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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by janejj on July 3, 2002, at 14:14:17
Hi,
I'm going to the doctor at some point soon, I have developed rather intolerable apathy and I am soooo indecisive it hurts. I know this topic has been broached before, but I'm wondering what the doctor is likely to suggest for this condition? So that I can check out stuff before I get there.
Damnit I have no emotions, how weird is that ??
Janejj
Posted by linkadge on July 3, 2002, at 14:36:32
In reply to SSRI induced apathy, posted by janejj on July 3, 2002, at 14:14:17
What SSRI do you take?
I am on Celexa and feel the
same way. When I wasn't on
them, emotion just had
an unparralelled depth, It
was just too painful to bear
however. Things would just be
so so so sad. It is really quite
hard to explain. Now all I can
do is laugh and make jokes, it is
fine in public, I have turned into
a social butterfly, but at home
when I am by myself I sometimes
feel so phony it is unbeleivable.I can't complain that much because
it has literally helped me get out
of my mind and back into life. I
get things done now, I just feel
like I can only experience one emotion.Do you rememer things about how colors
made you feel, or how you kind of got
frightened and imaginative when seeing
an old haunted house on a dark night.
I had strange feelings when looking at
things like railways and churches that
are gone now. I used to enjoy a somewhat
darker side of life that just made you
feel in awe. Things like looking up
at a tower and feeling just how small you
were.Motion and movement are another thing
that seem squelched. Things like seeing
a huge rollercoaster swoosh down the
track enduced such a feeling of power.
I don't feel amazed by much anymore.
Someone's massive body or exceptional
tallent doesn't seem to make me want
to be a better person. I rarely feel
enspired by people.There isn't that sence of achievement
as well. I could jog 10 miles and
feel good about my self but not
WOW that was amazing.A perfect example. When watching the
matrix a few years ago, I left the theatre
thinking wow that was cool. Then the next
two weeks, I felt myself soaring and moving
and spinning about like the actors.Now I watch the movie and all I appreciate
is things like the colors, or the costume
design, or the acting skills, or the
way Keano Reeves says whoa or fruitish things
like that.I AM CONFUSED
Posted by janejj on July 3, 2002, at 15:37:14
In reply to Re: SSRI induced apathy, posted by linkadge on July 3, 2002, at 14:36:32
Hi,
I take Prozac, at 40mg. I know what you mean about the depth of emotion, i used to feel things so deeply and I could empathize with people, generally I just felt very intune with my emotions. Now I am not sure about how I feel about anything, i feel like a fake !!! I don't know whether I care about certain people and issues or not ? Its such a strange place to be in, I feel so confused too !!! Is there anythig that can help ?
What SSRI do you take?
> I am on Celexa and feel the
> same way. When I wasn't on
> them, emotion just had
> an unparralelled depth, It
> was just too painful to bear
> however. Things would just be
> so so so sad. It is really quite
> hard to explain. Now all I can
> do is laugh and make jokes, it is
> fine in public, I have turned into
> a social butterfly, but at home
> when I am by myself I sometimes
> feel so phony it is unbeleivable.
>
> I can't complain that much because
> it has literally helped me get out
> of my mind and back into life. I
> get things done now, I just feel
> like I can only experience one emotion.
>
> Do you rememer things about how colors
> made you feel, or how you kind of got
> frightened and imaginative when seeing
> an old haunted house on a dark night.
> I had strange feelings when looking at
> things like railways and churches that
> are gone now. I used to enjoy a somewhat
> darker side of life that just made you
> feel in awe. Things like looking up
> at a tower and feeling just how small you
> were.
>
> Motion and movement are another thing
> that seem squelched. Things like seeing
> a huge rollercoaster swoosh down the
> track enduced such a feeling of power.
> I don't feel amazed by much anymore.
> Someone's massive body or exceptional
> tallent doesn't seem to make me want
> to be a better person. I rarely feel
> enspired by people.
>
> There isn't that sence of achievement
> as well. I could jog 10 miles and
> feel good about my self but not
> WOW that was amazing.
>
> A perfect example. When watching the
> matrix a few years ago, I left the theatre
> thinking wow that was cool. Then the next
> two weeks, I felt myself soaring and moving
> and spinning about like the actors.
>
> Now I watch the movie and all I appreciate
> is things like the colors, or the costume
> design, or the acting skills, or the
> way Keano Reeves says whoa or fruitish things
> like that.
>
>
>
> I AM CONFUSED
Posted by KellyM on July 3, 2002, at 20:38:39
In reply to SSRI induced apathy, posted by janejj on July 3, 2002, at 14:14:17
Above all, I would be adamant about not letting your doctor just increase your dose. Hopefully, your doctor is pretty knowledgeable to begin with, but I have heard cases where the following happens. He or she hears that you feel apathetic, tired, nonfeeling (however you wish to describe it) and thinks, "hmm... it sounds like your depression is relapsing. Let's increase your medication to counter this." Of course this is not what you want as it is a big part of the problem to begin with.
Posted by Denise528 on July 4, 2002, at 12:50:38
In reply to Re: SSRI induced apathy, posted by KellyM on July 3, 2002, at 20:38:39
I just wanted to say, that I really believe that if SSRIs are bringing on apathy then they are not really working. When I took SSRIs and they worked my emotions were much sharper but the downs weren't so low. I could feel things more and there was no apathy at all. This time round though, initially I felt really agitated on them, that has now subsided and all I feel is exactly as you describe like I have no emotions, I'm managing quite well at work, talking and smiling at people but it feels like a mask and I feel like a fake. So I do not consider these SSRIs to be working based on my own good experiences of them in the past.
Denise
Posted by Kari on July 4, 2002, at 14:22:59
In reply to SSRI induced apathy, posted by janejj on July 3, 2002, at 14:14:17
Know what you mean. While on celexa all I could feel was "high" all the time, and on the maximum dose feeling fear or anxiety was impossible, even when extremely justified. People noticed and commented on this out-of place serenity. It is rather disturbing despite the great relief about not having to feel troubling and intense feelings all the time.
Posted by linkadge on July 4, 2002, at 16:27:11
In reply to Re: SSRI induced apathy, posted by Kari on July 4, 2002, at 14:22:59
Don't get me wrong, it's not that
I cannot experience emotion, I
can, but only one. I feel great
when laughing and making jokes is
acceptable, like at school or with
friends, but I feel so out of place
when I can't feel sad that someone has
died, or things like that. In some ways
it was that side of me that had taken
over, but I don't want it gone, I just
want to be in controll of it.I know I probably want too much, I
am releived to be where I am however.
Linkadge
Posted by ChrisK on July 5, 2002, at 4:02:35
In reply to SSRI induced apathy, posted by janejj on July 3, 2002, at 14:14:17
The one thing that helped my AD induced apathy is Mirapex. It's marketed as a med for Parkinson's but has been studied as an AD and found to be effective. I had struggled for a long time with apathy and this was the first thing that ever helped.
Do a search through the archives here and you'll find a bunch of info over the last year to 1 1/2 years. It's worth discussing with your doctor.
Posted by homewood on July 5, 2002, at 9:57:53
In reply to Re: SSRI induced apathy » janejj, posted by ChrisK on July 5, 2002, at 4:02:35
Maybe we're all thinking about this the wrong way. We've all grown so accustomed to feeling such extremes of emotions we don't know how to respond when the AD's do their thing. I've been on 150mgs of Zoloft since the end of march. Sure my emotional 'curve' has flattened somewhat, but you know what? It feels nice not to start crying when i hear a sad song, or watch an emotional movie. Perhaps the meds have given us all a 'normal' range of emotions, and its nothinbg to be ashamed or embarrassed about.
Since being on AD's I've had an interesting thought: I wonder what would happen if the Whole World went on AD's for 6 months at the same time....it would be quite a different place..
Posted by janejj on July 5, 2002, at 14:26:45
In reply to Re: SSRI induced apathy, posted by homewood on July 5, 2002, at 9:57:53
Hello,
My dos has suggested that I reduce my dose, he believes that I am getting better and therefore i need to lower the dose a little, to get rid of the 'flat' effect. I hope this works !!
However I have also been thinking about the postives of having little emotion. I believe that I could probably start chaning some of my destructive behavioural patterns that make me feel bad in the first place. At the moment I still do the same stuff but don't end up feeling bad. I mean I still go out and think everyone is staring at me and laughing, but I don't have the anxiety ! So if i just stop thinking this, and believe that everyone is just getting on with their own business, which is the truth, I can break a bad pattern of a life time !
Hmmmmmm, I'm going to give it a try and see what happens.
Janejj
This is the end of the thread.
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