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Mental Health Anhedonia MEGA Thread

cyoung said:
2) Might there by a pharmaceutical approach (whether extant or theoretical) to mimic the positive effects of sleep deprivation on anhedonia without actually having to physically deprive oneself of sleep?

3) Has anyone gotten significant relief from anhedonia through the semi-regular use of salvia to downregulate kappa opioid receptors?

4) Has anyone used low-dose amisulpride or aripiprazole to alleviate anhedonia? I assume they negate stimulant use, but do you think they have the potential to alleviate anhedonia enough to do away with stimulant use altogether??

Thanks Much !!


*****Please kindly consider referencing the numbering system above in replying to my post.
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2) yes but I suggest sleep deprivation. By the time you do get sleep it seems to work better or "right". I only suggest doing it occasionally. It isn't advisable for everyone. Limiting your sleep to 5 to 6 hours per night is much more advisable.

3) yes. I highly recommend this. The acute experience isn't remotely enjoyable for most people though but I really love it. Very tactile. It is best done in low doses; as most people would be very unhappy with high doses.

4) I have not and would not use nor suggest aripiprazole for anhedonia. These sorts of drugs are best for positive symptoms (psychotic/schizoid features in particular); negative symptoms are not addressed well with this type of medication. Of course this is just my 2 cents.
 
cyoung said:
2) Might there by a pharmaceutical approach (whether extant or theoretical) to mimic the positive effects of sleep deprivation on anhedonia without actually having to physically deprive oneself of sleep?
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It's only at nighttime that I start enjoying things (I am bipolar 1 though). Classical stimulants do pretty much the same thing for me. I don't think any doctor will prescribe amphetamine to you though for this. Other than that, the medication we have for treating depression or it's symptoms are mostly not very efficient.

Regarding aripiprazole, I found it to be fucking worthless both as a neuroleptic and as whatever else it's supposed to be. Many people swear by it though!!
 
With no prior drug abuse, I took 2 lines of what I believe to be cocaine with a group of people for my first and only time. I was drunk when I did this. Terrible come down.

I have had terrible anhedonia for 6 months since that night. I don't even desire food?
I thought this only happens to chronic users?
Before this I could find beauty in a rusty shovel, now I can't find beauty in Van Gough even (I'm an artist...err was an artist before this).

Anyone experience or hear of this? Any advice? Can time heal or should I assume that I should be healed by now?

I took Klonopin for 2 weeks to help me sleep, could that have contributed?
 
Dysphoric said:
Why, what would you recommend? I remember a while back seeing a chemical called fencamfamine. It sounds a little similair to d-methylphenidate, but less peripheral and lasted a lot longer, unfortunately it isn't available in the US.

Also an update. I did end up getting a vape-pen. The nicotine alone isn't satisfying, its lacking the beta-carbolines (MAO's) that are found in tobacco. It definitely makes a HUGE difference. I also find that vaping is hard to tell just how much nicotine you're ingesting so its not something I feel comfortable with doing as well.
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I think its really tough. Don't quite understand why diethylpropion isn't being considered as an adjunct when ssris/snris and atypicals don't work.

I definitely wouldn't recommend self-medication or any illegal activities to medicate oneself. I think that MAOIs work pretty well, but oftentimes people find their doctors are uncomfortable with prescribing nardil/parnate because they're concerned with concurrent stimulant use or more likely the diet restrictions. Selegiline is marketed in patch form without dietary restrictions (at least at the 6mg dosage) with the 9mg and 12mg dosages being a lot more safe to combine with prohibited foods than parnate/nardil. That's probably what I would recommend asking your doctor about. However its reeally stimulating, not necessarily in a good way. I found amp to be much more smooth and accommodating to life's activities, but its probably not as good an AD. Doctors do still allow people to take amps as adjuncts, but you'd have to really commit yourself to not abusing it or raising the dose. Taking a tolerance break and taking supplements can lower some aspects of tolerance when you feel the need to raise the dosage.

High doses of effexor are supposed to be somewhat dopaminergic too.

Nicotine is also sometimes used, but that makes it so much easier for former tobacco users to use, and if they already use there's not much of a point.

Three cups of coffee per day never hurt any responsible adult.

Abilify augmentation is another option.
 
abracadabra girl said:
Good article
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it was a good read but it doesnt explain what to do with former hardcore drug addicts that have really damaged their pleasure receptors with opiates, meth etc etc..i suffer from anhedonia and simply switching up activities does nothing for my anhedonia..besides, i think the root of why certain people have higher/lower thresholds for boredom or anhedonia runs deeper that what this article goes into..i think anhedonia leads many people TO drug use as opposed to what the article implies, that drug use leads to anhedonia..it may and does worsen anhedonia but it was there before the drug use started imo..ive talked to enough addicts to realize this..
 
2 months of true anhedonia from MDMA abuse. I'm talking straight 'stare at the wall for hours' flat affect. In month 3, some feeling started to come back. I can listen to music and play guitar now, but it's not entirely the same. Social situations - I can take them or leave them. Sex drive is down as well. Those 5HT receptors don't regrow overnight!

I take Zoloft but it only does so much.

Exercise can go a long way for anyone in this thread. I promise.
 
herbavore said:
Have you ever tried electronic cigarettes? I'm wondering if they would do the same thing for you without as many health risks?
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In my experience they do. I was able to switch from one day to the next, but can still smoke the occasional cigarette without wanting to go back. One of the best gifts you can give to a smoker who otherwise wouldn't try them. Lifesaver.
 
belfort said:
it was a good read but it doesnt explain what to do with former hardcore drug addicts that have really damaged their pleasure receptors with opiates, meth etc etc..i suffer from anhedonia and simply switching up activities does nothing for my anhedonia..besides, i think the root of why certain people have higher/lower thresholds for boredom or anhedonia runs deeper that what this article goes into..i think anhedonia leads many people TO drug use as opposed to what the article implies, that drug use leads to anhedonia..it may and does worsen anhedonia but it was there before the drug use started imo..ive talked to enough addicts to realize this..
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Very good point indeed. Having bipolar disorder I I have known 'boredom' all my life, I just never called it depression or anhedonia as a child. Drugs have really allowed me to enjoy life. I am not trying to downplay their many negatives and dangers, but some can indeed act antidepressive without highly frequent use. Mescaline, DMT, mushrooms, synthetic serotonergic psychedelics, but also dissociatives have helped me through difficult times more than once. Unfortunately they have also at times wreaked havoc on my life when used too frequently, but stimulants have been much worse in that respect. Shit even alcohol has done an amazing job at getting me through the first month of being separated from my daughter (due to moving out after splitting up with her mum). Opiates have proven very worthwhile during the worst depressions since they were the only thing that allowed me to enjoy social interaction or some otherwise boring tasks.

We all know how all these drugs can ruin a life, even psychedelics can do immense damage, so I wouldn't recommend their application for treatment of depression to anyone. I think modern pharmaceuticals like the phase prophylactic lamotrigin (or the older ones like valproate or lithium), some atypical antipsychotics and the pletora of antidepressants that exist should always be the starting point and their effect is usually much more sustainable than those of recreational drugs. However, the fact that mental illness is an underlying cause for substance abuse is often not sufficiently appreciated. Many psychiatrists acknowledge that drug abuse in many patients is merely an attempt at self medication, there is a reason why some sources claim as much as a 90% comorbidity of drug abuse in the case of bipolar patients. Needless to say though, there are paths to choose from that reward us with a much better prognosis than taking recreational drugs ever will.
 
Ho-Chi-Minh said:
It sucks that wellbutrin is the only ndri regularly considered for depression.
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Yeah it does suck and it's basically the only anti-depressant prescribed on the North American market that acts as a Dopamine reuptake inhibitor. So if lack of Dopamine turns out to be your problem then you have to go with a MAOI like Selegiline or one of the older ones like Parnate or Nardil as they are the only other anti-depressants that act to raise Dopamine levels in your brain. I would be interested in trying a Dopamine antagonist like Ropinirole (trade name Requip) or Pramipexole (trade name Mirapex) to see if they would help my depression any. Although i have heard of these drugs causing psychosis every now and then so maybe they wouldn't go so good with bipolar disorder. I just hate the fact that they have about 100 different Serotonin reuptake inhibitors, loads of SNRI's and atleast a few NRI's but the only anti-depressant that acts as a Norepinephrine Dopamine reuptake inhibitor or anything that act's on Dopamine besides MAOI's is Bupropion.

I find Bupropion to be a great anti-depressant as it has very little side effects, actually increases your sex drive instead of killing it and is stimulating instead of sedating which is what you want if you can't get out of bed. The type of depression i get is the lethargic, no energy to do anything and no desire to do anything at all. It's the only anti-depressant that helps me besides a few Tricyclics such as Trimipramine and Amitriptyline. I think it's because those 2 meds act on Norepinephrine and help me sleep as well that they actually work on me. Apparently the Tricyclic Imipramine is supposed to be somewhat stimulating due to it's Norepinephrine reuptake inhibition.
 
^^welbutrin also increases anxiety and agitation in many patients..it improved my sex drive for about a week but then it made me sexually dysfunctional..the improved motivation disappeared within a week or so..i wish it had worked on anhedonia...

Crook-yep, i remember growing up i always needed a much more heightened sense of activity to not feel bored compared to other kids..doing everyday things just bored the hell out of me..i never knew all along it was basically anhedonia...its interesting that neuro-scientists have seen very similar 'pleasure center breakdowns' in addicts and serial killers/rapists..it seems their hedonistic center is malfunctioning from the start and they need very intense forms of stimuli to feel entertained..again though, they have no solutions for it though..lol..
 
There's just a blanket of apathy. I don't care right now whether I live or die or ever become happy, honestly. Everything is utterly pointless. And sometimes that's a freeing thought. But right now there's just nothing. Pure emptiness.
 
I am finding CBT very useful, its pretty much just exercises you do. For example saying objects I see softly to myself has made me more observant and better appreciate my surroundings.
 
Wow, I'm new here it's been so good to read all your thoughts and experiences!

I've had issues with depression/anxiety/suicidality since I was a young teen and I've never really found that I can speak about my bouts of anhedonia, mainly because it was a source of shame.

Anyways, for whatever its worth I've had good results from:
- taking up regular exercise (I went really hard with running and climbing though so I don't know how much is actually necessary)
- moving address from the area that I used to score and use drugs
- being somewhere green. I know it sounds stupid but walking in the forest helped a lot!

Hope you're all doing okay.

Love, peace & chicken grease :\
 
Almost nothing can get me high anymore. I can't stand weed anymore, and I drink so much that the euphoria is long gone. My sex drive is gone and it really makes me wanna end it all. I have family though, so I just gotta keep on keepin' on.
 
Did anyone here recover from anhedonia? I've had anhedonia/emotion numbness for almost 2 months now after going cold turkey from extremly high doses of phenibut which I took alomst daily for around 7 months. Im just curious to see if anyone's anhedonia got better or did it ever fully go away with time.
 
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