Anhedonia

I'm sick. I'm suffering from 'Anhedonia' - my own diagnosis. This disease won't attack me when I'm in Seoul but whenever I'm in Hong Kong, it strikes me without notice. What is Anhedonia? The absence of pleasure or the ability to experience it.

To aid a better grasp of the word, I copy and paste the meaning of it from the web medical dictionary. I quote:

"Anhedonia (derived from Greek "a-" (without) "hedone" (pleasure, delight) is an inability to experience pleasure from normally pleasurable experiences/life events such as eating, exercise, social interaction or sexual activities - kind of depression.

An anhedonic mother finds no joy from playing with her baby. An anhedonic football fan is not excited when his team wins. An anhedonic teenager feels no pleasure from passing the driving test."

In Seoul, I enjoyed going out with friends. I enjoyed wandering around. I enjoyed going to the cinema. I enjoyed all kinds of social events. Even when friends weren't available, I could just grab a book and sit in a cafe for the whole afternoon without feeling any kind of loneliness. But now back at home, it seems everything's no fun to me. I don't feel like going out. I don't feel like eating. (Don't worry! I do eat.) I don't feel like chatting with friends. (Actually, I haven't called any friends since flying back but I've written numerous emails and SMS messages to friends in Korea.) Worst of all, sleep doesn't come as much as it did in Seoul.

Highly likely, I'll be spending the coming months hibernating before I can make another trip to Seoul. Hibernation is no good, I know, but ay!

P.S.

I'm not really sick. It's just that I lose the mood to go out and lose the appetite to eat. The crowds in the streets scare me and the polluted air suffocates me. I need an adjustment period before I can pick up the pace of Hong Kong life. Give me time for a full recovery!