Reta and mental health, specifically

kazza94x

kazza94x

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Hey everyone,

Lately I’ve been noticing more flatness, tiredness, exhaustion, extreme fatigue, very dry skin, and a bit of emptiness.

I’m working with a therapist and doctor, etc., but these things have been ramping up after reta. Before that I was on sema and had no issues.

Has anyone else gone through something similar?

When did yours begin?

How bad does it get?

What do you do to cope?

Only share if you’re comfortable. No pressure.
 
ladyj779 said:

Try searching the phrase "reta anhedonia"

Common enough, I believe.
Click to expand...
I did look it up, but I was hoping to get input from folks here in this community. Are you familiar with that condition? What are your views on it?
 
So yes, some flattening has been there for me too. It never got bad enough to be a real problem, though my feelings and emotional reactions are definitely not what they used to be. My guess is that I am still settling in.
 
gimmeshelter said:

So yes, some flattening has been there for me too. It never got bad enough to be a real problem, though my feelings and emotional reactions are definitely not what they used to be. My guess is that I am still settling in.
Click to expand...
If it's okay, what are you getting at when you mention emotional response and feelings?
 
kazza94x said:

gimmeshelter said:

So yes, some flattening has been there for me too. It never got bad enough to be a real problem, though my feelings and emotional reactions are definitely not what they used to be. My guess is that I am still settling in.
Click to expand...
If it's okay, what are you getting at when you mention emotional response and feelings?
Click to expand...
I just experience fewer emotions around events where I know some reaction is expected—whether those events are positive or negative. It's almost as if you become somewhat detached from things that would normally bring strong happiness or sadness. That shift ought to be something you can identify clearly. My dose is quite low: 1.8mg. I began injecting reta in April. I can't say whether that has any connection, but I'm only mentioning it. This flatness I feel isn't terrible, and in my view it doesn't really alter what I do or how I respond. Still, to a certain extent, it does alter the way I FEEL regarding certain matters, at least a little.
 
A slight adjustment to my dopamine signaling is fine by me. It assists me in managing my bad habits. Still, it doesn’t leave me feeling low.

Every symptom you mentioned might come from various other sources. The first two that jump out are insufficient calories and not enough sleep.
 
Dopamine signaling can be dampened by Reta—this goes past reward responses tied only to food.

That effect isn't merely one factor behind lower food intake while using it; it also lines up with reductions in alcohol, cigarettes, and other drug use, and in many cases people quit those habits completely.

Sadly, for you this may produce the numb, flat sensation that comes with reward responses being blunted. Anhedonia can occur, and it does show up somewhat, though idk whether “common” is really the right term.

What to do: look for healthier sources of dopamine reward. A morning walk, some daylight, enough water, exercise, and nutritious food might help. If there are hobbies or interests you care about, putting more time into them can be useful too—reading, writing, art, golfing, etc., whatever fits you. At first it will likely still feel dull and not very exciting, but with time, hopefully your body will adapt?
 
ladyj779 said:

Try searching the phrase "reta anhedonia"

Common enough, I believe.
Click to expand...

kazza94x said:

ladyj779 said:

Try searching the phrase "reta anhedonia"

Common enough, I believe.
Click to expand...
I did look it up, but I was hoping to get input from folks here in this community. Are you familiar with that condition? What are your views on it?
Click to expand...
If you don't require every opinion or thought to be completely new, entering GLP1Chat.com [reta anhedonia] in your favorite search engine will quickly turn up at least ten discussions on this community where people share their views.

LMGTFY


Google Search
 
Probably picked it up off rip testing. To me, emotions can sometimes fog our judgment and bring more problems than positives. When life handed me a few poor rolls of the dice, anhedonia felt like a bit of a silver lining. I just didn't give a crap. I still knew it had been a bad roll. It just didn't drag me down. I guess it's all about perspective. I have goals to reach, and nothing is going to block me. Any heavy regret, inadequacy, or general overthinking got abandoned on a lonely road far behind me. Just dead weight.
 
Alright… my brain is on the sensitive side, and I likely have ADHD that was never diagnosed.

Sema? I only used it here and there for a handful of months; it did nothing for me.

Tirz, though, made me feel extremely flat (anhedone) once I got to the higher range, roughly 10-111 mg. I couldn't keep going with it. Everything felt grey.

After that I switched to reta—adding Cagri to handle food noise—while I moved tirz up and down. Things were fine until I'd spent a few months on a high reta dose, 8 mg, and that same anhedonia sensation returned.

Reta also gave me a lot of sugar cravings and such. Tirz handled that much better.

When I stepped down to 4-6 mg weekly for many months, it was nearly acceptable, but the low mood gradually came back.

I had to quit 3 weeks ago.

The 'depression' went away and my energy came back.

At various points I gave some supplements a shot, but they made no difference. I simply tolerated it. Losing weight, exercising, sleeping—none of that helped either. Most of the time I felt: who the fuck cares.

Right now I'm on cagri, waiting for Elora. 🙂

There are people who do fine on lower doses.
 
I want to add my two cents here. November 2025 is when I began Reta, and there have been several side effects worth mentioning. To give some background, I live with CPTSD and have experienced depression that comes and goes.

Strictly speaking, motivation isn't something I lack, but the reward side of dopamine has definitely been dulled. These days, picking up a book, putting on an audiobook, or settling in to watch a show doesn't really hit the spot. My attention wanders; I'll begin and abandon things repeatedly. Something I normally like can take me weeks or even months to get through, whereas my friends finish it in just a few days.
 
In a way, I see anhedonia as somewhat beneficial: the things that used to irritate me or trigger anxiety no longer bother me at all. My appetite for most of the unhealthy food I once consumed has also disappeared. Still, there are plenty of negative aspects. I have turned into something of a hermit. Activities that I formerly liked no longer bring me pleasure. Over the past few weeks, my motivation appears to have dropped even further. My original goal in losing weight was simply to gain more energy so I could complete tasks. Eating more would likely help me feel at least a bit better, but right now I must struggle just to consume enough to not starve. This has turned into a damaging loop, and I likely ought to look into it further.
 
kazza94x said:

Hey everyone,

Lately I’ve been noticing more flatness, tiredness, exhaustion, extreme fatigue, very dry skin, and a bit of emptiness.

I’m working with a therapist and doctor, etc., but these things have been ramping up after reta. Before that I was on sema and had no issues.

Has anyone else gone through something similar?

When did yours begin?

How bad does it get?

What do you do to cope?

Only share if you’re comfortable. No pressure.
Click to expand...
Hello,

2 months back, I went through those very same symptoms. Since starting Reta in March, it slammed into me hard. I felt depressed, worn out, on edge, and my anxiety had skyrocketed. My son told me to give Selank a try, and it made a big difference. I was back to feeling like my usual self.
 
My gut instinct (pun fully intended) is that anhedonia and a flat emotional state might be connected to the gut being a major place where dopamine is produced. Since GLPs slow digestion and lower overall food intake, I suspect this could play a role in mood.

For myself, I try to prioritize foods that contain l-tyrosine—chicken, salmon, eggs, yoghurt—since the body has been shown to turn these into dopamine.

And as other people have mentioned, going for walks, getting sun, talking with friends, spending time with pets, and similar things are helpful as well.

I hope a good balance comes your way soon.
 
Socalgirl97 said:

kazza94x said:

Hey everyone,

Lately I’ve been noticing more flatness, tiredness, exhaustion, extreme fatigue, very dry skin, and a bit of emptiness.

I’m working with a therapist and doctor, etc., but these things have been ramping up after reta. Before that I was on sema and had no issues.

Has anyone else gone through something similar?

When did yours begin?

How bad does it get?

What do you do to cope?

Only share if you’re comfortable. No pressure.
Click to expand...
Hello,

2 months back, I went through those very same symptoms. Since starting Reta in March, it slammed into me hard. I felt depressed, worn out, on edge, and my anxiety had skyrocketed. My son told me to give Selank a try, and it made a big difference. I was back to feeling like my usual self.
Click to expand...
Selank seems to get conflicting feedback, yet I've got a supply headed my way to test. None of us benefit from feeling terrible. Wishing you good energy x
 
Rebel_in_Dior said:

My gut instinct (pun fully intended) is that anhedonia and a flat emotional state might be connected to the gut being a major place where dopamine is produced. Since GLPs slow digestion and lower overall food intake, I suspect this could play a role in mood.

For myself, I try to prioritize foods that contain l-tyrosine—chicken, salmon, eggs, yoghurt—since the body has been shown to turn these into dopamine.

And as other people have mentioned, going for walks, getting sun, talking with friends, spending time with pets, and similar things are helpful as well.

I hope a good balance comes your way soon.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the solid advice! I’m putting these strategies into practice right now 🙂 I’ve also got a gut feeling that we’ll be okay haha
 
sheilarae74 said:

In a way, I see anhedonia as somewhat beneficial: the things that used to irritate me or trigger anxiety no longer bother me at all. My appetite for most of the unhealthy food I once consumed has also disappeared. Still, there are plenty of negative aspects. I have turned into something of a hermit. Activities that I formerly liked no longer bring me pleasure. Over the past few weeks, my motivation appears to have dropped even further. My original goal in losing weight was simply to gain more energy so I could complete tasks. Eating more would likely help me feel at least a bit better, but right now I must struggle just to consume enough to not starve. This has turned into a damaging loop, and I likely ought to look into it further.
Click to expand...
That sounds awful. I also stay at home most of the time and keep myself away from other people. I suspect it might take a while for us to rediscover ourselves prior to us having a harmful relationship with food. What's your view?
 
IAmAMeatPopsicle said:

I want to add my two cents here. November 2025 is when I began Reta, and there have been several side effects worth mentioning. To give some background, I live with CPTSD and have experienced depression that comes and goes.

Strictly speaking, motivation isn't something I lack, but the reward side of dopamine has definitely been dulled. These days, picking up a book, putting on an audiobook, or settling in to watch a show doesn't really hit the spot. My attention wanders; I'll begin and abandon things repeatedly. Something I normally like can take me weeks or even months to get through, whereas my friends finish it in just a few days.
Click to expand...
Is there anything at all that "does it" for you, or has it become completely blunted? And if you're on antis as well, they may be a factor here.
 
quicksilver80 said:

Probably picked it up off rip testing. To me, emotions can sometimes fog our judgment and bring more problems than positives. When life handed me a few poor rolls of the dice, anhedonia felt like a bit of a silver lining. I just didn't give a crap. I still knew it had been a bad roll. It just didn't drag me down. I guess it's all about perspective. I have goals to reach, and nothing is going to block me. Any heavy regret, inadequacy, or general overthinking got abandoned on a lonely road far behind me. Just dead weight.
Click to expand...
That's fantastic! May every regret and those thoughts be gone forever, and may you keep thriving !!
 
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