Drugs for amotivational syndrome

[Dysphoric]

I don't really know were else to put this, I usually post in ADD. So, if it's in the wrong forum please move it.

Anyways, I've been trying to find answers for my severe motivational issues and somewhat melancholic state, but to no avail. This has actually been with me for most of my life, but now I'm at the age (19) where I need to move on and figure out what I'm going to do with my future (schooling/jobs). I've been active most of my life as well, and eat somewhat healthy, and still nothing improves. I'm getting desperate enough to the point of trying to use a drug to overcome this nonsense. However, I did use Adderall (prescribed) back 3 years ago and it did wonders for this problem, but soon became useless due to crashes, anxiety and only wanting to use it for the euphoria. I soon got Desoxyn and hardly touched it due to anxiety. So, it has been 16 months since I've touched a single Amphetamine. I have not done any other psychotropics in about a year as well, the only substance I use is Nicotine ATM.

I've done tons of research on my own, but yet again to no avail. Some interesting compounds were Tianeptine, Amineptine, and Fencamfamine. Annoyingly neither of them are approved, at least in the U.S.

So now I come here looking for some suggestions. I'm looking for something with stimulant actions and can also elevate mood.

 

[SerotonergicHaze]

Modafinil might be useful. It is a stimulant, and may help get you more energised and motivated to do things without being more-ish. Doctors aren't too worried about scripting it as it's got almost no abuse potential (if they're going to script you desoxyn, well modafinil won't be a problem )

Although I've never taken this, Bupropion might be worth exploring, it's similar to Ritalin except it's a much weaker stimulant and many find it to be useful for depression that is very amotivational

A good option will be getting some cognitive behavioral therapy to go along in conjunction with medication

 

[JackiesBabyy]

Want low abuse potential? Wellbutrin would be great, maybe modafinil but that didn't do much for my mood and really just kept me awake. Don't mind abuse potential? 4-FA, best RC on the planet for motivation (social motivation and work motivation alike).

 

[Achten]

I'd suggest a controlled +/- 15mg 4HO-MET experiment. Let's you see Life throuh new colorful glasses.

 

[JackiesBabyy]

I'd suggest a controlled +/- 15mg 4HO-MET experiment. Let's you see Life throuh new colorful glasses.

I don't think that'd be a great long-term solution. 1. I don't think depression is the best mindset for psychedelic use, at least not melancholic depression. Maybe atypical depression because that's more low energy and no motivation than bad thoughts and sadness. and 2. Even if it did help, you can't do stuff like that every day.

 

[Dysphoric]

Although I've never taken this, Bupropion might be worth exploring, it's similar to Ritalin except it's a much weaker stimulant and many find it to be useful for depression that is very amotivational

I've thought about Bupropion before, but it just for some reason doesn't interest me. Can you actually feel the effects of the drug? I guess I just doubt the drug due to using lots of very strong stimulants before.

Hmmm, this reminds me. Would Focalin be useful for the state I'm in? I probably wouldn't use it everyday, but I would be using most of the week. The only issue I have with Focalin is the duration, and crash . I also have slight cardiophobia (Drugs that cause rapid heart rate "Tachycardia") Focalin being similar to Cocaine makes me skeptical about how much it could raise my pulse. I would just take Desoxyn, but I don't like how its somewhat neurotoxic and very downregulatory. So, I'd rather just use that sparsely.

A good option will be getting some cognitive behavioral therapy to go along in conjunction with medication

I've been doing therapy my whole life for a whole array of things. Lets just say I find therapy to be a huge joke.

Another question what about Selegiline?

 

[Dysphoric]

Don't mind abuse potential? 4-FA, best RC on the planet for motivation (social motivation and work motivation alike).

I will never touch RCs, EVER! And if I were to use something like 4-FA, I'd use something with more research, like 4-Methylaminorex. Looks very impressive and is even said to be non-neurotoxic. Why isn't it being prescribed? Beats me.

 

[JackiesBabyy]

I will never touch RCs, EVER! And if I were to use something like 4-FA, I'd use something with more research, like 4-Methylaminorex. Looks very impressive and is even said to be non-neurotoxic. Why isn't it being prescribed? Beats me.

4-FA has been shown to be less neurotoxic than regular amphetamine in lab testing, and I'm an example of someone who's used it regularly with 0 signs of neurotoxicity or any permanant damage. The only thing is you need self control or someone to control it for you, because if you binge on it, you'll end up with a comedown which I can honestly say was the worst I've ever felt. I was scared I may have fucked myself up permanantly, but, it passed as does MDMA hangovers and meth comedowns. I understand your aversion to RCs, I was the same way before I actually felt how much milder and less "toxic" feeling than adderall/ritalin/etc. 4-FA was, but it took me a while to work up the courage to try it.

There was a lot less info about 4-FA when I started in december. There's 20x more internet results for 4-FA info on google than there was then. Back then there were a few erowid reports and a small thread on bluelight with no reports of regular use as far as I could see.

 

[SerotonergicHaze]

4-Methylaminorex is pretty cardiotoxic. Regular aminorex used to be prescribed to be used as an anorectic but then got pulled for causing dangerous Pulmonary hypertension.

 

[mrflowers00]

i don't suggest it but oxycodone works really good for me

 

[phatass]

have you ever been on an SSRI or SNRI?

 

[Dysphoric]

have you ever been on an SSRI or SNRI?

I won't touch them with a 10ft pole.

 

[Allein]

Hi Dysphoric, as above really, what other routes have you tried to resolve these symptoms other than stimulants. It doesn't feel to me that stimulants are going to resolve the underlying cause of your lack of motivation, at best you'll get short term relief from one aspect of your condition.

I'm not necessarily advocating the use of anti depressants because I don't know enough about your condition or your life and I'm not a doctor, but I have suffered from similar symptoms and self medicated with stimulants and found them to do more harm than good.

A combination of lifestyle changes, ADs and CBT therapy has helped me improve my overall state of mind but it was a slow process and will never really be over, we are who we are.

I won't touch them with a 10ft pole.

That's not a very helpful response, the answer is either yes or no and some reasoning would really help others help you, remember even the best doctors seek advice for their own conditions.

I seems to me you may have got caught up in your own knowledge of medications and your own research and you are not open to others input, you may be ignoring the elephant in the room.

 

[JackiesBabyy]

i don't suggest it but oxycodone works really good for me

An opiate for amotivational depression? It's help the depression until you realize you're not rich and can't afford oxy every day, but when I'm on any opiate, I don't want to do any physical or mental activity besides enjoy the euphoria and breathe, and even then breathing is a chore. Seems like it'd worsen his situation. Then again, I've been up for about 60 hours now and I'm kinda drifting in and out mentally so what in the hell do I know?

 

[Dysphoric]

An opiate for amotivational depression? It's help the depression until you realize you're not rich and can't afford oxy every day, but when I'm on any opiate, I don't want to do any physical or mental activity besides enjoy the euphoria and breathe, and even then breathing is a chore. Seems like it'd worsen his situation. Then again, I've been up for about 60 hours now and I'm kinda drifting in and out mentally so what in the hell do I know?

Yeah, I could never see how an opiate would work.

 

[Dysphoric]

That's not a very helpful response, the answer is either yes or no and some reasoning would really help others help you, remember even the best doctors seek advice for their own conditions.

I seems to me you may have got caught up in your own knowledge of medications and your own research and you are not open to others input, you may be ignoring the elephant in the room.

SSRI's aren't going to help with motivation, AFAIK. Dopamine is responsible for motivation. I think I'm lacking in the Dopamine department rather than the Serotonin. Not to mention I haven't really heard anything that great out of SSRI's. Also, my doc just says its ADHD and wants me to do stims, they sure as hell work, but I don't want to be a slave to them. I'd rather use them sparsely, especially Releasing Agents like Amphetamines. If I were to take any stims often it would be something along the lines of an DARI.

 

[JackiesBabyy]

SSRI's aren't going to help with motivation, AFAIK. Dopamine is responsible for motivation. I think I'm lacking in the Dopamine department rather than the Serotonin. Not to mention I haven't really heard anything that great out of SSRI's. Also, my doc just says its ADHD and wants me to do stims, they sure as hell work, but I don't want to be a slave to them. I'd rather use them sparsely, especially Releasing Agents like Amphetamines. If I were to take any stims often it would be something along the lines of an DARI.

SSRIs might (can't speak from experience) be good for social motivation (desire to be social, but maybe I'm just thinking of SSRAs having this effect), but as for motivation and energy in general, stims are your best bet unless you don't mind getting off the stims, having dietary restrictions and asking for Nardil. (MAOI) I've heard nothing but good things for it's impact on atypical depression (which includes low energy and motivation. Also rejection sensitivity and overeating, if you have those too). I'd ask for it myself if the stims I'm scripted (vyvanse in the morning, adderall IR at night) weren't working enough for me.

 

[phatass]

i wouldn't be so quick to judge AD's, also i said SSRI or SNRI's

think of this, when you have an infection and its painfull you can take painkillers.. you will no longer be in pain but the infection is still there maybe getting worse, and if you stop the painkillers it will hurt, whereas if you take an anti-biotic, it will take some time to work but will treat the infection, and not just one or some of the symptoms of the infection .....

(not very well explained metaphore but i think you will understand my point)

now i see amphetamines as painkillers in this example, and an SSRI or SNRI or as a possible anti-biotic... treating the cause of the symptoms and not just the symptoms alone.... do you understand what i mean?

i'm not saying SSRI's or SNRI's will cure you, but rthey will have a potential for treating the cause of he symptoms.... then again, they may not help at all....

you mentioned dopamine so i looked into DRI's, but i don't think they will treat the root of the problem.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dopamine_reuptake_inhibitor I could be 100% wrong though

 

[JackiesBabyy]

If you want to try a weaker SSRI/DARI(kinda), try st. john's wort. It's OTC, it doesn't take weeks to kick in like real SSRIs (Well, it is chemically real too haha). The two main alkaloids are hyperforin, which is a minor SSRI and Hypericin, a minor MAOI which may or may not be powerful enough to have an effect and also inhibits the enzyme which converts DA to NE, thus, in theory, leaving you more DA.

Wellbutrin is the only DARI antidepressant out there. Methylphenidate is a stimulant DARI, but it pretty much sucks in comparison to amp stims.

 

[Allein]

SSRI's aren't going to help with motivation, AFAIK. Dopamine is responsible for motivation. I think I'm lacking in the Dopamine department rather than the Serotonin. Not to mention I haven't really heard anything that great out of SSRI's. Also, my doc just says its ADHD and wants me to do stims, they sure as hell work, but I don't want to be a slave to them. I'd rather use them sparsely, especially Releasing Agents like Amphetamines. If I were to take any stims often it would be something along the lines of an DARI.

What I was trying to suggest was that your lack of motivation / apathy / fatigue / dysphoria even could be down to depression, you may also have ADHD but that doesn't preclude this, in fact I believe the 2 often go together in adults.

I'm not advocating SSRIs, personally I didn't get on with them but it may be worth considering if depression is responsible for at least some of your problems, the symptoms certainly sound familiar to me.

Best wishes