Alogia is a psychiatric symptom in which a person can only say very few words. Most often, people experiencing alogia will only speak when they are spoken to. They won’t elaborate or go into detail. This doesn’t necessarily mean that they don’t want to speak or communicate. When a person has alogia, their speech is limited because of changes or differences in their brain and nervous system. 

Many people experience alogia as a symptom of conditions like severe depression and schizophrenia. The severity of alogia tends to be connected to how the underlying condition is changing. For example, if severe depression improves, the speech may also. It’s not a core feature of any one condition, so it’s impossible to know who will develop it. 

When left untreated, people may try to cope with alogia by self-isolating. This often leads to poor health and decreased well-being. There are treatments that can help people manage alogia and related conditions. When they get the help they need, people who have alogia can live fulfilling lives.

In this blog post, we’ll discuss what alogia is and what it looks like.

What symptoms are associated with alogia?

Alogia is a negative form of formal thought disorder, which means it affects the ways thoughts are formed. It’s considered a “negative” symptom because it involves the absence of “normal” behavior. In this case, people who have alogia don’t speak as much as others who don’t have it. Other types of formal thought disorder involve patterns of disorganized thought. People may experience more than one type of thought disorder at a time. Other formal thought disorders include blocking, derailment and echolalia.

The most common symptoms of alogia are:

• Difficulty putting one’s thoughts into words
• Single-word responses
• Using minimal words
• A lack of flowing conversation
• Not expressing one’s thoughts spontaneously
• Failing to respond when spoken to

What causes alogia?

The specific causes of alogia are unknown. It often co-occurs with neurological and mental health conditions. Researchers think it may be a result of changes in the parts of the brain that process language and executive function. Issues with connectivity between different parts of the brain may also contribute.

Because it affects a person’s ability to communicate, alogia can be difficult to diagnose and treat. There are similar conditions like selective mutism that also affect how much a person speaks. Selective mutism often occurs in people with anxiety and after traumatic experiences. The difference is that selective mutism is usually situation specific. People who have this condition can speak normally outside of specific anxiety-inducing situations. Alogia reflects a global reduction in speech or a difficulty formulating speech in general.

Alogia may be a symptom of the following conditions:

• Schizophrenia and related conditions, such as schizoaffective disorder
• Severe depression
• Bipolar disorder
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Huntington’s disease 
• Traumatic brain injury 
• Neurodevelopmental conditions, such as autism spectrum disorder

When should I seek treatment for a loved one who has alogia?

Alogia and related conditions can affect a person’s ability to maintain relationships and function as usual. Any significant changes in a person’s habits, when combined with alogia, are a sign that they may need treatment. If a traumatic brain injury is suspected, you should seek medical care.

If your loved one is having any suicidal thoughts, you should call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988. Difficulty distinguishing reality from fantasy or seeing or hearing things that other people can’t are also symptoms that need to be treated promptly.

The following symptoms may occur along with alogia, and they indicate mental health conditions that require treatment:

• Reduced ability to function
• Not bathing or caring for oneself
• Lack of motivation or interest in life activities
• Reduced ability to feel pleasure or joy
• Social isolation
• Emotional blunting or flat affect
• Hallucinations
• Delusions
• Disorganized thought
• Depressive episodes
• Suicidal thoughts
• Symptoms of mania or hypomania, which include high energy, elevated mood and grandiose thinking

What treatments can help people manage alogia?

There are treatments that can relieve alogia symptoms or help a person manage it. The best course of treatment will usually depend on a person’s overall symptom presentation. Any underlying conditions that may be contributing to the alogia will need to be treated accordingly. When alogia is part of a mental health condition, a combination of psychotherapy and medication usually creates the best outcomes. 

At Lightfully, we see our clients as people first. We provide each client with a personalized treatment plan that incorporates work in four main areas: thoughts, emotions, behaviors and relationships. We use evidence-based treatments to help each person achieve and maintain mental wellness, which looks different for everyone. All of our programs include family therapy sessions so our clients’ loved ones can learn the best ways to support them. 

Are you looking for ways to support a loved one experiencing alogia due to a mental health condition? We can help. Contact us or reach out to our Admissions Concierge Team today. Let’s create a plan together with your loved one to help them thrive.