If Your Brain Feels Foggy & You're Tired All The Time, You're Not Alone

[appalachiablue]

NPR, May 7, 2021.

In recent weeks, Dr. Kali Cyrus has struggled with periods of exhaustion. "I am taking a nap in between patients," says Cyrus, a psychiatrist at Johns Hopkins University. "I'm going to bed earlier. It's hard to even just get out of bed. I don't feel like being active again." Exhaustion is also one of the top complaints she hears from her patients these days. They say things like, "It's just so hard to get out of bed" or "I've been misplacing things more often," she says.

Some patients tell Cyrus they've been making mistakes at work. Some tell her they can "barely turn on the TV. 'All I want to do is stare at the ceiling.' " Others say they are more irritable.

While some people who have had COVID-19 report brain fog and fatigue as lingering symptoms of their infection — what's known as long COVID — mental health care providers around the U.S. are hearing similar complaints from people who weren't infected by the virus. And many providers, like Cyrus, are feeling it themselves. This kind of mental fog is real and can have a few different causes.

But at the root of it are the stress and trauma of the past year, say Cyrus and other mental health experts. It's a normal reaction to a very abnormal year.

And while many people will likely continue to struggle with mental health symptoms in the long run, research on past mass traumas suggests that most people will recover once the coronavirus pandemic ends. "We know that the majority of people tend to be resilient," says Lynn Bufka, a psychologist with the American Psychological Association. "They may have struggled during the time of the challenges but generally come out OK on the other end."

In the meantime, Bufka and other experts say that there are things we can do now to fight the mental fog and exhaustion...

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/05/06/992401123/if-your-brain-feels-foggy-and-youre-tired-all-the-time-youre-not-alone

[Sanity Claws]

1. I'm one too

Bookmarking for later reading.

[LizBeth]

2. Good to know, I have none of that. But then, isolation comes naturally so maybe that is a difference

[PoliticAverse]

3. ...

[The Blue Flower]

4. It's just really hit me in the last week or so

I've been so foggy and forgetful.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

7. Me too. After such a long time of isolation ( much of it

Self imposed due to being a coronaphobic . Hard to know what day it is.

My biggest takeaway from this article is that we are all grieving the loss of life as we knew it.

[ailsagirl]

13. Me too-- I thought it was just me

[CottonBear]

5. I've been exhausted all the time. I nap and sleep, but don't get good rest.

I have so many necessary home repair projects that need to be done, but I have no physical or mental energy after working, caring for my child and our dog, and the endless cooking, dishwashing, and minimal house cleaning.

Thankfully, I haven’t had COVID19.

[Trueblue1968]

10. *** I HAVE HORRIBLE INSOMNIA *** I've been exhausted all the time.

I've been exhausted all the time. I nap and sleep, but don't get good rest.

[ailsagirl]

15. I hear you

It takes a certain type of energy to take care of the home but I have been doing the minimum.
I just can't get it together.

[LuckyLib]

6. As I related these feelings to my doctor, along with anger

and resentment, she caught me mid sentence saying “That’s depression.” So many people I know feeling the same. Four years of the Trumpster was bad enough — then a pandemic and a realization that a large number of Americans are full blown nuts.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

8. I thought about doing the same, telling my doctor yesterday

At my yearly physical. But then I thought - all he could possibly do would be to prescribe antidepressants. And I don't want to take those. Did your doctor suggest any treatment? Or just the usual get outside ride a bike, take a walk, go for a hike stuff?

[LittleGirl]

9. Yup, same. It's been rough. eom

[Mr.Bill]

11. Look at it this way,

I've long believed most people were nuts and I was sane. I've merely been proven correct.

[LuckyLib]

12. LOL! I think those of us living in a liberal bubble --

no family or friends who are RWNJs -- were astounded in 2016. Then after four years of the crazy, were even more shocked at what had become of our citizenry. Another DU thread recently had folks realizing their kids have left on the crazy train as anti-vaxers. Heartbreaking stories.

[IronLionZion]

14. News is pretty stressful these days

Constant negative stuff is stressful and makes it hard to sleep and can be distracting. Yoga and meditation or other exercise can help, along with reading good books or something that steers your mind away from news for a while.

People who have anxiety issues can schedule a "worry time" each day where they worry about stuff. Try to write down any worries and save it for worry time. Then spend the worry time on thinking through constructive action items to fix it if possible. This has helped me with job interviews during this pandemic

[ailsagirl]

16. I aim to avoid the news but I end up being drawn to it

It's not exactly an addiction, but I am aware that after reading the latest, my shoulders just slump and my energy just disappears.

I need to stop listening to the news or else cut way, WAY back!! I can do that if I set my mind to it.

[birdographer]

17. Fascinating

I have had the exhaustion in spades. And this makes sense. I am sleepy all the time. But when we do something normal, like going plant shopping at Lowe's where we were outside and uncrowded so no masks, doing what we do every year except 2020, for that time I am awake. I used to go on mini-getaway trips to somewhere close by for a few days every month or so, just for a change of scenery and routine. My first trip in over a year is on Monday. It's possible this will do me some good. Just to BE SOMEWHERE ELSE. Hubby stays home with the dogs and I get some wonderful solo time. I hope it helps. I have never slept quite this much in my life!

[ThatJustHappened]

18. PTSD

The entire US has it
"PTSD cumulative variety"
As it's called

Quite common in the Shrink Biz
Caused by prolonged stress

Healthcare professionals
Got it six months ago

Now everyone has it
Mostly everyone > 30 or 40, mostly
Give or take
But some youngins too

All in varying degrees
Depending on the circumstances

[demigoddess]

19. me,too. I'm a loner but I still feel the depression. Mostly from the news.

So I listen as little as I can. Also there is the inability to do things with husband underfoot.

[Faux pas]

20. ...

Don't forget the stress and trauma the hump and his inhumanes caused and are still causing