Understanding Inappropriate Affect

Understanding Inappropriate Affect Emotions Print Understanding Inappropriate Affect By Arlin Cuncic Arlin Cuncic, MA, is the author of Therapy in Focus: What to Expect from CBT for Social Anxiety Disorder and 7 Weeks to Reduce Anxiety. Learn about our editorial policy Arlin Cuncic Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on September 10, 2019 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD on September 10, 2019 Getty / Klaus Vedfelt More in Psychology Emotions Psychotherapy Basics Student Resources History and Biographies Theories Phobias Sleep and Dreaming In This Article Table of Contents Expand Overview Causes Diagnosis Relevant Conditions Symptoms Types Treatment Coping with Inappropriate Affect View All Back To Top Affect refers to the outward expression of a persons internal emotions. For most people, there is congruence between affect and circumstance; for example, if you are given the news that a friend has passed away, your reaction would be sadness and tears. However, for a certain percentage of the population, outward affect does not match the situation that they are in. This is known as inappropriate affect and can have a variety of causes. If you know someone who smiles during a tragedy or who does not show emotion when it would be expected, they may be experiencing inappropriate affect. To fully understand all the ramifications of inappropriate affect, we will consider in detail symptoms, causes, related conditions, diagnosis, coping, treatment, and related issues. Overview of Inappropriate Affect As noted, inappropriate affect involves the display of reactions that do not match the situation that you are in or possibly even your internal state. Emotions, actions, or overall demeanor that seem out of place in a situation all fall under the general umbrella term inappropriate affect. Inappropriate affect can be a symptom of different underlying physical or mental problems, but it can also be a disorder itself. Psychiatrists and other professionals have recognized inappropriate affect as a problem among patients for over 100 years, reporting events such as laughter or tears without any cause. In studying what we now know as schizophrenia in 1909,  Stransky  referred to intrapsychic ataxia as a condition involving a disturbance between thoughts and affect. In 1950,  Bleuler  noted that the clinical prognosis of schizophrenic patients displaying inappropriate affect was much poorer than those who did not. The 6 Types of Basic Emotions and Their Effect on Human Behavior Causes of Inappropriate Affect There are a number of different potential causes of inappropriate affect, but they fall under the categories described below. Brain Damage or Neurological Dysfunction Inappropriate affect can result from physical damage to the brain such as that happening due to a brain tumor, brain damage, dementia, brain injury, head trauma, etc. When inappropriate affect results from a structural brain problem, areas that are commonly involved include the limbic system, anterior cingulate cortex, and prefrontal cortex. Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders A second main cause of inappropriate affect is mental disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder, etc. Often, these individuals have not lost the capacity for emotional reactions, but appear to have lost the ability to have them occur in a normal and expected way. This is because their affect is a reaction to their hallucinations or delusions and their assumptions about the reasons for other peoples actions. Instead, they may have strange reactions that dont seem to make sense to the outside observer. In this way, they show emotions and behavior that do not seem to be consistent with the reality of the situation, but they are in fact consistent with their internal experience of the situation. In schizophrenia, a type of inappropriate affect is sometimes called flat affect when it presents as a reduced expression of emotion. Psychological Factors There can also be other causes of inappropriate affect that is not due to brain damage or a mental disorder. In most of these cases, the person is capable of responding in a normal way, but for one reason or another does not. For example, a person in therapy may laugh while describing a difficult situation so as to control their emotions in a self protective way. Diagnosis of Inappropriate Affect If you are concerned that you are or someone you know is living with inappropriate affect, it is important to obtain a diagnosis from a licensed mental health professional. Your doctor can refer you to the necessary professionals, such as a neurologist, psychologist, or psychiatrist. The first step would generally be to rule out any physical or neurological condition causing the inappropriate affect. Often, inappropriate affect is a symptom of another disorder rather than a syndrome itself, so an assessment would be conducted for mental disorders that could be a potential cause as well. The severity of the problem would also be assessed, to determine where it falls in the range from mild to severe. Conditions Involving Inappropriate Affect Various conditions may be associated with inappropriate affect: Mental Disorders major depressive disorder schizophrenia schizoid personality disorder post-traumatic stress disorder schizoaffective disorder psychopathy depersonalization borderline personality disorder Neurological Conditions brain damage pseudobulbar affect autism dementia Alzheimers disease head trauma brain tumor multiple sclerosis Symptoms of Inappropriate Affect The specific symptoms of inappropriate affect will depend on the underlying cause and show up in terms of facial expressions, the tone of your voice, and the content of what you say. Below are some potential symptoms: uncontrollable crying even when not feeling sadrecognizing that your reactions are inappropriateemotions that do not match the reality of a situationshowing happiness during a tragedybecoming angry without any outward provocationflat affect or not showing expected emotional reactions (but not in the case of simply holding back emotions) Clearly, the specific types of symptoms experienced will depend on the underlying cause of the inappropriate affect. Types of Inappropriate Affect In addition to the broad symptoms of inappropriate affect, there are a number of specific categories within which symptoms can be grouped. Remember that inappropriate affect is simply that which does not match the situation or the internal emotional state of the person. The various types are listed below. Blunted Affect Blunted affect is a common symptom in schizophrenia and related disorders, and refers to a lowered level of the intensity of emotional expression. A person with blunted affect will show little feeling even in emotional situations. As an example, a person with blunted affect may tell a story about being in a car crash but talk little about how it made them feel, speak in a monotone, and not have many facial expressions. Restricted Affect Restricted affect is a reduction in ones expressive range. So, the person describing the car accident may show some feeling and emotion, but it is less than would be expected based on the content of what is being said. Flat Affect Flat affect refers to displaying absolutely no feeling or emotion regardless of the circumstances. This is a step below blunted affect in that it is completely devoid of emotional expression. Labile Affect A person with labile affect shows rapid changes in their emotions that dont seem to relate to any outside situations or seem to be inappropriate for the situation. In other words, if you have labile affect, you would display rapid and repeating shifts in mood or affect. A person with labile affect appears as though they do not have control over their emotions. This type of affect is seen often in neurological disorders such as pseudobulbar affect, in manic episodes during bipolar disorder, and in borderline personality disorder. Labile affect can also result from fatigue, stress/anxiety, and over-stimulation. Shallow Affect Shallow affect has a similar meaning to blunted affect, but it is often used to describe the emotional experience of persons with psychopathy. A person with shallow affect will feel little emotion about situations that would expect to elicit specific feelings. This means that things that cause most people to experience negative emotions do not have the same impact for psychopaths. As an example, American serial killer Richard Ramirez, also known as the Night Stalker, when sentenced to death, responded with, Big deal. Death always went with the territory. See you in Disneyland. Treatment of Inappropriate Affect The treatment for inappropriate affect depends on the underlying cause. Receiving proper treatment depends on an accurate diagnosis, which is why it is so important to visit a healthcare professional if you or someone you know is living with these types of symptoms. Most types of inappropriate affect will be treated with some form of medication depending on the severity of the symptoms. Even if psychotherapy is used, it is usually as an add-on to medication, because therapy alone often will not help to remediate the problem. Medications that may be used include antipsychotics (in the case of schizophrenia or psychosis), antidepressants or mood stabilizers (in the case of mood disorders or related issues), as well as a specific medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of pseudobulbar affect (a combination of dextromethorphan and quinidine). Helping Someone with Inappropriate Affect If you are a caregiver to a person experiencing inappropriate affect, it can be hard on you too. You may react negatively or defensively to the other persons behaviors, which can make the situation worse. You might also be confused by their behavior and not know how to react. Its important as a caregiver that you take time to get help for yourself as well. Support groups or other avenues for connecting with other people going through the same issues may be helpful. You could also consider talk therapy for yourself to learn best how to manage the situation and your own needs and emotions. Coping with Inappropriate Affect If you are living with inappropriate affect, it may be hard to know how to cope. Below are some suggestions on ways to minimize the impact of inappropriate affect on your life. If you have not already, visit a healthcare professional to determine the underlying cause of your inappropriate affect. This person will be able to recommend the appropriate treatment for your situation. If you have a neurological condition that causes you to react in inappropriate ways, it may be helpful to share this with persons close to you so that they can understand better what is happening. If you have schizophrenia or a related condition, its important to seek social support such as though a schizophrenia support group, to manage stress, get regular exercise, get enough sleep each night, avoid using substances such as alcohol, and eat healthy foods that can help to balance your moods. A Word From Verywell Are you or someone you know living with inappropriate affect? While this can be a debilitating condition because it affects every area of your life from work to social relationships, with the help of a healthcare professional, it is possible to reduce the impact on your life. Once you have your symptoms under control, all areas of your life should improve and your sense of control will increase. Whether you are prescribed medication and/or receive psychotherapy, its important to follow through with the prescribed protocol to ensure the best chance of success. Remember that even if you are feeling better, most conditions that require medication will involve taking this medication for the long-term. For this reason, you should always follow your doctors advice and never make treatment decisions on your own. Emotions and Types of Emotional Responses