There  is a type of depression where n othing satisfies, nothing tastes good, nothing pleases and human contact is too much work. It’s a brutal, mind numbing mood swing and I want us to plan ahead for this type of depression so that it no longer takes over our lives.

Depression has many forms. Some depressive episodes are weepy and sad. Others are irritated and agitated. Did you know there is also a type of depression that takes away your ability to feel pleasure or move your body? I call this Catatonic Anhedonia Depression and it’s a beast.

This is the depression where you feel stuck. You can’t move. You’re glued to a bed or a couch or a chair. You scroll through social media or eat mindlessly. This depression is in your body and soul and it sucks the life out of you to the point that you feel like a shell of a person. 

Anhedonia is defined as lack of pleasure. It’s the opposite of hedonism and in our world, the exact opposite of euphoric mania. It’s a deadwood feeling depression. 

Catatonic means a perceived inability to move the body. You feel lifeless and static. There is no desire to get out and see the world. You can stay in the same place for hours while your brain feels empty and miserable. 

In many cases, there isn’t a hopeless or sad feeling when we are in this mood swing, so it’s easy to miss that this is actually a type of depression. It takes over the mind so completely that you can spend days, weeks and even months doing nothing and yet wondering why you can’t move. There is often a profound lack of insight with catatonic anhedonia. You don’t feel good, but you can’t figure out why. You just don’t have the energy to even think about getting help for yourself. 

Nothing satisfies. Nothing tastes good. Nothing pleases. Human contact is too much work. It’s a brutal, mind numbing mood swing and I want us to plan ahead for this type of depression so that it no longer takes over our lives. 

In the past, before I wrote my books such as Getting it Done When You’re Depressed  I had years of off and on depression.  I remember months of being sick every day. I had trouble getting out of bed and it felt like my body was made of concrete. I lived with a person who has bipolar disorder one and saw similar symptoms in him when he was depressed. The lack of interest in what normally bought pleasure was a confusing and upsetting symptom to witness in him and yet, I had trouble recognizing it in myself.

Isn’t it interesting that we can easily see symptoms in others and yet have such a hard time swimming through the brain fog when the symptom is actually in our own body! I remember the day that I realized I needed a specific plan to help myself through this kind of depression. 

Here is my plan to recognize that signs of catatonic anhedonia so that you will be ready the next time this mood swing tries to take over your life: 

Think now of what it feels like to be depressed to the point that nothing feels good. Remember what your brain felt like and what your body felt like. Memorize this. You will then be able to recognize the symptoms of this depression and do something about it before it goes too far. You can teach yourself insight. 

Image your body as a car and your brain as the engine. In this kind of depression, your brain needs a jump start. So no matter what, the ONLY thing that matters once the lack of feelings and the inability to move starts, you will NOT let it happen. You will get out of bed and force yourself to get help for the depression. I know this sounds a bit intense, but it’s the only way I know to stop this insidious mood swing. 

Examine your meds. Anhedonia is a common side effect of medications, so make sure that you are not actually experiencing side effects. 

Look at triggers. My last depression of this kind happened from cranial sacral therapy. I often get depressed if my central nervous system is affected and cranial sacral therapy is very powerful. I know that I can’t tolerate many treatments, but I often get them for headaches or back pain. This last one put me into a deep depression. 

Ask for help BEFORE this episode starts. Tell the people in your life what to do and say if they see in you in bed all day. Tell them what will work for you and promise yourself you will listen to them even if what they say feels unreasonable or worthless. Getting it Done When You’re Depressed has scripts you can use in this situation. 

I use the above system to manage my deadwood depression. I talk about this system in all of my books, but I still have to remind myself that my depression can take over very quickly and change my thinking and behavior so profoundly that I have to be ready for the episode before it even begins. There is good news- preparing ahead like this can prevent the mood swing. And in my case, I have taught myself to reduce the intensity and the length of my depression mood swings by using these strategies. 

I will always have bipolar disorder. My brain is not stable and it still gets depressed. I’m now ready for the moments when life lacks pleasure and everything feels bland. I’m ready when my brain takes over my ability to move. I now do all I can to prevent the catatonic anhedonia depression from taking over my life like it used to do in the past. 

Julie 

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