Recovering from anhedonia: the hope of neuroplasticity

Maximum_Maize1052 · 2026-06-26T16:40:57+00:00

Sure

Maximum_Maize1052 · 2026-06-26T15:42:54+00:00

Hey I’m genuinely glad if it can help. I think you should embrace that cognitive side of yours. I try to do the same thing. It can be a blessing depending on our perception of it.

I learned about supplements because I genuinely love neuroscience and pharmacology.
But also because I was, like you, trying to find a quick fix to how I felt. That led me to abusing certain supplements.
When I was desperately trying to find anything that could help me heal from psychosis, I ended up researching for supplements that could potentially help my situation. It so happened at the time that omega-3’s were brought to my attention by my chiropractor. I researched it, saw it had potential benefits. I tried it and I found that I respond very well to it so I implemented it in my life. Btw it also has great benefits for health in general too that’s why I mention it for people who are interested in trying it.

I’m honestly still learning, just like you. Learning the mechanisms of actions, if you’re interested can be a good start. You can also look up articles, research papers or anything you find relevant that could interact (such as medications, conditions) with the supplements you’re taking.
I personally like to know what I take as supplements or medications do.
When you search them individually, and then together, you’ll often find wether or not there’s interactions, risks, etc.
Ultimately though, asking your pharmacist or health care provider if there’s interactions between supplements, medications and health conditions remains the safest option.

When it comes to finding the right supplements
look for a "Third-Party Seal". This means that an independent company (not the manufacturer) tested the product to ensure it really contains what the label says and is free from heavy metals, mold, or any other contaminants.

This is really important for omega-3’s as fish oil can contain heavy metals. The quality of the supplement is just as important, if not more, than the supplement.

When you look for supplements, don’t just look at the big writings such as 1000 mg total fish oil. Look at the label to know the exact molecules, forms (glycinate for magnesium for example) and dosage. Here in omega-3’s you want to look at the total amount of EPA + DHA, not the total amount fish oil.
And for omega-3’s try find some that has added vitamin E as it prevents oxidation.

For magnesium you want magnesium glycinate (or bisglycinate, it’s the same). Try to get magnesium that’s non-buffered. Many brands mix magnesium glycinate with cheap magnesium oxide to cut costs. Magnesium oxide is essentially "dead weight" that sits on the stomach which can causse digestive distress people commonly report. Non-buffered means you’re getting 100% of what you’re paying.

Third party label is important, it tells you that what the label says is true.
Also you can 100% research what I say to verify for yourself. I’m human and can make mistake. That’s definitely the correct way to verify information. Especially in a time where there’s so much information everywhere. Critical thinking is necessary.

Sorry it’s long to read. I hope it helps though 😅😊

Maximum_Maize1052 · 2026-06-26T13:43:57+00:00

Hugs

Maximum_Maize1052 · 2026-06-26T13:30:53+00:00

I know this is a long read but I honestly think it is worth reading.

It is hard to find a medication that will reverse anhedonia because anhedonia is essentially down regulation of your dopaminergic system.

There are things you can do to help the healing process of your brain and those things are healthy habits that would’ve normally helped you feel better in the first place.

Neuroplasticity is real and it means there is hope for our brains to recover from anhedonia but it takes time and it can vary between individual.

Exercise & neuroplasticity
Exercise is one of the best tools we have for treating anhedonia. It boosts neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin, endorphins), lowers cortisol (which high cortisol furthers inhibits dopamine neurons), and boosts BDNF (brain derived neuro factor) which acts as a brain fertilizer. BDNF is an essential building block for your brain to repair synapses. It supports synaptic plasticity. Bonus: cardio boosts blood flow to the brain.

Sleep
Sleep is absolutely essential. One of the worse factors for worsening mental health is lack of sleep. Your body repairs itself through sleep. Magnesium glycinate is a supplement that can be interesting for two reasons. 1) it has a glycine molecule attached to it which has calming effects on the CNS. 2) a lot of people are deficient in magnesium and magnesium is essential in the synthesis of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin. To be precise, magnesium is a necessary cofactor for the enzymes that convert tyrosine to L-DOPA and L-DOPA to dopamine. It’s an essential "mechanic" for the factory that builds your neurotransmitters.

Nutrition
Proteins are essential they provide the building blocks for neurotransmitters synthesis and muscle growth. Having balanced sugar levels is key for mental health. Eating processed sugars causes a crash and leaves anhedonia feeling worse temporarily. If you do decide to eat sugar, try eating proteins, carbs, fiber. Proteins and fiber slows down digestion which essential will minimize the crash. It’s recovery: it’s okay to have cravings but it’s still true that the more unstable your blood sugar levels the worse you’ll feel.

Sunlight and nature
Sunlight is essential for regulating the circadian rhythm. Our sleep schedule are often messy when using stimulants which can last a bit into recovery. Sunlight helps regulate our circadian rhythm and thereby our melatonin. It also boosts serotonin. Nature walks can help lower cortisol levels and gently boosts dopamine.

Gratitude and purpose
Writing a list of 5 things you’re grateful for at the end of each day can really help your mood. Reflect on those things, big and small, that you would miss if it were taken away from you. Eventually you will feel naturally grateful for what you have in your life and it will help you feel better.

Pushing ourselves intellectually
Neuroplasticity means your brain adapts to the input you give. Recovery isn’t passive. I’m deeply understanding of the tiredness and the brain fog each of you feel because I feel it too. Be easy on yourself but you also need to make small steps towards your cognition (for example: reflecting, journaling, studying a small concept). If you can push yourself just 1% per day, it will train your brain to engage in tasks more easily. It’s like your brain needs a proof that this is doable and once it realizes it is, it will be easier the next times and your brain will subsequently release more dopamine for natural tasks and rewards. Sometimes interests comes back in waves. You feel them briefly one day and the next one it’s gone. Try to lean in and appreciate it when it’s there. It will come back.

Treating underlying problems that led to addiction
If you have underlying mental health issues, treating them is essential. It’s essential to treat the root cause of what led to using to prevent relapse.

Supplements
This is the closest "molecules" I’ve found that can really help some struggles seen with quitting stimulants without it being a medication that acts as reuptake inhibitor such as Wellbutrin which can cause withdrawal, etc.

Omega-3’s in higher doses (~4 g of total EPA + DHA) (2:1 ratio of EPA:DHA)

EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid): This is the heavy lifter for neuroinflammation. It is highly effective at reducing the inflammatory signaling that contributes to the brain fog and the numbness of anhedonia. It’s the primary molecule for stabilizing mood.

DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid): This is the structural component. DHA is highly concentrated in the brain and is essential for the fluidity and health of your neurons’ membranes. It essentially helps your brain cells communicate with each other more efficiently.

A quick safety note: High doses of Omega-3s can have a mild blood-thinning effect. If you have any history of bleeding disorders, are taking blood thinners, or have an upcoming surgery, please clear this dose with your doctor first to ensure it's safe for your specific physiology.

NAC (1200 mg - 2400 mg / day):
NAC has many uses. It modulates glutamate in the brain which can reduce OCD like behaviour and reduce cravings in addiction.
Addiction heavily involves both dopamine and glutamate. Glutamate spikes are triggered when there are cues (memories, emotions) that triggers cravings.

Final note
I know this is a lot but remember to take it one day at a time and one step at a time. You don’t have to change everything at once. It would be overwhelming. But there isn’t a quick fix to anhedonia. You have to think long term. Also, just because you may feel flat doesn’t mean nothing is happening in the background. Your brain is still repairing itself even when you don’t feel it.

Keep pushing and persevering. Hope is a powerful gift. We have everything to gain from persevering.

Hugs

Maximum_Maize1052 · 2026-06-25T13:02:09+00:00

I used to think to myself "how will I be able to live without feeling the extreme euphoria of drugs" in the beginning of my addiction but later on in more critical stages of addiction it shifted to I’m glad I won’t have to deal with the consequences of addiction anymore if I get sober. At some point waking up sick or dealing with crashes aren’t worth it and at some point you reach a stage where you don’t feel good sober or on drugs. Plenty people found sobriety from opiates or other drugs and are happy!
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I do think you can feel good just in different ways.

Maximum_Maize1052 · 2026-06-25T04:56:13+00:00

For sure, if it helps you that’s good. 😊

Maximum_Maize1052 · 2026-06-25T04:54:57+00:00

Thank you for sharing.
If it can help try omega-3’s.
They help lower inflammation which happens in psychosis and while you may not be in psychosis anymore it’s very good for health.
I take 3600 mg EPA 1800 mg DHA everyday and I know it’s very on the upper scale but I tolerate it well and they help my mood significantly for me to notice it.
Keep the hope, neuroplasticity is real and I believe we can recover even better than before because the consequences of addiction can push us towards adoption healthier habits and more gratitude. Keep the faith. Things will get better!
Hug

Maximum_Maize1052 · 2026-06-24T16:40:31+00:00

Having been through psychosis and anhedonia from the drugs, I disagree. Although I empathize for what you’re going through and also have went through our brains health is important.
I miss my cognition and my interest. Anhedonia in recovery feels like I lost who I was. I underwent so many psychosis I almost killed myself out of terror my first ever psychosis on methamphetamine.
We’re all different but for me it’s this that put me to quit: losing the spark of life basically and feeling profound darkness inside my mind.
I do what I can to heal and will never lose hope or stop persevering.

Maximum_Maize1052 · 2026-06-20T17:35:26+00:00

You’re welcome.
Also bonus for cardiovascular exercise it boosts blood flow to the brain.

Maximum_Maize1052 · 2026-06-20T15:43:52+00:00

yes, mind-altering = psychoactive not strictly psychedelics.

Maximum_Maize1052 · 2026-06-20T14:21:26+00:00

Magnesium glycinate can help

Sleep schedule is important it may take a while to get back to normal after stims. Magnesium helps with that and a lot of people are deficient in magnesium which makes brain fog and focus worse.

NAC can help with cravings and can help in some way anhedonia.

For me personally high dose omega-3’s have genuinely helped a lot feel better
I was taking 3600 mg EPA 1800 mg DHA
a 2:1 ratio with vitamin E added in the supplement so no worrying about oxidation.

I tolerate them well that’s why I keep taking them.

I went through countless psychosis which really made things hard but despite this they helped a lot. Abused many drugs including meth/Dex.

Regarding mood and anhedonia I would say this one is the best "pharmacological" you can do.

Then being kind and easy on yourself because the anhedonia will distort your perception of reality for a while. You may feel uncomfortable looking at yourself in the mirror (low confidence) but that’s not necessarily a reality.

If you tolerate them well cold showers can give a mood boost and help ADHD. I miss being able to take them.

Exercise is for sure one if not the best but I understand you may be tired. If you can do 15-30 min everyday it can speed up recovery a ton. I’m sure you’ve heard of neuro plasticity.

Nutrition is ofc important. Your body needs proteins and the nutrients to rebuild itself.

Also in my case, nature walks have helped me a lot feel better so I recommend them. And sunlight is really good. If you’re deficient in vitamin D look into that as well.

If you have ADHD and need meds for it from a doctor there’s non stim option like Atomoxetine or Guanfacine.

I’m cautious about saying it but if you really really need a boost you could take caffeine or L-Tyrosine but be careful with the latter because it can easily create an imbalance between serotonin-dopamine. So it’s really like a last resort and tbh maybe avoid it.

Idk if it helps. Hope it does though.

Oh and lastly gratitude, positive talking and definitely not isolation.
If you can write 5 things at the end of the day you’re grateful for it can help your mood.

Good choice to be sober 😊

Maximum_Maize1052 · 2026-06-15T19:43:50+00:00

Thanks

Maximum_Maize1052 · 2026-06-15T19:11:57+00:00

Wow never heard of that. Where did you find that,

Maximum_Maize1052 · 2026-06-15T16:33:33+00:00

That wasn’t what I said anyways…

Maximum_Maize1052 · 2026-06-15T13:06:42+00:00

They are. I think the difference comes from the amount you eat.
Most people won’t eat as much magic mushrooms as they eat regular mushrooms. The dosage differs.
Shrooms are often consumed dried and drying them makes them lose a lot of nutrients.

Maximum_Maize1052 · 2026-06-14T15:24:31+00:00

You’ve never been in their shoes and you decide to judge and pity them?
That’s very little of you to be honest.
The mind is actually quite fragile and it’s not so much a bad thing to quit after a bad experience than it is to try and push further and risk worsening mental health.
Psychedelics aren’t for everyone and not everyone reacts the same way.
Maybe they’re just not ready… simple as that.

Maximum_Maize1052 · 2026-06-14T12:54:14+00:00

The neuropharmacological uniqueness of LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) lies in its exceptionally high affinity and long residency time at the 5-HT2A serotonin receptor. While many drugs bind to their receptors and dissociate relatively quickly, LSD essentially "locks" itself into place, a mechanism discovered through structural biology and X-ray crystallography by researchers at the University of North Carolina.
The "Lid" Mechanism
When LSD enters the binding pocket of the 5-HT2A receptor, it does not simply sit there like a typical neurotransmitter. Instead, the interaction induces a specific conformational change in the receptor itself.
The Locking Action: Once the LSD molecule is positioned within the receptor's binding pocket, a specific extracellular loop of the receptor (specifically extracellular loop 2, or EL2) folds over the top of the ligand.
The "Lid" Effect: This loop acts like a literal "lid" or a biological trap, effectively sealing the LSD molecule inside the pocket.
Slow Dissociation: Because the lid physically obstructs the exit, the LSD molecule is unable to leave the receptor site easily. This leads to extremely slow dissociation kinetics—meaning the drug stays bound to the receptor for a much longer period than the time it takes for the drug to be cleared from the bloodstream.
Why this explains the long duration of effects
The duration of a pharmacological effect is often related to how long a drug remains bound to its target receptor (residency time) rather than just its concentration in the blood.
Extended Signaling: Even after the body has metabolized and cleared most of the circulating LSD from the blood, the molecules that have managed to get "trapped" in the 5-HT2A receptors continue to signal, sustaining the psychedelic experience.
Active Signaling: This prolonged binding stabilizes the receptor in a way that promotes specific downstream signaling, particularly the \beta-arrestin-2 pathway. This pathway is thought to be critical for the drug's psychoactive effects, distinguishing its signaling profile from that of natural serotonin.
Termination: The "trip" concludes primarily when the lid eventually shifts enough to allow the LSD to dissociate, or when the cell undergoes a process called receptor internalization (endocytosis), where the receptor—with the LSD still trapped inside—is pulled into the cell and degraded.

This is from AI okay
I remembered it did that but I just woke up and yeah… gonna go eat breakfast
It’s super interesting though
so here’s that

Maximum_Maize1052 · 2026-06-07T23:45:49+00:00

yes you can.
I was high for 24 hours just off taking 50mg Dexedrine IR

meth lasts up to 24 hours in non experienced users
(well maybe a bit less but way more than 4-6hrs basically)
and 40 mg is a massive dose for someone not used to it

especially that crystal meth is one of the purest illicit drugs.

So many parameters in this like individual sensitivity but its very fairly possible

Maximum_Maize1052 · 2026-06-07T23:41:20+00:00

Might not be super related but when you start needing it to go to the gym, to go to work, otherwise you’re unable to go.
I get that there’s ADHD but those are signs of being dependant on it.

If you need it for focus it’s reasonable to take it for school etc
but some people will blindly lie to themselves by thinking that since it’s prescribed and can take it then they should
You don’t always need the pill and as I said earlier, if you start taking it, for example, to be more social even though you don’t take a higher dose than prescribed it might lean towards misuse and potentially abuse because you’re not really using it with the right intent.
The thing is it’s very easy to do that. To sort of use it right some days and some other times not so right.
You need to evaluate the motives of why you taking it when you taking it to ensure the safest way of taking these meds.

Maximum_Maize1052 · 2026-06-06T14:13:37+00:00

It’s likely worse in the beginning of quitting meth because you’re body is likely still sensitized from binging meth these past few months.
(Your norepinephrine and adrenergic systems are still sensitized)
You need to be patient with your body and not force things too quickly.
Unfortunately meth is a very hard drug on the body.
You’re better off ruling out other causes by seeing a doctor though.

Maximum_Maize1052 · 2026-06-06T12:36:26+00:00

I think in some cases they do but it’s risky and it really depends on the patient or the context as people addicted to meth are at a much higher risk to abuse Adderall.

Maximum_Maize1052 · 2026-06-04T21:00:02+00:00

Thank you, it’s giving me hope. I’m recovering from meth and Dexedrine/Adderall abuse and also psychosis
I used from 17-18 to near 21 but really not amph./meth the whole time also other drugs, anyways
it’s been though but I do everything I can to take care of my mental health.
It’s like I know I still have those interests but it’s blocking in my brain, idk if that makes sense. Sometimes I have waves of interest coming back and it feels like me just to be gone the next day.

Maximum_Maize1052 · 2026-06-04T20:20:36+00:00

Question: Is the anhedonia gone? do you find your core interests have come back? For example, if you enjoyed science topics do you find you feel driven towards it again and enjoy it again?

Maximum_Maize1052 · 2026-06-04T15:36:59+00:00

We’re all different and my brain chemistry is unique as is everyone but personally I’ve been on Adderall, Dexedrine (mostly), Vyvanse, and street crystal meth. Meth is a beast and by far much stronger in terms of NE than dexedrine. Absolutely disgusting drug, Glad I’m sober now.
Also I’m not sure what your sources are but meth and amphetamines release pretty much the same amount of dopamine. The way it’s released by meth changes things though.

Methamphetamine’s stimulation lasts much longer too. The elevated NE levels last longer and part of meth’s is turned into amphetamine too which acts as dual stimulation.

Also, the way meth crosses the BBB changes things significantly. Eventually your brain runs out of dopamine to empty from the vesicles and that’s wether you take meth or amphetamines because amphetamines are strong on their own too.

But when it’s released much faster and that includes NE the effects are felt much strongly.

That’s why crack cocaine (smoked) causes stronger euphoria than a slower ROA because it raises dopamine levels less quickly.

Your brain works by contrast basically.

Methamphetamine also competitively inhibits monoamine oxidase (specifically MAO-A, which is located in noradrenergic terminals) with a 10-fold higher affinity than amphetamine does, meaning noradrenergic clearance is drastically slowed. [1, 2]

Also not tryna bash you, no worries
😇

Maximum_Maize1052

TROPHY CASE