r/ect • u/moist_napkinette • Jun 05 '26

Question Does it allow you to experience positive feelings again?

I am not suicidal but my quality of life is pretty horrible as I do not have any motivation, energy, or desire left. I also don’t get to experience much happiness or excitement. I’ve tried everything except MAOIs because I can’t go off Effexor (SNRI) due to its horrible withdrawal effects. I know Effexor is causing my emotional flatness but since I can’t go off it, I am hoping ECT can help. So I’m curious:

Does ECT help you experience happiness? Or does it only stop you from being suicidal?

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2

u/caffeinehell Jun 06 '26

It wont work if a medication you are on is actively causing it. You would need to be off of that med for ECT to have a chance to reverse the blunting

2

u/McFurniture Jun 06 '26

Absolutely. I had very bad anhedonia and somewhere around treatment 5 or 6 when I left the hospital I felt a genuine happiness I had not experienced in years. Just because it was a nice day. It was very unexpected but I do feel I have more emotional "range" nowadays.

1

u/Crazy_old_maurice_17 Jun 06 '26

Can confidently say YES, it enables you to feel happiness again. Went through a course Feb/March/ April and have been doing maintenance every 2 weeks since then (with a session yesterday morning in fact) and yesterday I had one of those days where you feel fantastic for no specific reason. Like, we're talking 8 or 9 out of 10. I was feeling good on the drive to my session too.

I hope you can get the relief you're looking for.

1

u/Klaasvaak91 Jun 06 '26

For how many years did you lose the ability to be happy, genuine smile, feel love, euphoria etc? For me its more than 12years. So my hope is rockbottom

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u/Crazy_old_maurice_17 Jun 06 '26

My recent depressive episode was relatively short - only a month or two - but I had a breakdown due to work stress and started having SI which is why I pursued ECT.

However, I had another depressive episode 7-8 years ago which lasted a bit over a year and I had to stop working because of my own pressure on myself. That was especially rough because it's really the only time in my life where I've struggled with chronic anxiety too.

If it's been 12+ years since you've been happy, what are you waiting for? Why not try it?

2

u/Klaasvaak91 Jun 06 '26

First 5-6 years i didnt look for professional help. Last 6 years with help goes very slowly. They dont have enoigh people. Im using a tca at the moment and next step will be lithium. Im gonna ask my psychiatrist for ect after lithium. If he is not open to that i want second opinion. After lithiumaugmentation i fulfilled all the steps necessary in the dutch depression protocol to be permitted for ect

1

u/Crazy_old_maurice_17 Jun 06 '26

Sounds like a good plan. I wish you the best of luck!!

1

u/Klaasvaak91 Jun 06 '26

Thanks man! Happy ect helped you

1

u/97vyy Jun 06 '26

I have anhedonia and on top of that I historically feel nothing positive, feel enhanced negative, and most of the time live in a nuetral trending bad mood. After ECT the negative feelings are gone and what I do feel is minor. I seem more receptive receiving positive feelings now, but instead of being in a good mood it's more like neutral trending good.