Why do I feel tired all the time?
This is similar to the post I’d written previously about me getting sick every single month. I don’t get sick that often but for as long as I can remember I have been tired. Every single day is a big struggle for me. For the longest time I just thought it was my diet or lack of exercise. I would try experimenting with different food and exercise routines but nothing changed
Here are my symptoms
- I have no energy to do anything at all
- I feel a little better when I’m among other people
- I feel extremely lonely when I’m by myself
- I can’t wait to leave my house in the morning
- After work all I want to do is lie on sofa and watch tv
- Feels like someone is sucking energy out of me
- Eating a lot of fruits and vegetables give me different type of energy. I feel fresh and clear minded but that feeling of fatigue, of energy being sucked out is still there
- I feel very sad all the time
- Feels like I can’t breathe
- Feels like someone is choking me
- Feel chained down because just can’t seem to get up when I am by myself
- I can’t concentrate on simplest of tasks
- I forget really simple stuff
- I want to do so much stuff but when I’m by myself I just can’t even get up from sofa or bed
- I have constant body pains
- I get irritated over smallest things
- I can’t seem to decide over simplest matters
- I experience strong feelings of guilty, unworthiness and hopelessness
- I constantly feel overwhelmed
- Whenever I am stressed I get sick
- Just feel like crying for some reason. I don’t cry but still the feeling is there
Depression
Recently it’s gotten much worse. And I figured out that it’s got nothing to do with my diet or exercise. I’m depressed. I used to be severely depressed when I was younger and I thought I had gotten out of it. I worked hard to get myself out of depression and in some ways I was quite successful. Even at my worse I don’t feel suicidal now.
So, that’s good news!
Looks like I hadn’t really recovered from depression. I sort of distracted myself from it. All the time I just kept myself busy with either watching tv, or hanging out with friends.
When I get home no wonder nothing gets done. On the way home when I’m amongst people on the subway I feel quite good and full of energy. I feel like going home and doing this and doing that and even feel like going out for a run. But as soon as I open the door to my condo and sit down I feel really drained. Feels like a vacuum is attached to me and my energy gets drained/sucked out of me. I just fall on the sofa unable to move around.
I don’t even have the energy to get up and get a glass of water or turn tv on or off or go on the computer.
I feel extremely lonely and loneliness eats away at me. But I am actually not lonely. But I just feel lonely. I’m afraid to be alone and now that cable tv is gone I don’t have the television to distract me. I watch some dvds but it’s not like before when the television used to be on all the time and I would hear it in the background no matter what I was doing.
Few days ago after I got home from work, I couldn’t even get up from the sofa. No matter what I did I was just unable to get up. So, I decided to meditate and see if that would help. I wanted to get up and set the timer for meditating but I just was totally unable to get up. It wasn’t until I had an intense need to go to the washroom that I was able to get up.
Meditating while lying down seemed like the only thing I could do but still was a step in the positive direction. Since I couldn’t get up, I just laid there and relaxed. I relaxed and concentrated on my breathing for about 15-20 minutes.
After meditating I felt a little better. Enough for me to pick up the laptop behind me and go to youtube and start watching music videos. Literally, that’s all the energy I had but it was enough. I had saved a few songs that I really liked. I had enough energy now to get them started.
But after listening to the first song I was feeling a little better, so I actually got up. Then I listened to more songs and kept this up for at least one hour. During that time I got out of sadness and was totally with the music and was feeling great.
That’s when I knew for sure that diet has nothing to do with the way I was feeling. I was only able to get myself to feel better by focusing on good thoughts and good songs in this case.:-)
Related posts:
- What is the cause of depression?
- It’s tough to write while depressed
- How news influences our thoughts
- Why do I get sick every month?
- Debt: How do you feel about debt?
- 25 ways to feel good right now!
- Walk to work
- Negative Feelings associated with debt
- Give up caffeine!
- Self conversation: Talk to your best friend
July 28th, 2009 at 10:06 pm
[...] Read more from the original source: Why do I feel tired all the time? [...]
July 29th, 2009 at 8:59 am
Yup. I have been there a few times.
There are three things that I can point to as triggers for improvement which have worked for me – and you have mentioned two of them already so you have the ability already!
Firstly, music. Find what music gets you going. This may be different for you than me, but I find some of Sarah Brightmans more stirring stuff works as well as a good bit of rock music or some classical works (such as Hans Zimmers music for the movie Gladiator). I guess the most famous such music is from ‘Rocky’ but I find it a little cheesy these days. I hope the music makes you feel angry as that will give you some energy too. Also find some comedy that gets you laughing, maybe watch DVDs of your favourite comics. Comedy sometimes takes a little while to work when you are down but is worth pursuing.
Get around people. I heard somewhere that depression is the most selfish condition and is best treated by getting around people. You said you felt better on the subway – around people. Again, I heard it said you should do charity work to find people worse off than but I’m not sure you need to go that far. Visit friends or neighbours or even join a club or take a night school course.
Lastly, and probably most importantly, find a purpose. Is there an interest that could drive you or maybe a project that could fascinate you? A well-researched blog could do that, so you must be close to a solution already. Is there a subject that needs a lot of research that you could get deep into? Maybe the job isn’t that interesting. Well, make your spare time more interesting – and it might even make your job unnecessary eventually!
Well, it works for me anyway……
July 29th, 2009 at 11:37 am
Hey Ricky,
Nice blog post, yet sad.
I share the same exact view point on the energy that fruits and vegetables gives.
I don’t wanna go medical on you, but have you considered the possibility of anemia?
A close family member of mine shared alot of symptoms that you described. Later she was diagnosed with low blood pressure and anemia. Even the part of feeling better with music.
The most simple of testings that can be done is going to a mirror and checking the inside of your eyelids, idealy they should be redish. If they are white, it’s a good sign of anemia.
Of course, in your own words, that doesn’t substitute professional help, a doctor and a proper exam…
July 29th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
@Keith – Thanks for all these great tips. If I’m feeling really down, and with no energy whatsoever, the only thing I can do is listen to some music. There is no desire or energy to get up to even talk to a friend or write a blog post no matter how much I want to. But once music lifts the spirit a little bit that’s when I am able to do other things.
As per charity, I’ve often heard how it can heal people to help others less fortunate than themselves. Problem is when I am feeling down, it often makes me sadder to see people in those circumstances. I’ve tried that and I often ended up feeling quite a bit worse.
And often I get taken advantage of as whenever someone tells me a really sad story I end up giving them whatever money I have on me to help them out.
@AR – hmm.. I’ve checked my blood pressure quite a few times recently and it’s always been normal or better than normal. But I’ve never thought of checking myself in the mirror to look inside the eyelids. I’ll check myself today. Thanks
July 30th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
Ricky, you sound like me and I want to thank you putting up this blog. I have had the same sympthoms and I am also a person that got taken advantage of often.
There is no need to always rely on medicine, if you can help yourself from within you. I started reading books, which I stopped for a long time. What also helps is setting little baby step goals each day and tick up the list once done and reward yourself with a little something i.e. a warm bath or a nice walk.
Anyway I am sure you get better step by step like I do.
July 30th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
@R. – Thanks.
I want to and I will get out of depression for good. It does not have to be there in mine or anyone’s life. We can actually be happy all the time. And that’s exactly what I intend to do.
Not sure what path I’m going to take at this moment though.
I do not like to take action for the sake of taking action. It has to be inspired action. I set out my intention and then wait for a plan, normally doesn’t take that long, that resonates with me, that I’m thrilled to implement.
My hope in writing about my depression is maybe I can help someone as well. Even if someone gets one good idea by reading my blog posts, or just get some inspiration, then it’d be worth it.
August 22nd, 2009 at 6:59 pm
Hi there,
I used to get tired all the time too. I then went on a raw diet for a little while and noticed a huge difference in my energy levels…huge! Anyway, I couldn’t coninue on with it, as I became quite ill and when I went to the Doctor she said I was very low in B12. She asked me if I was feeling really tired since doing raw eating and I said “no”, this is the most energetic I have ever felt. Even after giving up raw eating my energy levels were much better than previously.
Then I got a terrible flu and it all went downhill from there. Since that flu I have been feeling tired, lethargic and even a bit depressed/sad. It’s like my immune system has been attacked.
So I’m now going back on raw, but will just take b12 supplements and if I start to feel sick, I will introduce some cooked foods back into the diet.
Something to think about!
August 23rd, 2009 at 9:34 am
Hello again! I totally just love your blog! When I read, the being sick every month blog I could relate, I find myself relating alot! I too have the feeling of just pure “blah” often, my job is highly rewarding and wonderful as I work with special needs, I have a great urge to train for that 5k I keep talking about, go back to school etc., but when I get home, that all seems to go out the window, I got rid of cable myself, my t.v isn’t even plugged in, I also am in computer land lol. I recently talked with a good friend about my issues to come to the conclusion it’s time to create my own life!! I agree people do not have to feel this way, it is a choice, and if you are able to recognize patterns, and confront them…that is a step in the right direction.
Music therapy is the best!
It’s great to give yourself the life you want as a gift to yourself and probably everyone around you as well.
Thank you so much for your blogs,stay with the positive things in life that surround you, and keep rocking to those awesome tunes!!
August 23rd, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Hi Lychee,
I had heard of others speak very highly of raw food diet as well. Some people have cured cancer by changing their diets to raw along with their treatment as well.
I have thought of going raw as well but my lifestyle just doesn’t support it. From what I have seen it does require a lot of work in preparing meals. I just haven’t had a lot of time to devote to my food.
But in the near future I will most likely give it a try. Maybe a 30-day raw food experiment!
Sorry to hear about your flu. I would be very interested in hearing about whether going raw once again helps you overcome your fatigue and depression. Keep us updated. Best of luck!
August 23rd, 2009 at 4:07 pm
Thanks Alicia
I’ve been experimenting with different things to keep me happy. I will post about them soon.
What you said is absolutely true! It’s all about choice! We can choose to live in depression and sadness or we can do something about it. Once we’re in depression it’s hard to do anything but at least realizing that we don’t have to stay there is a step in the right direction.
One thing I’m learning is how doing something we enjoy really helps. If we do the things we enjoy during the day then it’s hard to feel sad all the time.
You know, cancelling my cable has helped me quite a bit actually. I am still watching tv. Not as much but whatever I do watch I watch because I really want to watch. Not just letting tv run in the background all day long etc.
Whenever I feel like I want to watch something I just go to youtube and watch it there. And I absolutely love it!
If you want to train for 5k, maybe a good step would be to watch videos on youtube of people running/jogging, or videos of handicapped people running, or go online and read stories about people who’ve conquered their depression to do great things, and maybe start visualizing yourself running.
One great way is to ask yourself “what if I could run 5k race, how would it feel?” Even if your mind throws objections, you could say ‘I know I can’t right now but what if I could, how would it feel? “What clothes would I be wearing?”, “Where would I run, what city?”, “Would my friends be there?”, “Which friends would I tell?”, “What kind of a diet would I be consuming?” and so on…
Asking “what if I could..” helps lower the resistance and makes it seem possible. If you do this enough times you start to feel enthusiastic about running and attach good feelings with running. And then you’ll find yourself taking action as well because it’ll feel so good to do it
Yep, there is something magical about music! I think we’re blessed to be living at this time of internet. Whenever we feel like listening to any type of music we can just go online and find it there!