4 hrs. I really think that something with the anestesia (sp?) went on. Because if you think about it, the anestesia has major downers and it is a major trauma to the system. Anyhow, whatever it was really reset his system BIG TIME!!

Now, he had a physical and had to do fasting bloodwork and it turned out that he has high colesteral (SP?) and has to go on meds for that. His colesteral always did run on the high side, but this time it was high enough for meds. But his psychiatrist says that they wouldn't interfer with the other meds. Now he really should watch his diet (eat good stuff - not chips & junk) and exercise. But you know the story about leading the horse to water but making him drink is another thing. Boy, I'm telling you, if it's not one thing it's the other

Weezil, I know what you mean about feeling like you're parenting your husband, at least from the perspective of observing my parents. My dad is like a 4th child to my mom, and I think it's really always been like that. He just doesn't process information well. I guess I take on some of my mom's feelings too, but I get to go home at the end of the day.

I'm not sure about Geodon specifically, but many anti-psychotics can cause significant weight gain which would effect cholesterol. My understanding-though I may be wrong-is that it interferes with the brains ability to receive feedback that one is satisfied, which makes it hard to stop eating. I gained 100 lbs in a year on an anti-psychotic to treat psychotic features of my severe depression (delusions, no hallucinations). My dad, who was always a very slender man, is now morbidly obese. For him, the benefits of his anti-psychotic outweigh the risks of his weight problem.

It sounds like, as a couple and individually, you are doing some positive things. He has a peer specialist, you're going to his therapist together... It makes sense that you're counting his meds. Under the circumstances, I would too. It sounds like he's lucky to have your support.

I also wanted to let you know that I was browsing the social groups last night, and noticed that there is a social group for people with blunted affect and people who care abot them.

-Sara

Sara,
Where is the blunted affect support group? Is it in the psyccentral group or is it somewhere else? If you could let me know, that would be great.

His cholesteral always ran high - especially in the last 3 or 5 years, so it was no surprise that it needed taken care of now. He lost a lot of weight before he went on the Geodon when the depression started - mostly because he didn't want to eat. now he gained alot of weight since he his on the Geodon. But then he also gained weight when he was on Luvox.

It was a psychcentral social group