Posted by zeugma on October 29, 2005, at 6:00:35
In reply to good events feel BAD, posted by pseudoname on October 26, 2005, at 14:53:51
People with ADHD (including myself) often report feeling worse after achieving something.
ADHD is definitely a dysregulation that involves the reward system.
Ritalin was helpful for this negative affect in response to positive events.
The negative response, in ADHD, correlates exactly with the amount of effort used to obtain the positive result. This can easily be (and in the infernal dungeons of the past, was) explained as perverse motivation or will to failure. Cognitive behavioral therapy carries on this tradition, as my extremely dysphoric reaction to it testifies.
One theory (Hermann van Praag's) hold that norepinephrine is responsible for the level of reward experienced through activities, but I have not found this to be true. norepinephrine is more about survival instincts (which I am happy to have), but dopamine definitely is responsible for pleasure experienced through activities. I don't know much about the opioid system except that Strattera has an opioid effect that made me very, very depressed after a while.
The last paragraph of your post is the giveaway. Dopamine governs immediate responses.Sorry, if I am incoherent, have a lot on my mind right now myself...
-z
poster:zeugma
thread:572130
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20051024/msgs/572981.html