Why Don’t I Have Feelings, in Early Recovery?

When we take drugs, it produces dopamine into the body. Our body will stop producing its own dopamine. If our body is no longer producing its own natural dopamine we can no longer feel. With naturally made dopamine, it helps us remember survival experiences. If you are in a similar dangerous situation again, you would know what to do because you have that same feeling, without it that danger would not be felt.

Drugs do not put dopamine into your body in the same manner as your body naturally does. Like most things natural is better than chemicals in our body. We start to feel like we just do not care anymore about anything. When a person is in the beginning of their recovery, they won’t be able to feel the joy they should about how good they are doing.

If you watch the video above, it goes more in-depth when talking about all the dangerous things an addict can engage in and more about anhedonia. When an addict engages in a dangerous situation, they feel the excitement from the situation and not putting together that it is bad or dangerous.

We just do not know how to feel anymore. You won’t feel the same joy for something you may have once enjoyed. This is why counseling is very important in the beginning of recovery. To help an addict learn how to cope with situations all over again.

Anhedonia is also the inability to enjoy things that use to give you pleasure. You lose interest in things you use to enjoy. You just have a blah feeling in the beginning of recovery.

This is something very common for addicts. We have been using drugs to make us feel how we want to feel. If we are in pain, take a pill. If we want to feel joy, take a pill. We were also taught throughout life that we need a pill to help in any situation. We fail to know that our own bodies can make us feel…feel anything. Yes, no one wants to be in pain but sometimes our bodies can help naturally heal things inside our bodies.

We don’t need a pill; we just need to give ourselves time while we are recovering to learn how to feel again, otherwise, relapse will be what our next step is. We don’t want to feel the pain of withdrawal, sadness, or even happiness. Not feeling anything for so long, makes us scared of these new feelings we are getting, and some have a hard time coping. Relapse is more prevalent because of this. We rather go on not feeling anything.

Anhedonia is a very important part of recovery and the more you learn about it the easier it is to understand while you're going through recovery. Recovery is hard enough with the withdrawals, being sick, and body hurting. The price of not knowing important things like this could cause you to relapse and if we have worked so hard to get a day, a week, a month, or more cleaner. No one wants to relapse.

If you need more information the video above has many more, you can watch to help with recovery and understanding your recovery. If you feel you need help with addiction, there are many resources available in your area. Many recovery centers are popping up all over because it is becoming a widespread issue and they rather see us get help then die. Please get help for yourself or someone who needs it.

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