Psychological Causes

[empathy121]

I never thought I'd say this but I now believe my EA to be mainly psychological. I have been having some success as of late - build up is the same seeing stars as it was the ten years or more ago when all was working. I believe I have an obsessive personality type; despite being fit, relatively healthy and of sound mind, I have a body dysmorphia problem which has troubled me (I now realise) since it all began. The success in feeling has for me been down to managing to switch off this obsessional thinking momentarily. GABA helps with this I have found. The hope ignited when I read here of a doctor claiming to have treated our problem, the cause being a 'mind-body disconnect', which I believe to be the case for me. Has anyone else here experienced similar? I believe I have a genetic disposition to anxiety related problems - I have suffered, and also rather miraculously recovered from bi-polar, and stress related disorders are evident in my family. For now the EA doesn't bother me so much - my libido is healthy, and I enjoy life, however my body dysmorphia is crippling! I believe my EA is a symptom of that. I have hope, though the dysmorphia does seem like the most difficult thing in the world to treat! However if I manage to treat it my life will turn around, irrespective of EA resolution.
Best, Empathy

[SadArtist]

After years of being told by my wife, that I didn't deserve to feel good, I developed EA. The Dr's have told me that there is nothing "physically" wrong with me, and that my issue "must be" emotional. I've been seeing therapists for years for this, but have had no luck what-so-ever! On TLC I just saw a show on PDOD and searching the issue on line has brought me here. I am so depsarate for some answers. It's been over 18 years since my EA showed itself, and married over 22 years. I have been struggling terribly and any help I can find would be appreciated.

Greg

[hopepleasure]

Researchers theorized that anhedonia might result from the breakdown in the brain's reward system, involving dopamine pathways. Anhedonia is often experienced by the long-term drug addicts of cocaine and amphetamines. Also prolonged fatigue.

[searchingforcure11]

I am rarely tired.  I get my regular sleep 6 to 7 hours a night.  I dont think fatigue is causing anhedonia in my case.  I do believe its in the brain though and I believe effexor usage caused this.

[i80]

This problem is only occasional for me, and only when actually having sex. I believe it may be a result of a pornography addiction, which messes with that part of the brain. I'm currently in recovery (about 8 weeks so far) and hope that the problem will go away as I continue to abstain.

[numb]

I also belive it might be psychological. I have problems with crying. I always "swallow" the cry like I've done since I was about 13-14 years old. I had a rough childhood and I survived by acting "cool", like I didn't care about anything.

Anyone else has problems with crying?

[empathy121]

I haven't been able to cry since childhood, when I must have repressed it like you describe. There was an unsuccessful study on EA that described a unifying issue amongst sufferers as difficulty expressing feelings. I think i learned expressing emotion as a child to be a sign of weakness, and likewise I am still slightly restrained, not always in the moment. It's not really a noticeable personality issue, but a subtle restraint from expression and spontaneity. I am also slightly body dysmorphic, so am always overly aware of myself which makes it hard to let go. The crying issue is related to an inability to let go, which may be pertinent to EA. I believe our EA issue has both physical and psychological components. The physical one being rooted in pelvic floor and pudendal nerve dysfunction, and a psychological block of some description...