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Incredibly lonely, shutting down: Suffering with Anhedonia
Mental Health | Last Active: Jul 24, 2022 | Replies (40)Comment receiving replies
Hi, @januaryjane . Anhedonia is one of the pieces of depression that I have been experiencing since I fell apart 16 years ago. I had always found pleasure in life, in many things. But pleasure seemed to have evaporated. Along with other things, of course.
In my pre-depression life I might have said something like, "things will get better", or some other platitude. The thoughtless, lack of understanding list of unhelpful things that are said to hurting people is pretty long. I've heard my share of them.
As others have said, you have found a safe place here, full of people like us, who need a listening ear without being judged, who need caring support without the platitudes and empty words.
I've been seeing therapists for 14 years now, and have been taking antidepressants, and all of it has mostly stabilized me. Because of the nature of depression, anxiety, PTSD and other illnesses, if we're willing to hear the truth and to accept the truth, depression and all its cousins will quite possibly be with us for the rest of our lives. I know that a lot of people won't agree with that, but it's been a help for me to become ok with that and to figure out how I will make adjustments to be in control of the person I am.
I know from a very long experience what a challenge it can be to find the right combination of medications that will even out the lows enough to keep me going.
Please just know that a great group of ordinary people will be here for you, to listen and give you their caring support. Me included.
Jim
Replies to "Hi, @januaryjane . Anhedonia is one of the pieces of depression that I have been experiencing..."
I have ptsd too, mine is more c-ptsd. Oh yes, finding a good therapist...ive been through my fair share. Im so sorry yours skipped out on you like that. I had a similar thing happen to me, we were scheduling for next appointments and said she wouldnt be here the week after next....she was moving. I had been seeing her 10 months, she or no one in that office said scruff to me. I have been working with my psychiatrist...have made changes, which i hate, but with this issue, im wondering if the meds hurt more than help. At least with my situation. I have a motility disorder so i have to be careful.
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@januaryjane
I was thinking about you, wondering how your weekend is going.
I've been seeing therapists since 2006, and each one has moved away after a year. So, with a couple of gaps when there was no one to see who would accept Medicare, I think I'm now on #13. And he's old enough to retire if he chose to. Each one of them has helped me keep going. After 18 months without therapy, I told one of them that he had saved my life. I was falling apart and wanting to exit, but after the first session I knew that here was a therapist who heard me and cared about me. It was a difficult time when he left with only two weeks notice.
Has your doctor or therapist talked with you lately about changing your medication? A couple of years ago I was feeling myself going down, and I met with the psychiatrist and he added a medication that would enhance the antidepressant I was taking, and it has helped. It's amazing how much the right medication can help, isn't it?
Feel free to write again. I will be looking for you.
Jim