Social Anxiety Support Forum banner

Who has Anhedonia?

22K views 46 replies 26 participants last post by  stewartmays1 
#1 ·
Hi everyone.

I've been suffering with anhedonia for almost 5 years now. I cannot feel any human emotions/feelings whatsoever, no joy/excitement.... nothing. I also can't enjoy anything... nothing interests me, and there is simply no desire/motivation to do anything. I just waste time watching movies and sitting on the computer the whole day.... logically, I know that's not good, but I feel OK about that (ok well, I feel nothing... hard to explain) Complete, flat-out, zombie state.

I know many people suffer from lack of pleasure (anhedonia) but does anyone suffer with anhedonia + no emotions as well? If you do, could you please let me know what treatment worked for you?

Just wanted to see who's suffering from anhedonia. Thanks.
 
#3 ·
There are not too many things worse then not being able to feel something when you know you should. Most of the time all I feel is depression/anger. I hate laying in bed not knowing what to think or feel. Makes for very long nights. But yes sometimes I do feel like I feel nothing.
 
#4 ·
Did you take any antidepressants? Prozac gave me permanent anhedonia... most people recover, however, because I have no luck in life (and things always go from bad to worst) I lost all my emotions/feeings and cannot even enjoy life. My personality and identity has been erased.... I can't even enjoy anything at all... anything I do is just to waste, fall asleep, and wake up to repeat the process.

Honestly, this really isn't a "life". Life was beautiful before I had anhedonia.... the problem is, it's permanent... I honestly don't think I will be able to continue living like this anymore. I never thought this type of suffering was even humanly possible.
 
#5 ·
A test I took last year told me I had anhedonia. I think it was flawed though - there's a difference between not taking pleasure in things and not being able to take pleasure in things.

Isn't lack of emotion one of the hallmarks of anti-social personality disorder? Anti-social personality disorder is what psychopaths have. I'm not saying that you're a psychopath - anti-social personality disorder expresses itself in all kinds of ways - psychopathy is just one rare way. I just used that example to give you an idea of the disorder that I'm talking about. Then I start to think about autism and those kinds of disorders, but it sounds like you recognize emotion in other people, just that you can't seem to feel it.

Anyway, disregard most of what I just said and go see someone about it. That's your best bet.
 
#6 ·
No, I'm not psychopathic... I use to be a normal, happy, and hyper kid... I ended up becoming depressed because of terrible **** that happened, so I took Prozac, and ever since, I lost every single human emotion/feeling that I took for granted.

I also can't enjoy anything in life. I basically just waste time and do nothing, because honestly, this isn't even living anymore. I'm simply existing, and thanks to Prozac, I've been permanently brain damaged. Honestly though, as I said, it was to be expected because I honestly have the worst luck ever... not something I can explain in words, but sometimes I don't even understand why I even continue to live. Anhedonia = living hell... I just never thought living (or should I say existing) can be this painful.... the excitement/fun in life is completely gone.

I was never a suicidal person... never thought of suicide, but now, that's all I honestly think about... because I'm not even living anymore, I feel dead.
 
#11 ·
No.

If you type in "SSRI Anhedonia" you will a lot of people suffering from it. Some people do recover, but there's people like me who don't, which ruins your life.

You don't feel any emotions, you can't feel joy, you never get excited... etc. I lost my personality and sense of humor... I don't even understand what's the point of leaving the house anymore when I can't enjoy anything anymore.

I miss the old me...
 
#12 ·
I have to post here. The feeling of not enjoying anything is terrible. I don't if this is related to ADD/Socialanxiety. My medications made me worse I think. I take stimulants and tranquilizers and the anti depressant lexapro. This combination helps me but I never abuse stimulants stimulants anymore for this reason. Also still bit dependent on some weed sometimes, I don't see any problems with this. I have the feeling I can learn anything but I can never focus extended periods on stuff. I just need someone in life. There just comes just a point in life where you just have to accept things around you.
 
#14 ·
It's awful man, it really is. Do you also have a flat mood/no emotions as well? Like, I honestly have no emotions... I simply don't feel anything. I have to wait years (and that's if I ever will recover)

So you're taking Lexapro? Did you get anhedonia after taking stimulants/lexapro?

Let me know.

I have anhedonia too. It sucks not feeling pleasure in anything. Ritalin doesn't even help, which I take daily for ADHD.
What caused your anhedonia? What about your emotions?

and I agree, it's absolutely horrific.
 
#21 ·
I do know I have lack of emotions but sadness, find no joy or interest in many thing.
 
#24 ·
Even when things were going well for me I was always very unhappy. Not depressed, but just lacking in joy. Nothing got me excited. At all. It wasn't until very recently that I discovered some hobbies that made me feel much more fulfilled that I started to take some pride in myself and start to find that joy. I think if there are things we want to do deep down inside but we are always too afraid or unmotivated to do them, we will just feel like empty shells. Everyone has their passions, and I feel that if you're not striving for those passions every day, you're just not going to feel the positive emotional effects of life.
 
#25 ·
Everyone has their passions, and I feel that if you're not striving for those passions every day, you're just not going to feel the positive emotional effects of life.
Yes, this.

I mean, I've lost my passion for games. Even when I hear about something that sounds good, I'm not actually into it emotionally, I'm just going through it logically in my head and deciding that it seems a good thing.

I need a job. But the fact that I am where I am is complicating everything :roll.
 
#27 ·
I'm beginning to suffer from this. I'm not sure if it's because of a lack of job, structure, variety in life? Does OP have either of those?

I do not work and do the same thing every day - chatting, play video games, laying in bed, sleeping, work out, visit my parents. No variety, no real structure. Everything feels boring and I don't enjoy it. I'm assuming this is part of the cause of the anhedonia.
 
#28 ·
I'm beginning to suffer from this. I'm not sure if it's because of a lack of job, structure, variety in life? Does OP have either of those?

I do not work and do the same thing every day - chatting, play video games, laying in bed, sleeping, work out, visit my parents. No variety, no real structure. Everything feels boring and I don't enjoy it. I'm assuming this is part of the cause of the anhedonia.
It might be... you might have to try new things, but do you have emotions?
 
#32 ·
I do, abilify worked but I had to quit it because it was costing me 200/month. I am now hoping Effexor will help. I think from doing a lot of research the primary neurotransmitter to look out after for anhedonia would be norepinephrine. Remeron/Zoloft worked for me in the past before they pooped out and Remeron targets norepinephrine. I also read a pretty extensive journal the other day where chronic coffee/caffeine intake severely downregulates the alpha adrenergic receptors quite a bit and could possibly contribute to anhedonia. As such today was my first day without coffee! I'm done with it for the time being.

DMAE may help some people with the increase in acetylcholine, though it's a hit or miss.
 
#42 ·
The main emotions I feel are guilt, sadness and anger. Of course, no one I know can read me so they don't what I'm feeling ever. I'm sick of being alone. Nobody care about me. I wish I could end it all, but I have to be strong for my family. I hate this life.
 
#44 ·
I want to say that I have Anhedonia but at the same time, i'm unsure and wouldn't want to label that disorder on myself anyways. My apathy towards most things in life, and my life as a whole is a bit concerning, and like you, i've lost or atleast starting to lose desire/motivation to do anything. Being content of this auto-piloted lifestyle really isn't ideal either.
Losing pleasure in things does indeed suck but there has to be one thing you enjoy to hold on to. Don't have one? find it. If there's one beauty in this world, it's that it offers endless possibilities.

Also if you're gonna find a connection with anhedonia or lack of emotion/empathy with a PD, your best bet is SPD.
 
#46 ·
I understand you. And i have suffered from it for 2 years. I can definetely say that like major depression, it is very difficult to treat anhedonia on your own and often it is impossible to do. Since in most cases anhedonia is a symptom of some other disease, and it is necessary to treat the disease itself. Anhedonia will disappear throughout the treatment.

However, there are a number of tips dealing with anhedonia which have helped me:

The correct day regime - good night's sleep, regular meals, and physical exercises;
The diet should consist of several sources of serotonin - chocolate, fresh fruit;
Focus on pleasant and positive moments, try to do everything on your own in order to make a moment positive and pleasant;
Psychotherapeutic correction such as Gestalt therapy, behavioral techniques, psychoanalysis;
Pharmacological correction - doctors may prescribe antidepressants.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top