223-reddit-1mn1p5k-aristada-abilify-lexapro-blank-blunting-recovered

“(Reposting for those who have asked) ** I am currently medication free ** 🙏 My story began in March 2023 I experienced a bad/negative reaction from recreational use of Marijuana and Psilocybin. It induced psychosis, paranoia, mania and many other negative symptoms. I personally feel as though it was a spiritual psychosis/awakening. I did NOT consume the substances together. I used them separately about 2 weeks apart. I was hospitalized three separate times and coerced into taking an antipsychotic injection called: Aristada (Abilify) 1064MG, a two-month dose Three weeks after the injection, my life changed drastically For the worst I began to suffer severe side effects, including: ● Anhedonia / Emotional blunting ● Akathisia / Restlessness ● Depersonalization / Derealization ● Cognitive impairment ● A blank mind / Aphantasia ● Muted orgasms / Loss of libido ● Cronic Fatigue ● Insomnia ● Loss of appetite, hunger, and thirst For 320 days Yes 320 I felt as though I was trapped In what i called A chemical straightjacket. I came close to ending my own life More times than I can count In 2023 i was medicated for 3.5 months, including the Aristada injection Later i switched to oral pills: ● Abilify 15MG ● Lexapro 10MG In August 2023 I tapered off all medications Out of fear of further harm, I avoided all substances/medications/supplements for 8 months. During that time, I saw countless professionals: ● General Practitioners ● Therapists ● Psychologists ● Psychiatrists ● Neurologists ● Nutritionists ● Acupuncturists I spent over $15,000 + Dollars on medical bills/ treatments/tests. Eventually I lost all hope I wanted to give up The only options that were given to me by the "professionals" Was: ● Take more medication […]”

Cause

Reddit r/anhedonia first-person OP u/Red-flyer (same recovery arc also posted as 1hrmeip — same person, not separately logged): coerced Aristada (Abilify) 1064 mg 2-month injection during hospitalizations, plus oral Abilify 15 mg and Lexapro 10 mg (~3.5 months medicated in 2023). Attributes anhedonia/emotional blunting + blank mind/aphantasia (and DP/DR, cognitive impairment, muted orgasms) to that stack. Unused r/anhedonia; unused Aristada-primary BOTH.s.

Duration

Onset ~3 weeks after Aristada; ~1 year of emotional numbness/blank cluster before major improvement; tapered Abilify/Lexapro Aug 2023; trialled Parnate from Apr 2023 then later medication-free

Recovery notes

Credits stopping Aristada/Abilify/Lexapro and a Parnate (MAOI) trial that improved cognition/emotion/libido, then becoming medication-free. Related 1hrmeip post said ~80% back vs pre-March-2023 baseline while still on Parnate 15 mg ~9 months; later 1mn1p5k frames full medication-free recovery. No later relapse update Enriched from arctic-shift full OP selftext (2026-09-13).

Source URL

https://www.reddit.com/r/anhedonia/comments/1mn1p5k/recovery_is_possible/