Dr LeCrone
03-30-2006, 12:44 PM
“I could hardly force myself to get up this morning” or “I just felt too tired to get moving when I did get up.” Do you find that after spending eight hours in bed and sleeping much of that time you wake up more tired than you were the night before? Do these complaints sound familiar?
Chronic fatigue, lethargy, lack of zest and energy and being just plain tired are complaints heard frequently by mental health professionals. Lack of energy is the rule rather than the exception in those individuals who complain they have tried numerous vitamins, health foods and other over-the-counter remedies.
There is a type of fatigue often accompanying hard physical exercise or work that may leave one feeling good. A game of softball, swimming several laps in a pool or jogging several miles can lead to a feeling of being tired but with a sense of relaxation. Often a feeling of physical tiredness accompanied by mental relaxation can be achieved by spreading a pile of dirt on the yard, planting a garden or perhaps simply mowing the lawn. Remember when you were a child? Many of us have fond memories of playing all day and halfway into the night on long, lazy summer days without ever complaining of being tired. The body’s ability to restore itself occurred miraculously overnight, and we were ready to go like a dynamo the next morning.
Unexplained chronic fatigue can be an indication of many types of problems and should alert us to examine our lifestyles and consider reprogramming if necessary. Following are some factors to consider in looking for the causes of chronic fatigue:
Have a thorough evaluation. Discuss with the physician possible physical factors that might contribute to difficulties. At the same time examine dietary components, pattern of exercise and environment surrounding the home or workplace. Too much noise, prolonge3d exposure to extremes of heat or cold, a great deal of variation and lack of predictability in work scheduling are examples of items to explore with the physician. Exploring your medical history with a physician may detect factors within one’s lifestyle that may be causing imbalance and contributing to chronic fatigue. At this point, depression should be considered as a possible contributor to the fatigue.
Family life. Is there a healthy communication pattern within the family? Is there someone with whom you can talk over both triumphs and defeats, share happiness and explore areas of improvement? Is the family in a constant state of tension? Unhappy personal relationships can certainly create tension and dissatisfaction that can contribute to the feeling of chronic fatigue.
Do you take time for vacations and hobbies? Find time to relax when not working and find “fun” things to do that enable you to shed the pressures, drudgeries and fatiguing activities related to work. Take a personal inventory of things to do that are enjoyable and relaxing.
Look at your chosen vocation and factors related to work. Are you happy and satisfied with your work or is boredom a large factor in that part of your life which produces income? Are you under too much pressure at work or is it too slow paced? Do you enjoy being around fellow employees or do you find this stressful?
Examine your spiritual condition. Do you have a sense of peace within or are you yearning for more meaning in this dimension? Many people are involved in a constant struggle surrounding religious beliefs and in need of spiritual guidance or perhaps counseling in this important area of life.
If you suffer from chronic fatigue, look at some of the above factors. They might prove helpful in attempting to find solutions to the problem. The solutions may be complex and less perfect, but the effort may be worth the time spent in alleviating some of the sources to chronic fatigue.
Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D. Copyright 1988
Chronic fatigue, lethargy, lack of zest and energy and being just plain tired are complaints heard frequently by mental health professionals. Lack of energy is the rule rather than the exception in those individuals who complain they have tried numerous vitamins, health foods and other over-the-counter remedies.
There is a type of fatigue often accompanying hard physical exercise or work that may leave one feeling good. A game of softball, swimming several laps in a pool or jogging several miles can lead to a feeling of being tired but with a sense of relaxation. Often a feeling of physical tiredness accompanied by mental relaxation can be achieved by spreading a pile of dirt on the yard, planting a garden or perhaps simply mowing the lawn. Remember when you were a child? Many of us have fond memories of playing all day and halfway into the night on long, lazy summer days without ever complaining of being tired. The body’s ability to restore itself occurred miraculously overnight, and we were ready to go like a dynamo the next morning.
Unexplained chronic fatigue can be an indication of many types of problems and should alert us to examine our lifestyles and consider reprogramming if necessary. Following are some factors to consider in looking for the causes of chronic fatigue:
Have a thorough evaluation. Discuss with the physician possible physical factors that might contribute to difficulties. At the same time examine dietary components, pattern of exercise and environment surrounding the home or workplace. Too much noise, prolonge3d exposure to extremes of heat or cold, a great deal of variation and lack of predictability in work scheduling are examples of items to explore with the physician. Exploring your medical history with a physician may detect factors within one’s lifestyle that may be causing imbalance and contributing to chronic fatigue. At this point, depression should be considered as a possible contributor to the fatigue.
Family life. Is there a healthy communication pattern within the family? Is there someone with whom you can talk over both triumphs and defeats, share happiness and explore areas of improvement? Is the family in a constant state of tension? Unhappy personal relationships can certainly create tension and dissatisfaction that can contribute to the feeling of chronic fatigue.
Do you take time for vacations and hobbies? Find time to relax when not working and find “fun” things to do that enable you to shed the pressures, drudgeries and fatiguing activities related to work. Take a personal inventory of things to do that are enjoyable and relaxing.
Look at your chosen vocation and factors related to work. Are you happy and satisfied with your work or is boredom a large factor in that part of your life which produces income? Are you under too much pressure at work or is it too slow paced? Do you enjoy being around fellow employees or do you find this stressful?
Examine your spiritual condition. Do you have a sense of peace within or are you yearning for more meaning in this dimension? Many people are involved in a constant struggle surrounding religious beliefs and in need of spiritual guidance or perhaps counseling in this important area of life.
If you suffer from chronic fatigue, look at some of the above factors. They might prove helpful in attempting to find solutions to the problem. The solutions may be complex and less perfect, but the effort may be worth the time spent in alleviating some of the sources to chronic fatigue.
Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D. Copyright 1988