Friday, March 29, 2024

How To Cure Depression Fatigue

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How to overcome chronic fatigue syndrome FOREVER: #1 Tip to stop chronic fatigue forever

If a person feels sustained, intense, feelings of sadness or loss of interest in activities, they may have clinical depression. People also refer to this condition as major depressive disorder.

However, there are small steps you can take to help you gain more agency in your life and improve your sense of well-being.

Read on to learn how to incorporate these strategies in a way that makes sense for you.

How To Fight Depression Fatigue

Fatigue may linger even after other depression symptoms improve. These strategies can help you boost your energy and conquer depression fatigue.

Living with major depression can be challenging when you’re also dealing with fatigue, a common depression symptom. Not only can fatigue disrupt your daily routine, it can also make it harder to take the steps needed to get depression under control.

Major depression causes a total lack of energy that doctors call anergia, says Stephen Geisler, MD, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Hofstra North ShoreLIJ School of Medicine in Long Island, N.Y. This lack of energy can lead to mental, emotional, and physical fatigue thats difficult to treat.

Left untreated, fatigue can contribute to longer and more severe depression, according to a research review published in 2014 in the journal Depression and Anxiety. Its also one of the main causes of disability in depression, says Dr. Geisler. For these reasons, taking steps to conquer fatigue is an important aspect of depression treatment.

How Is Depression Fatigue Treated?

Depression fatigue may be linked to poor sleep, lack of activity, or commonly used antidepressant medications called SSRIs and SNRIs. Even after other depression symptoms have responded to treatment, fatigue is likely to linger.

Helpful Lifestyle Changes Can Fight Depression Fatigue

You can also make healthy lifestyle choices that may help reduce fatigue:

Inflammation And Changes In The Brain

The role of inflammation in depression and fatigue has led researchers to examine the effects that peripheral inflammation has on the CNS. Some changes occur at the level of the blood brain barrier , which separates the CNS parenchyma from the peripheral blood circulation. TNF cause changes in the endothelial cells constituting the BBB, resulting in reduced tight junction protein expression, larger extracellular gaps and increased permeability in animal models and in vitro, all of which are restored by treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs . An increase in proinflammatory cytokine levels including TNF have occurred in patients who have suffered from a myocardial infarction and is associated with disruption of the BBB integrity in animal models and elevated rates of depression . CNS inflammation has also demonstrated that it disrupts the BBB in both MS and its animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalitis , allowing for easier entry of both cytokines and immune cells into the brain . This increased permeability of the BBB may be one of the reasons why patients with immune-mediated diseases like MS have worse psychological symptoms compared to those with other chronic disorders.

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Try Eating A Few More Nutritious Foods

Depression disrupts eating habits, which in turn can cause feelings of fatigue. Like implementing better sleeping habits, developing a more nutrient-rich diet can improve fatigue and exhaustion.

Some foods might help with depression, and a balanced diet helps to boost energy. This typically includes a range of unrefined carbs, proteins, and fats, with an emphasis on veggies, whole grains, and healthy oils.

Aside from just the types of food you should aim to eat, it also might be better to eat small meals and snacks every few hours than three large meals a day. More frequent eating, as opposed to a food overload in a few sittings, may result in more sustained fuel for your body.

What To Expect At Your Providers Office

Chronic Fatigue: Easy Natural Remedies

There is no laboratory test for chronic fatigue syndrome. But your health care provider may use tests to rule out other illnesses. Your provider will go over your symptoms, check your medical history, and do a physical examination.

If you have CFS, your provider may prescribe drugs to treat your symptoms, or suggest herbs, vitamins, or dietary changes to help you. Get plenty of rest, exercise regularly, and learn to pace yourself. Often this combination of treatments will help you get better.

If the usual treatments do not work, your provider may check for other conditions that can cause symptoms similar to those of CFS.

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How Are Cfs And Depression Different

CFS may have symptoms that donât happen with depression, like a frequent sore throat, weakness, and swollen or tender lymph nodes. Pain is more common with CFS than depression.

CFS symptoms like severe fatigue often start or get worse after physical activity, so it could help to cut back on exercise. Depression symptoms sometimes improve after physical activity, so more exercise might make you feel better.

People with CFS often view it as a physical illness. People with depression usually think of their illness as psychological.

Assess The Parts Instead Of Generalizing The Whole

Depression can tinge recollections with difficult emotions. You may find yourself focusing on things that are unhelpful or perceived as difficult.

Try to stop this overgeneralization. Push yourself to recognize the good. If it helps, write down what was meaningful about the event or day. You can track what you achieved that day, and which activities were enjoyable.

Seeing the weight youre giving to one thing may help you direct your thoughts away from the whole and to the individual pieces that were helpful.

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Know That Today Isnt Indicative Of Tomorrow

Internal emotions and thoughts can change from day to day. Tracking experiences through journaling or keeping a mood diary can help to remember this.

If you were unsuccessful at getting out of bed or accomplishing your goals today, remember that you havent lost tomorrows opportunity to try again.

Give yourself the grace to accept that while some days will be difficult, some days will also be less difficult. Try to look forward to tomorrows fresh start.

A Challenging Life Event

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Persistent Fatigue

An event that completely turns your life upside down can put a great deal of strain on your mental health.

Oftentimes, people experience different types of grief as a result. Normal or uncomplicated grief causes short-term mental fatigue. Complicated grief, like the death of a loved one or a divorce, can bring on mental fatigue that impacts your mental health over a long period.

Other factors contributing to mental fatigue include poor nutrition, lack of sleep, or clutter. Once you identify the causes, start by taking steps to alleviate your symptoms.

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Why Depression Makes You So Damn Tired All The Time

Fatigue, like stress and busyness, has become a default state for many people. The feeling, characterized by extreme tiredness and low energy, usually occurs after an especially mentally, emotionally or physically draining experience.

But its not always temporary or circumstantial. Fatigue can also be a symptom of a bigger issue, like depression. In fact, fatigue occurs in over 90 percent of people living with the mental health condition, according to 2018 data.

For someone to have depression, not just general fatigue, several of these symptoms need to be present most days, for most of the day, for at least two weeks, said Don Mordecai, a psychiatrist and the national leader for mental health and wellness at Kaiser Permanente.

Part of the reason depression and debilitating fatigue go hand in hand is because depression affects neurotransmitters associated with alertness and the reward system, Mordecai said. That means the illness physiologically has an impact on your energy levels.

Another reason is that depression negatively affects sleep, whether its difficulty falling asleep, trouble staying asleep, waking up too early or just not sleeping as deeply, said Sari Chait, a clinical psychologist based in Massachusetts.

People with depression who push themselves to get through their day can, in turn, experience more fatigue, which can then make them feel even more depressed, and the cycle keeps going.

– Sari Chait, clinical psychologist

Find Someone To Talk To

Its understandable that you might not want to tell everyone you know that you are feeling depressed. Its a sensitive issue and, like other health conditions, its something you may want to keep private.

But this doesnt mean you need to keep it a secret under lock and key. In fact, research has found that having social support can protect against symptoms of depression.

How much you decide to share depends on your personal comfort level, but having someone to talk to is important. A confidant who can offer support might include:

  • An online friend
  • A mental health professional

If you feel like you need someone to talk to but arent sure who to share with, consider reaching out to a depression helpline. You can talk to a trained counselor who can listen, offer advice, give you helpful information, and connect you with treatment options in your area.

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How To Deal With Fatigue And Depression

You feel lethargic. Youre exhausted. You cant seem to find an ounce of motivation. Your energy level is completely zapped.

Sound familiar? If so, youre likely dealing with fatigue.

You feel hopeless and sad. You dont want to do anything you usually enjoy doing. You blow off friends and family, opting for self-isolation. Youre having trouble concentrating and are more irritable and angry than usual. You find yourself thinking about suicide and death more than ever before.

How about this? Does this hit home? If so, youre likely dealing with depression.

Fatigue doesnt always equal depression, of course. But depression and fatigue almost always present themselves together. A 2018 study revealed that 90% of individuals with clinical depression also deal with fatigue.

But there are ways to fight fatigue and depression some things you can do at home regarding lifestyle changes, and others youll need some help achieving.

Diet And Why It Affects Depression And Fatigue

Symptoms Of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome You Need To Know Chronic Fatigue ...

Youve heard the commonly-quoted saying, you are what you eat. Many researchers believe eating a poor diet raises your risk of developing depression and fatigue. When your diet is rich in processed foods, refined carbohydrates, and sugar, youre likely not getting the nutrients you need to give you energy. And as we already discussed, low energy levels can lead to depression.

A 2017 study revealed that when participants with depression received nutritional counseling and began eating a healthier diet, their depression symptoms improved. And when your depression symptoms improve, your feelings of fatigue are likely to do the same.

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Men Are Taking Action

Fortunately, more and more men, including professional athletes, musicians, actors, lawyers, businessmen, writers, tradesmen, teachers, men in the military, and everyone in between, are going public about depression and taking control of their health.

The myths are breaking down, freeing guys to talk about and tackle their depression.

Dont Ignore The Signs Of Mental Fatigue

Its easy to overlook mental fatigue symptoms when they become a common daily occurrence.

Thats why its important to check in with yourself once in a while and see how youre doing physically, emotionally, and mentally. Mental exhaustion is a condition that can be managed and overcome by making healthy changes in your life. These include prioritizing self-care or fixing your sleep schedule.

If you dont want to do it alone, BetterUp can help. Our coaches will create a personalized plan thats proven to increase your mental well-being and resilience.

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How To Fight Depression And Fatigue

When youre utterly exhausted and experience other symptoms of depression, it is hard to muster the energy to turn things around. It makes sense to need to wait for depression to lift before making changes. However, depression fatigue wont stop on its own.

You can, however, work with your energy level. Think of this as a gradual, yet powerful, process. Below, youll find proven strategies to help both depression and fatigue. You dont have to do everything at once. Start with one or two items that feel possible , do them consistently, and add onto them over time.

These strategies help end depression fatigue. Where do you want to begin?

Depression fatigue is crushing. You dont have to let it keep you down, though. Use strategies to deal with both fatigue and depression, and youll recover energy and improve your mood.

What You Eat And Drink Can Also Affect How You Feel

What Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

Theres no magic diet that will treat depression. But what you put into your body can have a real and significant impact on the way you feel.

Eating a diet rich in lean meats, vegetables, and grains may be a great place to start. Try to limit stimulants like caffeine, coffee, and soda, and depressants like alcohol.

Some people also and have more energy when they avoid sugar, preservatives, and processed foods.

If you have the means, consider meeting with a doctor or registered dietitian for guidance.

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How To Treat Mental Fatigue

In todayâs modern world, itâs common for the average person to be busy for most of their waking hours. In addition to a forty-hour workweek, thereâs also commuting, shopping, taking care of household chores, and making time for friends and family. This often means individuals forget to take care of themselves and taking breaks may be left by the wayside. But failing to take care of oneself can lead to mental fatigue, which occurs when individuals go through periods of prolonged cognitive activity without giving their brain a rest. This can cause individuals to feel mentally and emotionally drained, not to mention overwhelmed. The typical symptoms of mental fatigue include stress eating, loss of appetite, insomnia, lack of motivation, and a feeling of being mentally blocked.

Get familiar with how to treat mental fatigue now.

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Eating Well For Mental Health

Consuming fewer processed foods can lead to better brain and emotional health.

From a young age, were taught that eating well helps us look and feel our physical best. What were not always told is that good nutrition significantly affects our mental health, too. A healthy, well-balanced diet can help us think clearly and feel more alert. It can also improve concentration and attention span.

Conversely, an inadequate diet can lead to fatigue, impaired decision-making, and can slow down reaction time. In fact, a poor diet can actually aggravate, and may even lead to, stress and depression.

One of the biggest health impairments is societys reliance on processed foods. These foods are high in flours and sugar and train the brain to crave more of them, rather than nutrient-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables.

A lot of the processed foods we eat are highly addictive and stimulate the dopamine centers in our brain, which are associated with pleasure and reward. In order to stop craving unhealthy foods, youve got to stop eating those foods. You actually start to change the physiology in the brain when you pull added sugars and refined carbohydrates from your diet.

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How Can I Best Take Care Of Myself If I Have Seasonal Affective Disorder

Talk to your healthcare provider. By planning ahead, you can manage your symptoms and feel your best.

  • Stick to your treatment plan: If you have medications or a lamp for SAD, use them as directed. Follow up with your healthcare provider if you dont see an improvement in your symptoms.
  • Care for yourself: Eat a well-balanced diet. Get enough sleep. Exercise regularly. Try to manage stress, perhaps by talking to a counselor or therapist.
  • Plan ahead: Make a plan for what youll do if your symptoms get worse. If you notice signs of depression, take action. It might help to plan a lot of activities during these months. Having a busy schedule keeps you from hunkering down at home.
  • Start treatment early: Talk to your healthcare provider about preventive treatment. If you know your symptoms start in October, consider starting treatment in September.

Dont:

  • Isolate yourself: Being alone can make your symptoms worse. Even though you may not feel like going out or being social, try to reach out to friends and loved ones.
  • Use alcohol or drugs: They might make symptoms worse. And they can interact negatively with antidepressants.

Mushrooms: Helpful Tools To Lower Blood Sugar

4 Steps to Overcome Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Here are two good reasons why mushrooms are good for your mental health. First, their chemical properties oppose insulin, which helps lower blood sugar levels, evening out your mood. They also are like a probiotic in that they promote healthy gut bacteria. And since the nerve cells in our gut manufacture 80 to 90 percent of our bodys serotonin the critical neurotransmitter that keeps us sane we cant afford to not pay attention to our intestinal health.

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Practice Mindfulness Meditation And Relaxation

Mindfulness meditation, relaxation, and breathing exercises can help calm your mind and body, which may allow you to feel more energetic. Plus, it only takes a few minutes each day to feel a difference. Use this time to be aware of whats going on in your mind and body.

Start with five minutes a day and work your way up to mindful moments several times a day. To help you get started, listen to a guided meditation, or recorded breathing exercises. Once you feel comfortable with the practice, you will find that you have more focus and awareness throughout the day.

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