Question 1

my boyfriend says he has a flat affect. i don't notice. so should this be cause for worry?

Accepted Answer

Perhaps: If your boyfriend thinks it is a problem, it may well be. Or it may just be normal for him. It would be good to have him evaluated for depression or other mood disorders by his primary care provider. A good preventive resource that outlines general screening tests, including a screen for depression, is an iphone app called my health checklist 2012.

Question 2

can clonazepam cause flat affect and memory issues?

Accepted Answer

Yes: Yes, and this is actually pretty common.

Question 3

lexapro (escitalopram) causes me to feel flat almost emotionless. does that get better ? or is this feelin of apathy a sign to stop it?

Accepted Answer

SSRI side effects : SSRI class of drugs may cause a flattening of personality with a feeling of indifference to things happening around the patient. The dose needs to be slowly decreased  over weeks until those feelings of detachment resolve. SSRIs shoutd NOT be stopped abruptly as worse side effects may occur.  See a doctor soon for guidance.

Question 4

what are diseases that can cause flat affect that are not depression or schizophrenia?

Accepted Answer

A few that come: to  mind - Schizoaffective Disorder, Schizotypal personality disorder and schizoid personality disorder

Question 5

can sleep disorders cause cognitive impairment, flat affect and memory problems?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely: Contact your pcp for referral for a sleep study, or polysomnogram. There are many possible causes of sleep fragmentation, and a disruption in the amount of any  state of sleep can cause memory, concentration and mood disruption. In my practice, we deal primarily with obstructive sleep apnea. The patients report your symptoms and fatigue; the bed partners also suffer (from the noise!). Get checked!

Question 6

any meds for flat affect?

Accepted Answer

yes: Flat affect as a symptom of (whatever type of) psychosis, can be treated with antipsychotics effectively. Now, other types of problems can be confused with the flat affect of psychosis, such as parkinsonian lack of facial expression, etc. Psychiatrists and neurologists usually differentiate those easily. Consult your dr.

Question 7

what does it mean to have flat affect?

Accepted Answer

Flat affect: A flat affect is often used to describe the lack of emotion in a situation that would be expected to elicit emotion. Often, this term is used to describe the emotional state of a person with depression or other mental health issues.

Question 8

how are shallow affect and flat affect different?

Accepted Answer

Degree of expression: My understanding: blunted or "shallow affect" describes paucity of emotional expression in response to stimuli that normally provoke typical facial expressions, though still some expression. "flat affect" suggests no facial expression. Causes of these affects include depression, schizophrenia, brain injury, ptsd, sociopathy, and certain medicines. Get help. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/blunted_.

Question 9

what is the definition or description of: flat affect?

Accepted Answer

Flat Affect: Flat Affect is a term used for the absence or apparent absence of emotional response to any situation or event.

Question 10

what is the difference between shallow and flat affect?

Accepted Answer

Quality and degree: Shallow affect refers to people who do not show much range in emotion; they rarely if ever feel intense moods, either highs or lows.  Flat affect refers to a near-complete absense of affect:  the person simply does not show an emotional response even under pretty extreme conditions such as the loss of a loved one.

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Doctor answers about:

Causes of flat affect

A member asked:

My boyfriend says he has a flat affect. i don't notice. so should this be cause for worry?

A member asked:

Can clonazepam cause flat affect and memory issues?

A member asked:

Lexapro (escitalopram) causes me to feel flat almost emotionless. does that get better ? or is this feelin of apathy a sign to stop it?

A member asked:

What are diseases that can cause flat affect that are not depression or schizophrenia?

A member asked:

Can sleep disorders cause cognitive impairment, flat affect and memory problems?

A member asked:

Any meds for flat affect?

A member asked:

What does it mean to have flat affect?

A member asked:

How are shallow affect and flat affect different?

A member asked:

What is the definition or description of: flat affect?

A member asked:

What is the difference between shallow and flat affect?

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