Tiredness

[Tarmac_6]

Hey Everyone, I know this isn’t a place for me to seek medical advice but I guess I’m just seeing if anyone has had similar experiences. I have depression (high functioning if it makes a difference) and I am also someone who is constantly exhausted. Like to the point that I can fall asleep anytime anywhere and often have struggles staying awake in class at uni and at work. I have some other health issues (like low iron) that I have started to sort out and while I feel slightly better I still can’t really move past this exhaustion. Could this be something to do with my depression? Just want to know if this is worth exploring in a mental health instead of physical health sense. 

[AlwaysMyself]

Sorry to hear you're also feeling very tired @Tarmac_6 .

Fatigue is such a hard one to know, because it can be caused by both physical and psychological factors. Id say attack it from both angles if able.

Sometimes fatigue can be dismissed by doctors as "because you are depressed" :face_with_rolling_eyes: - but thankfully I could articulate to mine 7 different types of "tiredness" I feel and which ones were or were not due to depression, and thus they didnt dismiss me.

When I get increased fatigue I get a blood check. I think GP usually tests for iron (which you've mentioned already), Vit D, B12, thyroid, cortisol...

When I was so exhausted even after 12hr sleeping my GP recommended a Sleep Apnea test (I also fit quite a few risk factors for it), and sure enough I had severe sleep apnoea too. 😅 so getting that addressed helped a lot too.

However with all this i still have chronic fatigue, even if i dont feel depressed.

Recently I was also made aware of how much emotional energy I expend (even when relatively well). This is a process I am now on, learning to recognise when im too emotionally invested in something I dont need to be, and being able to emotionally reign in to reserve my energy (even if im still involved in helping/supporting in the situation).

That is my experiences. Not sure if any of those possibilities may click with you.

[tyme]

I can relate to extreme fatigue. It would almost be as though I'd sleep for years and still feel tired = depression

I also have low iron = this was more about lethargy and headaches.

Have you felt this way for a long time @Tarmac_6 ?

@AlwaysMyself 

[Tarmac_6]

Hi @AlwaysMyself, I am going to the doctor just to check in again with her. And I have actually done a sleep study. I have a deviated septum which I’m getting surgery for soon which may be impacting my quality of sleep but I was told I don’t have sleep apnea. I guess it’s something I should work on mentally as well. 

I relate to what you said about getting too emotionally invested. I think I do that too and maybe something I need to unpack. 🙂

[Tarmac_6]

Hey again @tyme, yeah that’s exactly how I feel! I struggle to stay awake or go a day without a nap which isn’t plausible in my life schedule. I am often falling asleep when I shouldn’t be and still wake up feeling like I could go straight back to sleep. I would say I’ve been feeling this tired since 2023 so going on two and a half years now. I have been to doctors to get it sorted out but spent most of 2023 and 2024 getting dismissed by my dr for many reasons before switching to someone new so have only just started getting actual physical help for it. I guess it helps to know that it can actually make you really tired, I guess I was just wanting to know if tackling it from a mental health angle was good too.

[AlwaysMyself]

Fingers crossed for you @Tarmac_6 with both the GP and MH supports and seeing if they can help you investigate/tackle the tiredness issue.

Would be interested to know how you go, and what ends up helping 🙂 

[tyme]

What i noticed in my own body, is that the first priority was to determine if i had any underlying physical conditions. That is, low iron, thyroid issues, hormonal.

Then, I looked at my food consumption to see whether I was eating 'properly' and getting the adequate nutrients. 

Then I considered the exercise I was doing.

After looking at all this, I could then let the doctor know that I've had all these things checked so it could be something else. e.g. depression.

For me, I don't like just taking MH meds if there are other ways I can manage better.

And yes, then I looked at anti-depressants. I won't say they 'sparked' my energy levels, but at least it enabled me to engage in therapy.

@Tarmac_6 

I know you mentioned low iron. Have you had a general health check?

Hope things improve for you.

[Tarmac_6]

Hi @tyme, I am going back to my doctor to chat about it again. I think sometimes it’s difficult to check everything that could be going on when I feel so tired but I know that nothing will change if I don’t. Thanks for your advice 🙂

[tyme]

I always think to get the physical done first. Could be a lacking mineral, vitamin, hormone... @Tarmac_6 

See how it goes. 

There was a time when I was feeling feint a lot and would collapse. I'd also get migraines. I later found out that it was blood pressure and also low iron. But yes, that affected my mental health.

Oh, not to mention thyroid issues! That chemical imbalance from having thyroid issues can really affect one's mental health!

[Tarmac_6]

Ok I will @tyme, I have been to multiple doctors, blood tests etc. but maybe will look through it again. Do you have any advice on finding energy when you have none? I guess it can just be frustrating not knowing what or if something is wrong. Anyway, guess I'm just using this to vent a bit, so thanks for listening.