Posted by octopusprime on September 7, 2004, at 23:19:10
In reply to Re: But how do I fill my life with joy? » Dinah, posted by SLS on September 7, 2004, at 18:02:33
feeling joy is one of those things that is hard to do when you are coping with physical and emotional pain. i know you have trouble with headaches, etc ... if pain is not managed, and it recurs, it casts a pall on everything.
plus caregiving is such a heavy emotional burden to carry.
these are two burdens that i don't carry (i have my health and i am free of those nagging responsibilities ...) so for that i feel incredibly lucky.
i found a fascinating article on anhedonia, which is what you're describing:
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/special_reports/depression/anhedonia.htm
it includes a quote, you're not alone:
"Her anhedonia took many forms and partly remains with her. She is still unable to gain pleasure from her own achievements and to see that her children are a credit to her as well as to themselves. She recalls the anhedonia of some of her darkest moments when she sat down to listen to Elgar's Enigma variations and found to her horror that she was left completely unmoved by the hauntingly beautiful music she had always loved. "be well ((dinah))
poster:octopusprime
thread:387433
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20040907/msgs/387890.html