What the saints say about Anhedonia

Understanding Anhedonia Through the Lens of the Saints

Anhedonia, the profound inability to experience pleasure or joy, finds echoes in the spiritual writings of the saints, particularly in discussions of acedia (a form of spiritual sloth or listlessness that dulls the soul's capacity for divine consolation) and spiritual dryness (periods of desolation where prayer feels empty and God seems distant). These experiences were not seen as mere psychological states but as opportunities for purification, deeper faith, and union with God. Many saints endured them for years, emerging with greater humility and love. Below, Grok gathered key insights and quotes from prominent saints, grouped by theme.

https://thecatholicpost.com/2021/11/04/st-dymphnas-playbook-a-mental-health-resource-from-a-catholic-perspective/

On Acedia: The "Noonday Demon" of Spiritual Listlessness

Acedia was vividly described by early Church Fathers as a midday affliction that breeds restlessness, disdain for one's duties, and a craving for distraction—much like the emotional numbness of anhedonia. It attacks the solitary heart, making even holy work feel burdensome.

• St. John Cassian (c. 360–435 AD), a desert monk, called acedia  "weariness or distress of heart," akin to dejection, that strikes like a fever around midday, causing disgust with one's cell, contempt for brethren, and an urge to flee or seek superficial comforts. He warned it makes the soul "sleep from weariness," rendering it idle for spiritual progress. His remedies include manual labor to ground the body and mind, perseverance in one's place without fleeing, and resisting the temptation to wander: "A fit of acedia should not be evaded by running away from it, but overcome by resisting it." Cassian emphasized that idleness invites countless demons, while work—even unnecessary tasks like weaving palm leaves—purifies the heart and drives acedia away.
• St. Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274 AD) viewed acedia as sorrow over the divine good (union with God), leading to apathy toward spiritual joys. To combat it, he advised reordering thoughts toward God's goodness, focusing on eternal rewards, surrounding oneself with uplifting company, and engaging in moderate bodily activity to lift the spirit without excess.

On Spiritual Dryness: Embracing the "Dark Night" of the Soul

Saints often likened dryness to a purifying forge, where felt abandonment refines faith beyond emotions. It strips away consolations to foster reliance on God's will alone.

• St. John of the Cross (1542–1591 AD), who endured imprisonment and isolation, taught that dryness is a "file" preparing the soul for greater light: "Desolation is a file, and the endurance of darkness is preparation for great light." He valued aridity more than visions: "God values in you an inclination to aridity and suffering for love of Him more than all possible consolations, spiritual visions, and meditations." In the Dark Night of the Soul, he urged casting off attachments and using the cross as a "cane" to travel the narrow path.
• St. Thérèse of Lisieux (1873–1897 AD), who faced months of "pitch black darkness" while dying of tuberculosis, accepted it as rest for Jesus: "Far from experiencing any consolation, complete aridity—desolation, almost—was my lot. Jesus was asleep in my little boat as usual... I bear in mind that little children are just as pleasing to their parents asleep as awake... ‘The Lord knoweth our frame. He remembereth that we are but dust.’" She added, "The darker the night, the brighter the stars, the deeper the grief, the closer is God!"
• St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi (1566–1607 AD) suffered five years of violent temptations and pain amid dryness, viewing trials as purification: "Trials are nothing else but the forge that purifies the soul." She emerged with deeper union, realizing felt distance was not true separation.
• St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta (1910–1997 AD) endured 50 years of forsakenness, feeling "such convicting emptiness that those very thoughts return like sharp knives and hurt my very soul." Yet she persevered in love: "Pain and suffering have come into your life, but remember pain, sorrow, suffering are but the kiss of Jesus—a sign that you have come so close to Him that He can kiss you."
• St. Paul of the Cross (1694–1775 AD) knew 45 years of interior desolation but advised short prayers of surrender: "When you are dry as dust in prayer, don’t quit, but keep going. Use little short prayers, especially acts of acceptance of the Most Holy Will of God. For example: ‘O dear Will of my God, may You be blessed forever! O most Gentle Will! May You be always fulfilled by all.’"

https://www.churchpop.com/anxious-or-depressed-turn-to-saint-dymphna-7-things-to-know-about-the-patron-of-mental-afflictions/

Practical Advice from the Saints for Overcoming Despair and Numbness

The saints emphasized fidelity in dryness as proof of genuine love, urging simple acts over emotional highs.

Saint	Key Advice	Quote
St. Teresa of Avila (1515–1582 AD)	Trust God's unchanging nature amid turmoil; suffering itself is prayer.	"Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you, all things pass away: God never changes. Patience obtains all things. He who has God finds he lacks nothing; God alone suffices." "One must not think that a person who is suffering is not praying. He is offering up his sufferings to God."
St. Francis de Sales (1567–1622 AD)	Dry works gain more merit; yield to God's timing without longing for relief.	"Our actions are like roses, which when fresh have more beauty but when dry have more strength and sweetness... performed in times of dryness, they possess more sweetness and become more precious in the sight of God."
St. Padre Pio (1887–1968 AD)	Pray and hope without worry, as God hears beyond feelings.	"Pray, hope, and don’t worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer."
St. John Vianney (1786–1859 AD)	Sit silently before the Eucharist; let your guardian angel pray if you cannot.	"Silently sitting or kneeling before the Blessed Sacrament... can be a valuable and effective way of praying... If you find it impossible to pray, hide behind your good angel, and charge him to pray in your stead."
St. Alphonsus Liguori (1696–1787 AD)	Pray to please God, not for satisfaction.	"This, then, is your answer whenever you feel tempted to stop praying because it seems to be a waste of time: ‘I am here to please God.’"

In summary, the saints assure us that anhedonia-like states are not abandonment but invitations to childlike trust and heroic perseverance. As St. Bernard of Clairvaux put it, "To have peace in the midst of pain is the best of all." If this resonates, consider invoking patron saints like St. Dymphna (for mental health) or simply offering your dryness to Christ in small, faithful acts.

end