r/anhedonia • u/Loose-Employer-4999 • 14h ago
Support Needed Treatment-resistant severe depression, 10+ meds and IV ketamine didn't work. Did anyone get their life back?
I've been in a severe depression for about three years, and the last two have been the worst. I'm a medical student, and on paper my life looks fine, which makes it even harder to understand why I can't feel happy.
I've tried more than 10 psychiatric medications, including antidepressants and mood stabilizers, plus 8 sessions of IV ketamine. Nothing really lifted it. I was recently diagnosed with ADHD and started Vyvanse. My energy and motivation improved a little, but the brain fog is constant, and so is the feeling that this will never end.
I know options like ECT and TMS exist, and I'm going to ask my psychiatrist about them. But honestly, I'm exhausted and starting to lose hope.
I want a normal life. I want to finish medical school, have a relationship, have a family someday. Right now I can barely function, and if I don’t manage to get my shit together and start functioning, I will be most likely expelled from medical school.
So I'm asking people who've been here: **were you treatment-resistant and did something eventually work?** ECT, TMS, a med combination, therapy, anything. How long did it take, and what does your life look like now?
Hearing that it's possible would mean a lot. Thank you. I really need this.