[annoyedgrunt84]

Does anyone else ever feel completely blunted just empty of all emotion? How do you deal with it? Is there any kind of treatment for it?

[avlady]

i feel this every day alot. usually it is worse when i don't take my meds on time then i'm reminded and take them and am A ok

[pegasus]

Emotional blunting/dullness is often associated with depression or can be a reaction to a stress overload. I call it robot-mode as I feel like a robot just going through the motions. A therapist told me that this is the brain's way of taking a rest. It could be something else though as some medications can cause the same feeling, and it may be that the medication is too strong for you so check it out with your doctor.

[cloudyn808]

ALOHA Annoyed, I suffer from "total anhedonia" which means I am unable to "feel" anything other than a desperate deep depressive state. Anhedonia has several levels and is common in depression. Sometimes it can come and go...and other times it can stay for a long, long time. For me, it started out with a loss of interest in music. It then caused a lack of interest in activities that used to be pleasurable, then food, then sex, then everything. It's been 7-years since I have experienced any feeling at all. Sometimes a physician will prescribe Benzodiazapines...BUT... Benzodiazapines can cause "blunting" of your GABA receptors. It's a vicious cycle. In most cases, anhedonia will resolve on its own and I pray this is the case for you because it's a buggah to treat- I've had rTMS, ECT, DBT, CBT and no medications work. There's a lack of research on treatment of anhedonia because people like me who have total anhedonia are immediately excluded from clinical trials because we are at high risk of suicide so the insurance carriers and malpractice attorneys won't allow researchers to test us...ARGGG.. The good news is I am scheduled for Ketamine Infusions in Portland in a few weeks and this IS a promising new therapy for this condition! I hope you "feel" better soon

[avlady]

cloudy, its great you are able to do this!!!! i think i have it but am just used to it now, i've lost every interest over the years, but my meds seem to help.

[annoyedgrunt84]

It happens to me a lot after I've had a really bad spell, and can last anywhere from a few hours to a couple days. I think it's my brains way of keeping me from overloading it just shuts everything down for a little while. What frustrates me about it is that I often can't communicate well while it's going on.

[ojejujej]

It may be out of place cloudy, but I've learned to lied and pretend emotions of a "normal" people so its not that bad, at least for your close ones. From time to time i do lsd trip ~once a year and its helping to remind happiness. On the topic: if you can get over it just remeber stick to the "bright" and if something gets you to this state (person, job, games) leave them behind and never look back. You don't want to be on the end of a line

[ojejujej]

To cloudy, I've learned to pretend feelings and gestures, its better to lie then make everybody feel dull. On the topic: if the emptiness comes after a conversation (relationship), job or school if you can just end this part of life or you'll be to damaged to go back. Not caring is not the good choice, otherwise if this comes naturally all the time seek help or you will regret or not, it depends.

[rmmoseng]

I have had this for to e to time, and the old adage "Fake it til you make it" was the only help for me. Just do the things you once liked and pretend to be happy, and it may slowly readjust. If you let yourself indulge in the on feeling, it will only last longer.

[Okaritix]

Are you on any medication? Zoloft made me feel this way and I HATED it! During certain cycles of my depression I feel this way too..... I normally need to somehow reset myself with a huge cry... And sadly, sometimes I don't do that in the healthiest of ways... Some of my more healthier ways to try to get out of this state is watching a movie that normally helps provoke tears for me....trying to focus on exercise....

[Crazy Hitch]

annoyedgrunt - I just thought I'd let you know that yes, I do

It's usually when I'm overwhealmed by an array of emotions I just tend to block out when I can no longer handle it.

Hope this helps.

[annoyedgrunt84]

I took a road trip by myself this weekend, I guess I thought that maybe going to someplace I used to be very happy might make me feel better I'm going back home today and it only sorta worked. Some people are at least able to turn their difficulties into inspiration but I don't have the motivation to do anything right now even binging on Netflix sounds so ho hum to me right now.