Aren't you tired of living and waiting for things to get better?

@carrotbunny Is the exhaustion mental or physical? Can you pinpoint something happening in your life that seemed to bring this on? Change in your family structure, or work-related?

Many times we need to take a good long look at where we are, and consciously make the decision to feel better. The path we take can be varied. Moderate exercise, healthy eating, looking for and seeing the good things in our life. Nobody said it would be easy, and when we seem to have a dark stormcloud over our heads, everything seems impossible. We owe it to ourselves to take that first step and start working on getting things to be better.

You don't mention your age. Are you eating healthy foods that fuel you, as opposed to excessive junk food and sugar? Have you sat and wrote out the particulars of what is so dire right now?
Ginger

I’m sorry you’re feeling that way. I’m glad you posted though. Sharing and getting support are important. Have you gotten a checkup lately? I might start with that, as it could be something you could address with treatment.

When my thyroid was off, I felt really exhausted. Could barely get off of the couch. Once I got that treated, I felt much better. So, you never know. Plus, you primary can evaluate you for other things., like depression. Last year, I changed my diet and exercise and it really affected my mental state in a positive way. I also started talk therapy . So, you have a lot of options.

I love feeling good. I hope you can get that too. When I felt healthy again, my enthusiasm soared. I rarely get tired and feel inspired to do so many things I had given up on. I try to set goals, so it keeps me working on projects.

Do you have a daily routine? Going places I socialize with my peers helps me too. Have you thought about a weekend retreat with friends? I highly recommend that too.

Both physical and mental. Mostly mental because after taking a shower, I get a bit of energy but it disappears throughout the day. I'm 37. Just very very exhausted from life overall. I think I've been this way since I was a kid and nothing has changed. I don't have any specific diet but I'm not overweight or anything. I'm just tired of being on earth, I guess. I feel like I have no purpose here. All suffering.

I do have depression. Due for a checkup by the end of the month. That's the earliest spot I can get. And due for a thyroid checkup in July. I feel like I'm constrained financially and I don't like going out much. I feel like I'm wasting money.

Yeah, I get discouraged too when I see that I might not have certain things in my budget. There are some free events to consider. Also, some virtual events you can attend online and still get some personal interaction. I do virtual therapy sessions and it’s no cost to me through my insurance. You can pack a lunch and enjoy a visit to a park. I try to be mindful of costs.

Still, sometimes you need more than just trying to make yourself feel better. Maybe, your doctor can discuss options. I started to feel much better with a diet focused on whole foods and high nutrition. Plus, daily exercise. A nutritionist really helped too. If I need meds, I’ll do that too.

I read a lot about gratefulness and the role it plays in our mental state. I purposely focus on it daily. You might find some videos about it on YT.

I don't think diet and exercise can help. I've started walking a few months ago and it didn't do anything to my mental health. Just made me feel tired. And dieting makes me feel hungry and deprived all the time.

All this good advice from people who don't know what it feels like. I know what it feels like, but I'm 75. What you have on your side is youth...Carpe Diem, my young friend.

I fell skiing 8 years ago, landing hard on my lower back and buttocks. That year I developed severe pain in my buttocks and lower back. Had epidurals, nerve ablations, PT, etc. Nothing really helped. It wasn't until a neurologist spent over an hour and a half with me and prescribed tramadol, diazepam, and gabapentin that my pain lowered to a tolerable level. I was able to get back on my bike and do 30-40 miles each week. I still had some bad days, so I was referred to an orthopedic surgeon. He had an MRI which, he said, revealed spondylithesis at L5-S1. Fusion was recommended. Being somewhat naive at the time, I went ahead with the surgery, It did nothing to help those bad days, That was 2017, In 2018 I had a Medtronics spinal cord stimulator implanted. That, along with the meds, did a goood job of controlling my pain. I continued cycling and, in 2019, ventured out to the ski slopes again. I stuck to the easy slopes. No speed or crazy stuff, Just gentle skiing. In February of 2021, my buddy and I were out doing our usual hour and a half of gentle skiing. About an hour and a half after returning home, all the pain returned without warning. In 2022 I had the Medtronics SCS battery replaced with a NEVRO battery. It required the use of an adapter to connect to the existing leads. After numerous adjustments, I felt no improvement. In 2023 I had the pain pump implanted. This is supposed to give significant pain relief. I have had this thing adjusted upwards more times than I can recall. No noticeable improvement. We moved to a new state in 2023. My pain had continued to get worse over the past six months. Can no longer enjoy a walk around our community with my wife. Even sitting is so painful, it's difficult to focus. I am having the nonfunctional SCS removed in a week so I can get an MRI which will, hopefully reveal what's going on with my back. It feels like my kast hope. No one seems to be able to pinpoint the source and remedy for my pain. Of course it would be great to find a doc who would take the time to really look into my case. Even consulting with fellow docs. You know, like one sees on TV. Good luck with that.

@esikora I respectfully disagree with your statement that those of us may not know what it feels like, but offer good advice. I, for one, do indeed know what it feels like, I have been there.

Feelings of depression and not having any desire can come on at any age, for any number of reasons. To reach out like @carrotbunny has done, is a step in the right direction. @celia16 has given some awesome ideas, that probably comes from their own experience or that of a family member.
Ginger

@carrotbunny I am so glad you have posted and seen the responses from several of us. From my own experience, first is to try to get a complete physical workup, to help understand if anything is going on like hormone levels, or thyroid, etc. It's surprising how a slight unbalance can really have an effect on us!

You sound like you are very aware of how your situation is affecting your everyday life. "Baby steps", no big changes at any given time, have helped me. Sometimes it takes awhile to see a difference, but I had to keep plugging away at it. Making an effort to do something everyday that is enjoyable to you [even if it sounds wacky to others] might help. If the walking just seemed to make you more tired, perhaps breaking up that walking in to multiple sessions, slowing down, changing where you walk or time of day, will help?

I sincerely hope you will let me know what they say about your checkup that is coming up. You might want to contact your doctor's office and ask to be put on a cancellation list, and then there is a chance to get in earlier!
Ginger