Awakening from the Abyss: Conquering Depression and Tiredness

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Awakening from the abyss: conquering depression and tiredness is an endless journey.

Basically, my battle with depression was a long and tiresome road. There were many ups and downs. Correction, more downs than ups.

I don’t hide the fact that I tried to end my life many times over. Each time, God told me it wasn’t my turn yet. I still had life left to live. I’m thinking “what life?” It was all suffering.

Or so I thought. I realize now that it wasn’t suffering, it was a valuable lesson in life. I know this sounds ridiculous, but I wouldn’t trade my life in for anything (good and bad).

I’m proud of who I am now. Without that suffering, Altogether, I would be a different person today. I was taught a hard lesson (more than one time) and I survived. “I’m a survivor!”

I’m Tired of Being Depressed

I was in and out of depression voids that would suck the life out of me. Back then, over and over, I lost my will to go on. Basically, I was stuck in one of those roundabouts and couldn’t get out.

My life just kept repeating the same old story. I kept thinking “I’m so tired of being depressed and of life itself!” Sometimes, when you’re having a depressive episode, you don’t realize it.

Consequently, that’s what happened to me recently. I was just going through each day with malice. The only reason I realized this was because I changed meds to sleep better.

I changed from Cymbalta to Trazodone. Let me tell you that first day I had more energy than the previous whole year. And then I realized why. I finally woke up!

Causes of Fatigue and Depression

Awakening from the abyss: conquering depression and tiredness can be accomplished.

Accordingly, fatigue and depression can have many causes, including lifestyle factors, medications, and other medical conditions.

Lifestyle: Certainly, poor sleep habits, lack of exercise, and unhealthy diet can all contribute to fatigue.
Stress: A stressful lifestyle can lead to exhaustion, burnout, and other physical and mental symptoms.
Medications: Also, some medications can cause fatigue as a side effect.
Depression: Depression can cause prolonged feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and dejection, which can lead to fatigue.
Anemia: In addition, chronic diseases like anemia can cause fatigue, which can lead to depressive symptoms.
Drug detox: When someone stops taking drugs, their brain can become unbalanced, which can lead to fatigue, depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation.
Viral infections: Viral infections can cause fatigue.
Pregnancy: Finally, pregnancy can cause fatigue.

Depression Fatigue Symptoms

Depression can cause fatigue, which can manifest in a variety of ways, including:

Physical symptoms: Undoubtedly, low energy, tiredness, reduced physical endurance, and increased effort to complete physical tasks
Cognitive symptoms: Decreased concentration, decreased attention, and slowed thinking
Emotional symptoms: Also, decreased motivation, decreased interest, feeling overwhelmed, feeling bored, aversion to effort, and feeling low

Other symptoms of depression include:

Sleep problems, such as not being able to fall asleep, sleeping too much or too little, or waking up too early
Appetite changes, such as reduced appetite or weight loss, or increased cravings for food and weight gain
Headaches, back pain, or other physical aches or pains
Additionally, difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
Anxiety, agitation, or restlessness
Finally, slowed thinking, speaking, or body movements

In addition, depression can be caused by a number of factors, including physical brain changes, hormonal changes, thyroid problems, and genetics.

A vitamin D deficiency can also cause fatigue, weakness, pain, and mood changes, which can be mistaken for depression.

Therefore, a doctor can perform a blood test to measure vitamin D levels.

Depression, Anxiety and Fatigue

Awakening from the abyss: conquering depression and tiredness is a beautiful thing.

Having depression, anxiety, and fatigue is like a fruit cocktail, you never know what flavor you’re going to get. Comparatively, for me, I’d say the anxiety was the worst part.

At any rate, I can’t handle the panic attacks and being on edge all the time. I will say, since I started taking the Trazodone, I haven’t had any anxiety whatsoever. It just disappeared.

The constant fatigue was also high on my list. All I cared about was not being awake and not experiencing this life before me. Hence, I just wanted to sleep.

The depression was there, that’s all I have to say. It never went anywhere. It was just always there. Indeed, I will say the suicidal thoughts were mostly constant.

Depression, Tired of Life

There were times when I wasn’t in a depressive episode, so I gained a breather from the suicidal thoughts. I don’t even remember when my first suicidal attempt was. It’s all a blur.

The depression made me tired of life. I was so sick of the hamster wheel of my life, I just wanted it to end. Although now, I’m glad it didn’t end.

There really is light at the end of that tunnel. Subsequently, it took me quite a few years to realize that. And that there are people who do care for you even though you think they don’t.

You’re not alone, there are others like you. Therefore, you just have to reach out and another hand will guide you through the neverending maze of life.

Why Do People Get Tired When They’re Depressed?

Awakening from the abyss: conquering depression and tiredness is a lifelong dream that can be. Depression can cause fatigue for a number of reasons, including:

Chemical imbalances

Depression can cause chemical imbalances in the brain, which can affect neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine.

Henceforth, these neurotransmitters regulate energy levels, mood, and sleep, and an imbalance can lead to fatigue.

Emotional exhaustion

The constant burden of depression symptoms can lead to emotional exhaustion, which can make even simple tasks feel overwhelming.

Overall, emotional exhaustion is sometimes worse than the general fatigue. You feel like you just can’t take it anymore.

Sleep problems

Depression can negatively impact sleep, making it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep. Lack of sleep can worsen depression.

Or it can also make you sleep a lot because you’re tired of dealing with the depression. You just want to sleep the rest of your life away.

Medication side effects

Antidepressants can have side effects that include increased tiredness or changes in sleep patterns. I was on one such med, Effexor. It made me feel like a zombie.

Therefore, I couldn’t think straight. My reaction time to everything was so off, I didn’t know if I was coming or going. Never again.

Appetite changes

Depression can affect appetite levels, which can lead to an imbalanced diet that negatively impacts energy levels.

It can go both ways. Either you eat yourself into oblivion or you hardly eat. Notwithstanding, I was one to hardly eat. I lost all interest in food.

Zinc levels

People with depression may have lower levels of zinc in their blood, which can impact mood stability and energy.

Having low zinc levels does make you have less energy. Likewise, I had trouble just getting out of bed. Taking a shower and getting dressed, forget it.

Should You Let a Depressed Person Sleep All Day?

Awakening from the abyss: conquering depression and tiredness is worth living for.

I would say no because they need to face their depression and stop hiding from it. The only way to beat it is to face it head on.

Sleeping all day is the lazy way out. I must admit, I did my fair share of sleeping. That’s why it took me so long to come to this point in my life.

I was on Trazodone a while back and it never gave me this kind of reaction like it has this time. The clarity is so surreal. I don’t have words for it or why now?

I’m not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. Also, I keep thinking, “well, what if it’s the bipolar acting up?” That’s why I’m just kind of waiting and see.

How to Pull Yourself Out of a Depressive Episode?

Don’t sleep all day! I think it goes to say that you need the right meds, whether their synthetic or natural herbs.

But you also need that spark deep down in you to find your way to the surface. It will help you navigate through all the crap that comes to the surface.

And believe me, there will be crap. In any event, all those years of resenting other people and even myself came bubbling up. If you have someone to talk to…talk to them.

If you have a therapist, even better. I lost my therapist due to money constraints. I didn’t particularly like her anyway. Make sure you like your therapist.

How to Get Energy Back After Depression?

Awakening from the abyss: conquering depression and tiredness is awe-inspiring.

My energy came back as soon as I switched meds. For some poeple, it’s an epiphany. Regardless, you realize life doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom.

Also, I practice meditation and I am learning The Silva Mind Control. It’s very interesting how you can manifest things that you desire with his methods.

I’ve already experienced it several times. Just small things, but now I’m going broader in my life. You won’t believe how much meditation helps.

Overall, it calms the anxiety, releases the depression, and just makes you feel at peace with yourself. Now I sound like a hippie (no offense)!

Dealing With Fatigue From Depression

You just think you can sleep it off, but the fatigue is still there when you wake up. It’s not that easy to get rid of. You deal with the depression, you’ve conquered the fatigue.

Hit the root cause of it (the depression), then you’re home free. I was in a recent depressive episode and didn’t realize it. I thought it was because of the Parkinson’s disease.

My tremors have been getting a little worse as time goes by. So, I thought I was just having a hard time dealing with that.

But I was in that episode ever since I put my cat down, March 16, 2023. I can tell you exactly how that day went…shitty! The depression started in and so did the fatigue.

I was sleeping half the day away. That one event started the episode. I didn’t realize it till now. I felt a lot of guilt.

There’s more to the story. Basically, I put him down,but he didn’t need to be. I’ll leave it at that.

Sum It All Up

Awakening from the abyss: conquering depression and tiredness is a humbling experience.

To sum it all up, you need to deal with the depression first to get rid of the fatigue. Dealing with depression takes a lot of soul searching and patience.

You have to be patient with yourself because things aren’t always going to go the way you want them to go. There are always setbacks, but you have to push through those.

Just keep in mind a specific goal. Whatever it is, visualize it. See yourself in the future accomplishing this goal. Therefore, use your five senses to make this goal real.

Use meditation to help make this goal real. When that happens, move onto the next goal. It get’s easier and easier the more goals you accomplish.

Don’t make the goals so far out there that they can’t be reached. Otherwise, start small and expand. You’ll come out of your depression in no time. Until next time…

Articles About Depression and Tiredness

-5 Reasons Depression Makes You Tired

https://saltlakebehavioralhealth.com/blog/5-reasons-depression-makes-you-tired/

-Why does depression make you feel tired?

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322264

-How meditation helps with depression

https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/how-meditation-helps-with-depression

Have a Good One,

Cindee Murphy
“One Voice Determined to Retake My Life Back”

“New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings.”– Lao Tzu

“Turn your wounds into wisdom.”– Oprah Winfrey

“Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these — It might have been.”-John Greenleaf Whittier

“Can the child within my heart rise above? Can I sail through the changin’ ocean tides? Rather, can I handle the seasons of my life? Well, I’ve been afraid of changin’, ’cause I’ve built my life around you.” -Fleetwood Mac, “Landslide.”