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Chronic tiredness: symptoms, causes and treatment

Chronic tiredness: symptoms, causes and treatment

March 29, 2024

Everyone, at some point in time, we have felt tired, fatigued or lacking in energy . The causes of this can be varied, for example, a busy day or a bad night. Generally, in these situations it is enough to sleep well or to recover the normal rhythm of work.

However, some people feel tired all day and for most of the time, and are unmotivated, exhausted, weak, have difficulty concentrating ... When this feeling is constant and lasting over time, then we are talking about chronic tiredness .

In this article we will delve into the most important aspects of this phenomenon and we will know what its symptoms, its causes and its treatment are.


What is chronic fatigue?

There are many individuals who would like to stay a little longer in bed before going to work in the office, or enjoy a nap for its physical and psychological benefits. However, there are people who spend all day in "off", tired, decentered, unmotivated ... When this feeling of tiredness does not disappear and manifests itself for a long period of time, there may be a problem that feeds it (depression, burnout, insomnia, etc.).

Chronic fatigue makes the person feel very tired throughout the day and have difficulties when carrying out their daily tasks. It is similar to spring asthenia, which usually appears together with a decrease or alteration in the immune system for different reasons , like the typical allergies of this time of the year. However, chronic fatigue can occur at different times of the year producing a physical and mental weakening of the subject.


In fact, chronic fatigue is considered a symptom of underlying problems, often due to physical but also psychological illnesses.

What are your symptoms

This phenomenon is characterized by the presence of a great variety of symptoms related to fatigue and lack of motivation. At a general level it is observed:

  • Sensation of tiredness and constant heaviness
  • Demotivation
  • Lack of concentration and attention
  • Lack of energy
  • Weakening of the immune system and the appearance of physical illnesses such as colds
  • Memory problems
  • Irritability
  • Hypotension
  • Slowness when performing tasks
  • Lack of sexual desire

Causes of this phenomenon

As I have said, chronic fatigue is usually considered a set of symptoms that have their origin in other types of problems that can be physical or psychological. Among them, the following stand out.


Depression

Chronic fatigue is frequent when a person suffers depression or is going through a difficult period of his life How can it be a grieving process? In addition to the symptoms of sadness, in this type of situation a person feels tired, unmotivated and has difficulties of concentration and attention.

Burnout

Burnout is what is known as chronic stress and causes the person to feel burned . After suffering a period of prolonged stress, the person exhausts their resources and then the demotivation and extreme tiredness appear.

Lack of motivation

Depression or burnout can cause a lack of motivation , but demotivation can also occur because a person does not have realistic goals or does not see his future clear, so he can enter into an existential crisis that ends up exhausting him mentally.

Insomnia

Sleeping problems and poor sleep habits cause the person to be tired throughout the day. In these cases, it is possible to follow a series of tips like the ones that appear in this article: "Combatir insomnia: 10 solutions to sleep better".

Diseases

Different physical illnesses can cause chronic fatigue, among which diabetes, allergies or the weakening of the immune system.

Bad nutrition

Poor nutrition or nutritional alterations such as anemia can cause the person to feel tired for long periods of time. The relationship between psychology and nutrition is a reality that is increasingly accepted. Although our emotional state affects how we eat, how we feed also affects how we feel.

  • In this sense, you may be interested in our article: "Psychology and Nutrition: the importance of emotional feeding"

Neurological disorders

Some neurological disorders or tumors may also be at the root of the problem.In our article "The 15 most frequent neurological disorders" we talk about the symptoms and the consequences of the most common neurological disorders.

Use of medications

The use of some medications as a side effect can cause symptoms of fatigue , for example, benzodiazepines or antipsychotics. Therefore it is necessary to inform the doctor or psychiatrist if the symptoms appear after the beginning of the pharmacological treatment to make possible the substitution.

Treatment

Since there are many causes that can cause chronic fatigue, this phenomenon requires different ways of treatment. In most cases, the subjects go to the family doctor to make a diagnosis, but the diagnosis should not focus only on physical diseases (urine samples, blood tests) and the treatment should not always be the administration of drugs, but psychological therapy and, sometimes, a visit to a nutritionist dietitian can help treat chronic fatigue .

Logically, when the causes are of psychological origin, such as depression or stress, it is necessary to go to a psychology professional to be able to deal with the underlying problem. There are different types of psychotherapy that can be effective, for example, cognitive behavioral therapy, cognitive therapy based on Mindfulness (MBCT) or acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT).

In cases in which the poor diet or the individual suffers from anemia, it is advisable to go to a dietitian nutritionist to solve the problem.

  • Related article: "What is the difference between food and nutrition?"

Medical Conditions & Symptoms : Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Symptoms (March 2024).


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