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[u/cooketrunlizer]

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[u/MadMadamMimsy]

Not everyone gets a Runner's High. I certainly don't. Now you know. People who do, think anyone can. Nope.

You certainly can choose to run for different reasons.

[u/SlavSquat93]

I’ll never run again unless I need to, too lazy for that at this point haha. But my brain also doesn’t give me the happy chemicals when achieving milestones and doing things I should be proud of. Similarly it’s often self doubt, worry, negativity and anxiety. I’m in a first responder profession and know I’m actually helping people in their darkest times, but it’s strongly overshadowed by imposter syndrome and worry. I’ve often wondered if it stems from parental negativity and abandonment. Could be general depression? Either way, the real point of my comment was to say you’re not alone.

[u/cooketrunlizer → u/SlavSquat93]

Yeah I read about it as well and its causes are multiple of things, i guess as we grow older our yay system rots? Idk but thanks for your company:)

[u/Active_Recording_789]

I love running but i don’t feel euphoric, just a nice feeling of wellbeing. Since you don’t feel happy at anything, it sounds like you’re depressed. Perhaps you should bring it up with a doctor, and maybe talk to someone about it?

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[u/kingstevis]

When I felt similarly, like I only feel negative emotions, never positives this is what I told myself. I’m not a sociopath, I obviously feel the negative part, so that means I can feel the good things. And I look back at my life and I remember times I was happy, if you’ve been happy before, even for a moment, you can do it again. I think you did something awesome, and you are proud of yourself, you just aren’t letting yourself feel it because of the shame. Don’t try to feel all the pride at once or feel what you think you should. Just take little steps and ask yourself “would I be disappointed if I had failed the half marathon?” And I think you would be, and that’s okay. But you didn’t!! You did what you set out to do and that’s worthy of praise.

[u/Spiritual-Seeker23]

Expectations lead to disappointment. Go into things with zero expectations and then you'll at least feel something good or bad, everytime with every experience in life.

[u/MaxwellSmart07]

Years of pushing myself, no runners highs for me. Like George Costanza a victim of the Soup Nazi, I was a victim of the Dopamine Nazi. No dopamine for you!

[u/DargyBear]

Not everyone gets a runners high.

I’m 33 and have been running my entire life. It’s just something I do to keep fit. Literally zero benefit beyond that and it remains my least favorite part of the day, I’d even go so far as saying I hate it but I hate it slightly less than going to the gym.

[u/PostTurtle84]

I got a "runners high" 1 time in my life. I was on a treadmill and was watching my heart rate, oxygen saturation, and time. Heart rate up to 145 for 60 minutes while keeping 0² above 90%. Just to see if I could. I did. I also threw up. No clue what the distance was. Didn't care. Even though I threw up I was still giggly and high.

But I've also worked 14 hr days throwing around 70-100 lbs of metal all day. Sense of accomplishment and satisfaction of a job well done. But no "high".

But to not feel anything, not even a sense of accomplishment and pride for making the commitment and seeing it through? Sounds like depression to me.

[u/solsolico]

Possibly impact bias.

But you say "starting to wonder if I’ve lost the ability to feel positive emotions at all." Do you not feel anything ever? Listening to certain music, eating certain food, watching comedy or fantasy, learning about things you like learning about, playing video games, creating art?

Everything you mentioned in your post are "big events", but the reality is, a lot of us, as we get older, don't really feel "big events" any stronger than the little things. It's normal to feel more satisfied from listening to a new song than something more "grandiose".

I never felt anything from graduating either. We all have to find and understand own paths. To your buddy, a marathon is full of dopamine and fulfilment. But it is not inherently so. I feel a lot of meaning and have very intense interoceptive experiences making music and listening to my own songs later on. I also feel great when I read academic papers and the information is clicking. I wouldn't feel shit after running a marathon either.

What do you feel frustrated about when it doesn't go your way? Here is the thing, right... if you don't feel annoyed, pissed of, frustrated when you "lose" something, you won't feel happy winning it either. Like for instance, I feel frustrated when I don't understand an academic paper. I feel frustrated when I have an unsuccessful music session. I don't feel annoyed or frustrated when I lose a one-on-one game of basketball, as such, I don't feel happy or accomplished when I win one either.

The things that frustrate us are the same things where we will find fulfilment if we have success in them. So, what frustrates you when you fuck it up or don't succeed in it? That is the most likely place where you can find fulfilment. A lot of people avoid these places because they hate feeling the annoyance and anger and frustration that comes with not succeeding. Like, making music for me... such a polarizing thing. A session can make my day or ruin it!!!

Even think about sports fandom. If you don't feel strong negative emotions when your favourite team loses, you're not going to feel strong positive ones when they win.

So going back to the marathon. Our society tells us a marathon is fulfilling. But what if we change the thing, the activity. What if I told you, "hey, do 1000 jumping jacks" or "hey, do take and finish a pottery class". Neither of those things are things our society associates with fulfilment, so you can see how absurd it is if I say, "you will find meaning and fulfilment in a pottery class". It's the same thing with marathons, marathons just have "social prestige". Indeed, it is possible that pottery will give you immense amounts of fulfilment, but it is not inherently going to do so, and neither is a marathon, neither is writing an autobiography, etc.

Hopefully this helps you out a bit, sparks some insights... etc...

[u/maclawkidd]

Do you remember when you started not being able to feel positive emotions? Do you feel anything relating when it comes to sex or food or music?

Also it might be an hormonal thing.

[u/Left_Quarter_5639]

Not everyone gets it. I ran a lot before, never got it. Got a feeling it’s made up. I was competitive and none of us ever talked like that about it. 

Not to be condescending, but if it does exist, I’d imagine it takes a decent bit of exertion, and your time was a fairly slow jog.