Posted by Economist on April 11, 2010, at 22:28:10
In reply to Re: Any med that made you gain interest in people? » Economist, posted by conundrum on April 11, 2010, at 20:20:44
For the past two years I have been accepting every invitation to go out, partly in an attempt to show that my anhedonia is not a result of not "having a life". I can be active with different social plans every weekend, and yet none of this will stir a pleasant emotional response in me. When I'm out and people ask if I'm having fun, the pressure is obviously to say "yes" because a long explanation about not being able to have fun due to anhedonia is just extremely repetitive and burdensome for the whole group to hear. But actually, I've decided that beginning next week I will refuse invitations to go out because it is less stressful for me not to show up than to show up and have to act the entire day. I'm going to be my natural anhedonic self from now on, away from the view of others so they won't have to frustrate themselves with trying to "cheer me up". My friends and family need to understand and accept that anhedonia is simply a part of my life now, and there's nothing that can be done about it.
Regarding schizophrenia -- I have annual periods where I start hallucinating and having delusions of grandeur and persecution, followed by a visit to the hospital whenever someone notices my behavior is off. The first time this ever happened, I was diagnosed schizophrenia. However subsequent doctors have told me I am too high-functioning to be schizophrenic -- my memory is extremely sharp, I groom myself well, and I don't have the speech or thought disturbances normally associated with schizophrenia. Still, I personally agree with the first diagnosis. I may not have the cognitive problems but I sure as hell have the negative symptoms -- anhedonia being the worst of them.
poster:Economist
thread:942996
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20100406/msgs/943145.html