Toronto, Canada — June 25, 2025 – A new national survey commissioned by Mood Disorders Society of Canada (MDSC) reveals that while nearly 6 in 10 Canadians (58%) have experienced symptoms of anhedonia—the inability to feel pleasure—only 14% have ever heard the term.

Anhedonia is a core symptom of several mental illnesses, including depression, but often goes unrecognized and untreated. The online survey of 821 Canadians with mental illness (diagnosed or self-identifying), conducted between May and June 2025, highlights a concerning disconnect between Canadians’ lived experiences and their understanding of key mental illness symptoms.

“Most Canadians have never heard of anhedonia, but many are living with it. Anhedonia can dramatically reduce a person’s quality of life,” Nancy Zorzi, National Program Manager with MDSC. “Yet if people don’t have the language to describe what they’re going through, it becomes harder for them to seek help—and harder for healthcare providers to offer the right kind of support.”

Among survey respondents who had experienced anhedonia-like symptoms in the past year:

  • 76% said the impact on their quality of life was extreme (rated 8 or higher on a 10-point scale)
  • Only 23% had sought treatment
  • 53% believed that improved treatment for anhedonia would enhance their quality of life by a great deal (rated 8 or higher on a 10-point scale)
  • 63% of those who have not experienced anhedonia would see a healthcare professional if they consistently found it difficult to feel joy in activities that typically bring them pleasure (rated 8 or higher on a 10-point scale)
  • 58% of those who have experienced symptoms of anhedonia in the past year would feel comfortable talking to a healthcare professional about it (rated 8 or higher on a 10-point scale)
  • The top 5 treatments or approaches sought to address symptoms of anhedonia are: prescribed medication (68%); therapy (63%); lifestyle changes (53%); mindfulness/relaxation techniques (52%); social support (36%)

Anhedonia doesn’t always look like sadness—it can feel like disconnection, apathy, or simply going through the motions. People may lose interest in relationships, hobbies, food, or even day-to-day routines that once brought satisfaction. If people no longer feel joy in the things that once mattered to them, they should not dismiss it. They should talk to their healthcare provider, and specifically inform their provider about their struggles to feel pleasure or motivation. This detail could help better guide their treatment and recovery, especially if anhedonia is one of their most bothersome symptoms.

About MDSC: MDSC has grown out of the vision and drive of a number of persons with directly lived experience leaders from across Canada who in 1995 saw the need for a broad-based structure to bring PWLE together and who believe that we have a key role to play concerning education and advocacy at the national level. MDSC has evolved to become one of Canada’s best-connected and collaborative mental health charities with a demonstrated track record for forging and maintaining meaningful and sustained partnerships with the public, private, voluntary, and non-profit sectors throughout Canada. For more information please visit www.mdsc.ca.

For more information about mental illness and mood disorders, visit mdsc.ca. Additional results from the survey can be found below. For a copy of the full anhedonia survey report, please visit our link here. For any questions, please connect with our media contact using the information below.

Media Contact:
Nancy Zorzi
nancy@mdsc.ca

NB: Funding for the Survey was provided via an Educational Grant by Johnson & Johnson.