Extreme Fatigue and Lack of Motivation

@enska Welcome and thank you for posting here to Mayo Connect. I am sure there are many of us who have experienced what you describe, myself included. A combination of medications can sometimes have a negative effect, and cancel out what one may be prescribed for. I wonder if that is the case here? If you have not explored the idea of therapy or counseling, perhaps it is time. Also, setting small goals for yourself each day, and increasing them as time goes on, has worked for me. Sometimes a change in your personal life, or where you live, or other stressors, can bring about depression and lack of motivation; that is what happened to me. Your mind is happy to make plans but you cannot get your body to follow through. Take a serious look at how this affects you in the long run. Is there a physical factor underlying your lack of motivation? Perhaps a complete physical exam is needed. What craft ideas are you planning? How difficult would it be to pull out the supplies and place them where you can then pick it up?
Ginger

Thanks so much for the reply. I actually have a therapist who I've been seeing for almost 12 years. I see her on Saturday and plan to discuss these issues. We've touched on it a bit but it's only really been the top concern for me in the past couple of weeks.

One issue for me is clutter and I need to get that under control before I actually have room to work on something. I do have a couple things I can work on though in the meantime that don't require much room. I will try to do what I can on those projects in the next few days and maybe it will lead to more. They are actually overdue birthday presents so I should get them done! Thanks again!

@enska Good for you, Elizabeth! Seeing that you are thinking about the your crafty things is great! I know for me, letting things get out of hand was normal, and when I was able to finally kick myself enough to get out of the rut of depression and lack-of-mojo, my creativity has come back. I am much happier seeing things getting done and creating. Will you come back and let us know what your therapist suggests you do about the issues that are foremost on your mind right now?
Ginger

Absolutely! Thanks for your concern!

Hi, @enska - barely being able to do anything is hard. I was at that low of a point when my parents decided to divorce after 28 years of marriage, and again when my mom and her second husband divorced. I can relate to just wanting to go to bed and not feeling like doing anything. I know I had low mood accompanying this, though, which you said you are not experiencing right now.

That will be good to talk to your therapist about your concerns this weekend. Seeing how this is affecting you so greatly and your ability to do things, however, what would you think about calling/messaging your primary care doctor about what you are experiencing in the meantime?

Hi Elizabeth, my daily life sounds similar to yours. I'll stay in bed for days. It's so hard to get up, stay up & be productive. I have major depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, attention deficit, chronic pain. No diabetes. I take Cymbalta, Wellbutrin, amphetimines, Serequel & hydrocodone. These drugs help but haven't changed my behavior. I read lots about the benefits of exercise for people with depression. Today I plan on joining AnyTime Fitness. Is exercise something you have tried? Hang in there, Elizabeth.

Thank you for reaching out to me so quickly. I'm not really sure how it works. The chronic depression is so debilitating and I find impossible to get friends/family to understand. I applaud you for joining a fitness club. I, like you, have been told exercise is key to our mental health issues. I am full of arthritis so I can relate to your chronic pain. My Dr. will not prescribe me narcotics or opioids. Walking is the best overall exercise you can do, so I've been told. So I order running shoes online (I rarely go out) and I believe I have walked 2x in 2 months. It's a start. I would love to walk every day, before the depression and arthritis hit I walked all the time. Baby steps, I would like to set up a walking schedule, but I feel defeated before I even start one. I am on so much depression medication, and at one time or another I have been on all of yours. Start small and gradually increase your exercise. If you are anything like me,(when I ordered the running shoes I was convinced I would walk 30 minutes each and every day!) and try to be proud that you got out of bed and did something. That is one of the toughest to do. Hopefully we can talk again, marysunshine. Do you remember the children's song " Good Morning Merry Sunshine" I going to check it out on YouTube.

Hello....sorry to hear that you have been experiencing so much. I have had some low points due to chronic pain...however I have found that one of the things that helps when Im really feeling down is to exercise for about 30 mins a day (at least 4 days a week). I noticed after about a week i would start to feel better. Do you have an exercise regiment? I wouldn't be surprised if the meds are negatively impacting your energy level.

Good afternoon @olivia22819 Your suggestion about developing an exercise regimen is right next to perfect for dealing with depression and anxiety. The next element is the time....good things like exercise are best when they become a habit. If your regimen says no breakfast until after exercise, you are not as likely to skip the exercise because that would be self-defeating.

Exercise has always played a big role in my life so I was very depressed when I received the diagnosis of small fiber peripheral neuropathy. I enjoy the restorative yoga, but my daily 3-mile nature walk became a memory. I had to force myself to get out of bed. My neurologist recognized the depression and helped pull me out of it. So....three years later and with a lot of help and willpower, I am like a robot in the morning, doing everything I committed to doing. And the best surprise.....I am beginning to do my nature walk again....only 1 mile today, and yet I know it might be at least 2 miles down the road a bit. May you be safe and protected. Chris

Thank you so much and you have great input . I will be 50 next year and dealing with depression since I was 16 yrs old