Lack of enjoyment is known as anhedonia. It’s a sign of sadness and drug abuse recovery. This is another unspoken burden that might surprise people. Anhedonia is unpleasant, but it improves with time.
Learn about Anhedonia, why it occurs, and how Taylor Recovery treats it.
Anhedonia: Definition and Causes
Dopamine in the brain is boosted by medications and alcohol. The brain adjusts to artificial dopamine increases over time. Dopamine receptors are lowered. This is why drug addicts have trouble enjoying chocolate or a movie.
Addiction leads drug users to take more to get the same effects. It promotes tolerance. After drug usage stops, the body goes through withdrawal. Depression is a typical withdrawal symptom that impairs enjoyment.
Treatment for anhedonia might be challenging. Because there is no one right way to do it, you will need to work closely with your treatment team to identify ways to lessen these emotions. Because there is no one right way to do it, there is no one correct way to do it.
Anhedonia may be effectively treated with a combination of talk therapy and antidepressant medication.
However, there are situations in which antidepressant medicine does not function and may even make the condition much more severe.
New remedies are now being developed by researchers for patients who suffer from anhedonia. Ketamine is a drug that has shown some potential, but there needs to be more study done on it.
A part of therapy for addiction is making the patient unable to experience pleasure. It makes them understand that things are looking up.
In the meanwhile, engage in activities that are beneficial to your health to work on restoring the natural pleasure pathways in your brain. Examples of this include working with animals, competing in a 5K race, or going to the beach.
Remember that Taylor Recovery is here for you no matter where you are in the recovery process. Patients who participate in our holistic outpatient therapy near Dallas are encouraged to go outside as it strengthens connections in the brain.
We strongly encourage our clients to keep in touch with their social networks via individual and group treatment. Contact our admissions to find out more about our treatments near Dallas.