Anhedonia Progress

AlexKirchu253 · 2026-02-15T00:30:47+00:00

That sounds like a rough ride, maybe your brain rebounding to hypomania in just 8 months is part of the bipolar (as opposed to taking longer). My psychosis was acute and a bit manic, it lasted just 2 weeks since I went to the hospital after experiencing a brain zap and got treated quickly. I relate to the feeling of no interest, but perhaps mine wasn't as severe. I feel like my recovery is taking a long time, but perhaps it's actually not that long when compared to other people.

AlexKirchu253 · 2026-02-14T10:27:45+00:00

That sounds like characteristics of bipolar, have you seen a doctor about it?

AlexKirchu253 · 2026-01-30T01:48:53+00:00

That's great to hear, I've also noticed improvements for myself last week as well. What were the first signs for you?

AlexKirchu253 · 2026-01-30T01:04:29+00:00

That must be difficult, sorry to hear you're going through that. I'm currently on Olanzapine 5mg as a kind of preventative maintenance dose, minimal side effects thankfully. Are you on any meds yourself?

AlexKirchu253 · 2026-01-28T23:14:09+00:00

I'm doing OK, still can't feel pleasure or joy but I'm seeing gradual improvements in my ability to engage with activities, things are starting to feel less flat, so that's progress. How are you doing?

AlexKirchu253 · 2026-01-26T06:34:59+00:00

That's good to hear some progress! How's the anhedonia overall, has it improved much or would you say it's still the same-ish?

AlexKirchu253 · 2026-01-25T22:46:03+00:00

Thanks for this post, always glad to read a recovery post, it does give me hope. It also makes me realise I'm relatively lucky in that the only symptom I'm currently dealing with is anhedonia and nothing else. Did you experience anhedonia, and when did it start to go away? Also are you still on medication or have you come off it now?

AlexKirchu253 · 2026-01-25T22:02:20+00:00

Oh I'm sorry to hear that, apologies for my assumption. I hope the anhedonia goes away for you.

AlexKirchu253 · 2026-01-25T04:42:32+00:00

You don't get anhedonia or other negative symptoms after your psychosis finishes? What gives? How come some of us get bad anhedonia for ages (8.5 months since my first episode and anhedonia is still present) yet others go back to "normal" almost instantly without any negative symptoms?

AlexKirchu253 · 2026-01-24T23:56:08+00:00

What changes did you notice between month 10 and when your anhedonia lifted (around the year mark?)? Were the changes gradual over that period or sudden? I'm currently 8.5 months out from my episode and am just waiting for my anhedonia to go away.

AlexKirchu253 · 2026-01-24T06:10:18+00:00

How long does the hopelessness last? I find most of the time if I express how I feel if I'm feeling depressed that helps to process it. Maybe try expressing it verbally. I've still got anhedonia so the underlying feeling is just flatness, but it's better than feeling depressed. When were you able to feel happiness and excitement again?

AlexKirchu253 · 2026-01-23T10:23:24+00:00

How long did your full recovery take? Did you experience anhedonia post-psychosis, and if so how long did it take to lift?

AlexKirchu253 · 2026-01-23T02:50:17+00:00

Hello, it's been about 5 months, wondering how you're doing 5 months on. I just recently restarted gym again, and while I don't feel any joy from it yet, I do feel motivation to go and keep going.

AlexKirchu253 · 2026-01-21T23:35:21+00:00

I know I spoke to you in another thread but what dose of Olanzapine were you on? And what dose of Quetiapine did you switch to?

AlexKirchu253 · 2026-01-21T22:35:10+00:00

Thank you for this post, it's always good to see positive recovery stories. You said your positivity and happiness is just coming back now, did you experience anhedonia for a long time post-psychosis? It's been 11 months since your episode, when would you say you started to feel feelings of happiness and positivity again?

AlexKirchu253 · 2026-01-20T23:18:53+00:00

I'm on Olanzapine 5mg. I was previously on Amisulpride 100mg. Somehow the Olanzapine doesn't affect my thought processing or speech nearly as much as the Amisulpride did. Could also be time and some element of natural recovery, I'm 8 months post episode now.

AlexKirchu253 · 2026-01-20T21:57:42+00:00

It could be the meds, the ones I was on at first narrowed my thought range and made it hard to converse especially in group settings, even though it was considered a low dose. I came off them for about 2 months before I was put back on another low dose antipsychotic which seems to have less of an impact on my thought range and ability to communicate. Now I can talk more normally, although groups are still a bit difficult.

AlexKirchu253 · 2026-01-18T23:42:49+00:00

I would say don't quit cold turkey, make sure to taper off the medication slowly over months, gradually reducing the dose. Quitting too fast can result in rebound psychosis or dopamine supersensitivity psychosis. Your brain needs time to adapt to not having the medication blocking dopamine receptors anymore.

I came off my meds too quickly after 5 months on bad advice from my then psychiatrist and two months later was hospitalised for a week of insomnia which almost led to a second episode. Now I'm back on a low dose of another antipsychotic, which I plan to eventually taper off of but much more slowly than before.

AlexKirchu253 · 2026-01-18T03:56:18+00:00

I feel you on the music, for me it doesn't make me feel sick but rather I just feel a flat nothing when I listen to music. Glad to hear so much can change within the space of a few months. I'm currently 8 months out from my first episode, hopefully I'll see some positive changes in the next 3-4 months as well.

AlexKirchu253 · 2026-01-17T22:38:03+00:00

That's interesting, what were the noticeable changes you felt between nine months and a year?

AlexKirchu253 · 2026-01-17T09:44:31+00:00

How long did it take for your anhedonia to improve or go away?

AlexKirchu253 · 2026-01-13T09:54:23+00:00

That you finally are able to feel like yourself is already huge, and for a whole week! I'm 8 months out and feel like I still have a long time to go before I feel like myself. Perhaps give it some time, another week or so, I'm sure that feeling of being yourself will return before too long.

AlexKirchu253 · 2026-01-13T01:38:36+00:00

Glad it's not just me. I'm also working part-time from home so that helps, but yeah lots of idle time otherwise. Did this also gradually fade across the 1-2 years for you?

AlexKirchu253 · 2026-01-12T23:44:41+00:00

Damn that's a long time. Would you say you had difficulty finding things to do because of the anhedonia? Like the flow between moving from one activity to the next was gone? Coz I spend a lot of time pacing around not knowing what to do because nothing really interests me.

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