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Does anyone else feel extremely unmotivated, tired, hate having to go anywhere?



Hi. I'm 58, female, married to a really good man that does a lot around the home and for me. I'm semi-retired, work 3 days a week, care for my aging (dementia) parents.....and when I am home....I don't want to get off the couch. NO motivation. I get irritated at a girlfriend for pestering me to do things with her. If I felt like doing anything.....there are plenty of things I'd want to do here at home.
I plan to....I just never DO those things.
I take trazodone at bedtime to sleep.....otherwise my mind would never shut down, have fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, and hypothyroidism. Supposedly my thyroid levels are fine so that isn't my problem.
I'm not even sure it's a depression thing but I have no energy for the things I always enjoyed doing. And I could care less about socializing with anyone. I really don't even want to have to have a conversation with anyone including my husband. Not because of him, but because I'm happiest reading and could card less about Interacting unless it's a "have to".
I've always sort of been self-sufficient and never needed to be doing things with friends...so that isn't really new.
I still enjoy going to other places like the mtns or beach if I'm staying for several days...but day trips are not worth the energy to me.
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Avatar universal
Apparently Paxiled is trying to falsely portray me as having said that DRI drugs increase dopamine synthesis, and that Paulswife has zero dopamine in her brain. I didn't say either, nor did I think either.

Regarding what Paxiled said about depression, glutamate, and dopamine: Depression actually has two distinct components, which can occur independently: One component is the suffering sensation of depression, which is created by NMDA glutamate receptors that contain the 2B subunit (these receptors can be blocked by over-the-counter soluble magnesium, thus eliminating that sensation). The other component of depression is anhedonia, which is what you (Paulswife) has. Anhedonia is caused by low dopamine- that is to say, a low rate of dopamine production and release by ventral tegmental area (VTA) neurons onto pleasure neurons. DRI drugs leave more dopamine in the synapses between the VTA axons and the pleasure neurons, thus making the latter more likely to fire, thus counteracting anhedonia and non-motivation.

As Paxiled said, some drugs can indeed be quite harmful. In particular, the SRI drugs (SSRIs, SNRIs, et al) are the most dangerous drugs, because they can cause permanent epigenetic damage to the brain by shutting-down the production of 5-ht1a, 5-ht2a, and 5-ht2c receptors, thus rendering a person permanently anhedonic; and they can likewise cause permanent damage to aspects of the peripheral nervous system, especially the sexual functions thereof. The higher the SRI dose, the more likely those effects are to occur. DRI drugs (such as bupropion) are thus much safer than SRI drugs.
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No, they aren't.  It depends on the person.  Some do great on ssris.  Wellbutrin is notorious for causing anxiety even in people who never had any because it does not only affect dopamine, it also affects norepinephrine and even serotonin in a small way.  What I really said is that you are claiming knowledge nobody has.  Nobody knows what you claim to know.  That's what I really meant to say.  I'm fine with you believing whatever you want and am glad you found something that works for you, but that doesn't mean it will work for any other individual.  So far these meds and therapies are trial and error, none have very good records in double blind studies.  That's why there are so many of them out there, because none of them have been found to work for very many people so having a lot of choices means a better chance of finding one you can tolerate and that works.  I agree long-term use of antidepressants of any kind is dangerous, as the brain has a very hard time working normally again.  That's true.  But it's not true for everyone and not even true for most.  It was true for me.  But not for most.  We have no idea what causes anhedonia.  For some it's life's events.  For others no one knows.  Claiming more knowledge than independent researches claim is fun but not helpful for those on here who are looking for actual help.  I'm glad you've found all your answers.  For the rest of us, keep looking, folks, something out there might help.  Peace, all.
I doubt that this arguing will help OP, but I do know that I have the exact same issue, and Wellbutrin helped me somewhat. I've also been prescribed Adderall, Vyvanse and Ritalin over the past couple of years, yet I still feel anhedonic most of the time. Vyvanse worked the best by far, but it cost me $65 with prescription insurance and a manufacturer coupon. Currently I am taking the Ritalin.

I've been on antidepressants for about 16 years. Prior to 2016, all the ones I've tried were ssri, and they were all prescribed for anxiety, and my Dr. never dosed me higher than 40 mg. Then I  took Klonopin for about a year, which actually help me get off the antidepressants. In January of 2017 I found out I was pregnant. By that time I wasn't taking Klonopin anymore either. After my daughter was born I got hit hard with postpardum depression, and it was right back to the antidepressants. This time around I started seeing an actual psychiatrist, as opposed to just my GP, and was prescribed SNRIs. First it was cymbalta, and then I was switched to Effexor when I felt like the cymbalta wasn't working anymore.

When I read wearethedead's comment about antidepressants causing permanent anhedonia, it really freaked me out. I really hope that hasn't happened to me.

As for the OP, I think that vitamin deficiencies are worth looking into. My diet is horrible so that could be my problem too. Also, I rarely eat meat. Not because of a conscious decision to be vegan, but because the smell and taste grosses me out, especially if I'm the one cooking it. Protein deficiency could definitely cause extreme fatigue and possibly depression.
If it's any consolation, meat is completely unnecessary as a protein source.  Folks only eat it because the like the taste, but all experts in nutrition argue against eating it very often.  Legumes, nuts, seeds, fish, fowl are all high in protein.  Meat isn't necessary.  
That is actually a little comforting, lol. Thank you!
Avatar universal
You lack dopamine in your brain.
Get a prescription for the dopamine reuptake inhibitor bupropion.
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2 Comments
That's not what this or any other drug does.  If you lack dopamine this drug won't work, as it can't inhibit the breakdown of something that isn't there.  There is no evidence yet on what or if any chemical imbalance causes mental illness, but the current research is mostly focused as for depression on glutamate, not dopamine, which is much more focused on for psychotic illnesses.  It also has a milder effect on serotonin and also affects norepinephrine, which can make it too stimulating for many and can cause anxiety in some because of this.  Aside from taking speed, this is the most stimulating of the commonly used antidepressants, so if you have anxiety as well as depression use this with caution.  The body manufactures dopamine through a combination of nutrients, including iron and several B vitamins, most notably niacin and B6.  So if you really did lack dopamine taking more of these is theoretically how you'd get more of it.  What most antidepressants do is not make more of what they target but keep the body from breaking it down and evacuating it, as the body naturally prefers fresh made neurotransmitters, not old ones used longer.  But that's what antidepressants do and they do often help but it's also why they can be difficult to take and very hard to stop taking.  Peace, all.
Oh, and let's take care not to recommend anyone take a particular med or tell them they're lacking something when we haven't personally examined their brain chemistry.  Some meds are definitely helpful to folks and it's good they know wellbutrin exists, but meds can also be quite harmful.  Picking the right one is very hard, so let's leave that to the professionals.  Peace again, all.
973741 tn?1342342773
This sounds like depression to me.   Feeling lethargic, like you just want to lay around is my status when I'm depressed.  And this is the same for me when I've got the blues or doldrums.  I try to cut myself some slack if I have a day like this. If I have many days like this, it gets old.  Has this always been the case for you or is this new in the past year or so?  I agree to get your thyroid checked further.  There are different aspects to look into where numbers routinely checked can look fine but the tests that dig deeper can show something is off. I can be a loner as well and I often find socializing work.  I'll be honest.  No one believes that about me because in a way, I also enjoy it once I'm thrown into it. BUT, it is best in small amounts.  But if something comes up about socializing, my first reaction is NO.  My husband is very social so I have to force myself.  What about a therapist to look at what role mental health may play in this?  If it didn't cause you some difficulty in your marriage (no spouse wants to feel like their partner would rather not talk to them) would you even question this?  Do you want it to change?
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Avatar universal
If that's just your personality, you're fine.  People aren't going to like you much, but since you don't really care, it doesn't matter.  But judging from your list of ailments and the fact you're taking such a powerful drug just for sleep, which really is a bad idea long-term, I wouldn't be so sure your thyroid is doing fine.  Most endocrinologists couldn't care less about you and don't do the proper tests -- they're much more into things other than thyroid.  Sometimes you get better testing from a holistic nutritionist who really focuses in on the individual hormones.  Also, you might be suffering from depression, which is very common in people who have chronic pain.  Depression takes away the pleasure from doing things.  You could also have nutritional or medication problems, which are often found in those with fibromyalgia.   So either you are who you are and you're happy that way and therefore have no real problem, though those around you might have a problem with you, or you have an illness causing this that isn't being addressed.  You know better than us which is more likely.
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1 Comments
How long have you taken Trazodonz?
Have you gone to any sleep clinics or read books about sleeping issues? Many people can't get a good night's sleep but some just need to understand the sleep process better so they benefit from the 2 things I mentioned. I was on sleeping meds for 15 years then discovered how to sleep and by continuously working  (just remaining vigilant to avoid pitfalls) to sleep I threw them away a while ago.
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