Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 912564

I like how they addressed it as a real problem. There is both the motivation & reward component. My psych dr. said there must be something I like to do. A duh, isn't that something that can happen with depression. Everytime he asked me what I have done that was fun.
Unfortunately I tried increasing Wellbutrin & trying Provigil which are suppose to increase dopamine but they didn't help.

Re: Lack of Motivation

Posted by alchemy on August 17, 2009, at 18:21:08

In reply to Lack of Motivation, posted by zana on August 17, 2009, at 9:31:56

But it wasn't fun to hear:
"Anhedonia is less responsive to many antidepressants and often persists after other symptoms of depression subside."

Re: Lack of Motivation

Posted by SLS on August 17, 2009, at 19:04:41

In reply to Re: Lack of Motivation, posted by alchemy on August 17, 2009, at 18:21:08

> But it wasn't fun to hear:
> "Anhedonia is less responsive to many antidepressants and often persists after other symptoms of depression subside."
This is true, unfortunately.
I just read an article that proposed that integral to anhedonia is the lack of incentive to "work" for the reward. There is a judgment made that it is just not worth the effort. There simply is not enough craving for the reward. This lack of craving is hypothesized to be the result of a deficit of dopaminergic neurotransmission in the limbic system - nucleus accumbens, I think.
If I can find the article again, I'll post it. My explanation is rather weak.

- Scott

Re: Lack of Motivation

Posted by SLS on August 17, 2009, at 19:08:42

In reply to Re: Lack of Motivation, posted by SLS on August 17, 2009, at 19:04:41

Here is the article:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090812181437.htm

- Scott

> > But it wasn't fun to hear:
> > "Anhedonia is less responsive to many antidepressants and often persists after other symptoms of depression subside."
>
> This is true, unfortunately.
>
> I just read an article that proposed that integral to anhedonia is the lack of incentive to "work" for the reward. There is a judgment made that it is just not worth the effort. There simply is not enough craving for the reward. This lack of craving is hypothesized to be the result of a deficit of dopaminergic neurotransmission in the limbic system - nucleus accumbens, I think.
>
> If I can find the article again, I'll post it. My explanation is rather weak.
>
>
> - Scott
>

Re: Lack of Motivation » zana

Posted by Garnet71 on August 17, 2009, at 19:25:35

In reply to Lack of Motivation, posted by zana on August 17, 2009, at 9:31:56

Thanks for posting that Zana. Glad to see they are researching this; maybe they will invent some more dopamine targeting drugs? (and I won't get 'that look' anymore from some pharmacists and doctors..lol)
I'm questioning lately re drugs being the answer to this issue though....I've been reading a lot of the psychoanalytic journals lately and it seems that people who had a childhood trauma tend to lose their ability to utilze their emotional defense mechanisms when they get older, and life tends to fall apart...and people become more treatment resistant to drugs.
Especially if you've had some disassociation where to deal with the trauma, you emotionally repressed it all, intellectualizing it instead, and sort of became a different person - a person seemingly w/o 'issues'. Well, it wears off eventually and your core issues come back sooner or later.
I had a recent experience with psychodynamic therapy-my insights and reaction were so intense and profound, it was fascinating and eye opening. That's why I'm pursuing this type of therapy with 70 year old, experienced docs with a certain background, and I think I just found the right one. I'll find out sooner or later if this type of therapy will be more or less effective than drugs. I wish I had known about this therapy sooner, a sad regret. I think it's worth exploring for the people here who have such issues.

Re: Lack of Motivation

Posted by yxibow on August 18, 2009, at 5:23:53

In reply to Re: Lack of Motivation » zana, posted by Garnet71 on August 17, 2009, at 19:25:35

I feel this personally alot -- its one of the many signs of major depression as pointed out.
I've been lately in a slump where it is hard to get myself to do things because of all the symptoms I have which depress me.
It isn't easy and I'm probably saying something yet having a hard time following it myself, but sometimes you just have to try to force yourself to do one task. If you look at everything that needs to be done, it will look like a stack of impossibilities.
Its making what you can do with your limitations possible that is something that psychotherapy/psychodynamics helps, when one is ready to work on things.
And it isn't an offense to say that sometimes we aren't ready to do something.

-- tidings
Jay

Re: Lack of Motivation

Posted by Alexanderfromdenmark on August 18, 2009, at 6:11:48

In reply to Lack of Motivation, posted by zana on August 17, 2009, at 9:31:56

> This is no news but just struck me after reading Scott's post about motivation.
> http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090812181437.htm
> Zana
No news to me. But serious lack of motivation for me only started on SSRI antidepressants and after I have discountinued. Before that despite constantly being in a state of emotinonal agony, I´still had the energy and motivation to keep the ball rollling. now I've stagnated.

Re: Lack of Motivation

Posted by zana on August 18, 2009, at 8:40:41

In reply to Re: Lack of Motivation, posted by Alexanderfromdenmark on August 18, 2009, at 6:11:48

I'm glad people felt it was usful. I find every day a minute by minute struggle to find something to do with myself because there is nothing that I "want" to do. It's an agonizing state to be in. I have a faint hope that it is made worse by the APs I am taking but I fear it is because my depression is not being fully treated dispite a boat load of meds. I am so happy to hear about people who achieve remission and so envious.
Zana

Re: Lack of Motivation » Garnet71

Posted by antigua3 on August 20, 2009, at 11:13:00

In reply to Re: Lack of Motivation » zana, posted by Garnet71 on August 17, 2009, at 19:25:35

I'd be interested in learning more about what you posted, that people who have experienced childhood trauma become more treatment resistant to drugs, especially if they have experienced disassociation, which I certainly have.
Once the emotional defense mechanisms I developed as a child became less useful, and even detrimental, I became one big mess. It's easier said than done to realize the defenses no longer work than it is to rebuild a whole new life for yourself. It's like being shattered into pieces and then told, "Well, you just have to rebuild yourself. Again."
So I take drugs to get through the emotional rollercoaster I've been on. They help, but it is still emotionally excruciating.
antigua

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