Is it Possible to Stop Experiencing Dopamine—I Think I Have
For a year, maybe more, I haven’t felt excited for anything, fed my shopping addiction (because it stopped feeling good), or felt motivated unless I’m in a manic-like state, but even then it was different. Christmas and my birthday used to feel special, but every event comes and goes and I feel no different. I can’t emphasize enough that I used to get excited and anticipate things, but now everything is just baseline. It’s like, I’ll get some award and leading up to the ceremony it’s just ‘oh yeah, that’s happening soon’ and then it happens and it’s like ‘yep, this is good I guess’ and then it’s over and I’m like ‘that happened’.
I don’t think I’m depressed, because I’ve been depressed before and I’m usually sad or what I describe as ‘blah’. I can still be happy (or close enough to it), like I think I experience serotonin somewhat. I guess if it is depression, it must be a different form than I’m used to.
I get that it’s super duper unlikely that dopamine just disappears but I feel like I must have low or unfluctuating dopamine. Is it possible for dopamine receptors to just quit? Let me know
Not looking for advice, but insight on what this may be.