“Sudden mental fatigue--what can it be?”
I've noticed that I am not able to put as much emotional and mental effort into many tasks, and I fear this will start to happen at my job. What can I do?
21 Answers
Recommend see a psychiatrist for a full work up...which should include symptom review, rule/out fo metabolic conditions as well as depression and complete lab testing to include: CBC, Chem Panel complete, Thyroid Panel and TSh, Vit D3 level, B-12, Folate and perhaps other tests dependent upon symptoms, review of any current meds, any alcohol use, marijuana, or other illicit drug use..info on family history, and current lifestyle/relationships and stressors ../with review of all of above easier for psychiatrist to make a good treatment plan that should help your mental fatigue be a thing of the past....assuming this has all been in adulthood and never in childhood...then above is best approach to get to bottom of this and turn things around, Best of luck, Dr. Amy
Please practice relaxation, get a physical exam and basic lab work. It can be multiple causes. Let's get an annual physical exam.
All the best.
All the best.
Maybe you have exhausted your self before reaching to this point. Should take some time for your self to relax as it will help you get your energy for your daily tasks.
Get evaluated by a mental health professional
Recommend to see any psychiatrist to find out the reason of your fatigue.
You should be screened thoroughly both physically and mentally. Causes could include vitamin b12 or iron deficiency, as well as less active thyroid or adrenal glands. Depression and anxiety can also cause it. Although ADHD is the cause of this kind of picture too but it's not sudden, it would rather be on continuum for sometime.
Symptoms are almost always the tip of the iceberg. Thyroid or adrenal problems can cause this. I use plasma amino acid testing, urine organic acids (and sometimes plasma neurotransmitter testing) to find out what is going on with brain chemistry and total body chemistry. Your issue, "not able to put as much mental and emotional effort in tasks" sounds like norepinephrine deficiency, although it's guess work without having more info. Low norepinephrine is usually associated with impaired memory and concentration. The amino acid L-tyrosine is the nutrient that turns into dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. It needs to be taken with P5P (pyridoxal-5-phosphate). I prefer Montiff brand P5P, which is called TriPhosB. I don't know your location, but New York will not allow 3 or 4 nutritional tests to be done.
You may want to consider getting a full medical workup to make sure you don't have any form of medical condition which could affect your energy levels. If all is OK medically, then consider seeing a psychiatrist to get an assessment related to psychiatric conditions which could affect energy levels.
I suggest a mental health consultation.
There could be physical conditions that need to be ruled out such as sleep apnea A visit to the primary care and sleep clinic would be ideal before treating it as a psychiatric condition
Jan Fawcett
Psychiatrist
Go to your PCP. He might find that you have one of many medical conditions, such as cardiac illness, hypothyroidism, an infection etc. If you have also noted that you no longer enjoy life, you may have a depression, which can respond to
an antidepressant or cognitive therapy or another psychotherapy depending on your situation. If you have trouble sleeping or your partner notes that you stop breathing for brief periods at night , you could have sleep apnea- a highly treatable condition. The first step is a full history and medical work up, then perhaps a referral.
an antidepressant or cognitive therapy or another psychotherapy depending on your situation. If you have trouble sleeping or your partner notes that you stop breathing for brief periods at night , you could have sleep apnea- a highly treatable condition. The first step is a full history and medical work up, then perhaps a referral.
Hi, this is a good question and I'm sorry that you're struggling with this.
Are you experiencing any stressors? Has your diet, sleep changed lately? Are you feeling depressed or sad about anything? When was your last physical? Do you have any nutritional issues such as low iron, not drinking enough water, other vitamin/mineral deficiencies? Is it your thyroid? There are so many potential causes. First, I would visit my PCP to have a full physical if you haven't had one lately. Then I'd reflect on any stressors. Usually, the answer to questions like these can be determined with a full medical work-up and an individual taking a really close look at their lives and if there have been any changes that would lead to mental fatigue.
Are you experiencing any stressors? Has your diet, sleep changed lately? Are you feeling depressed or sad about anything? When was your last physical? Do you have any nutritional issues such as low iron, not drinking enough water, other vitamin/mineral deficiencies? Is it your thyroid? There are so many potential causes. First, I would visit my PCP to have a full physical if you haven't had one lately. Then I'd reflect on any stressors. Usually, the answer to questions like these can be determined with a full medical work-up and an individual taking a really close look at their lives and if there have been any changes that would lead to mental fatigue.
After a long day at work followed by household maintenance or spending time with family and friends, it is common for people to feel zapped of energy. It is important to recharge our reserves to be able to be emotionally and mentally present in our daily tasks. Consider starting by writing down your concerns, tasks, worries, goals, and possible barriers. If this task is difficult, consider looking into mindfulness exercises. You can find these online in various places. Mindfulness helps us become fully aware and present in the moment. If the reason you are having trouble with tasks is physical or emotional exhaustion, prioritize self-care. Get adequate sleep, exercise, nutrition, hydration and social interaction. Cut back on sugars and caffeinated beverages and increase water intake. Take a walk up and down the stairs to stimulate circulation and decrease stress hormone levels. If you think you may be getting depressed or over-stressed, make an appointment with your physician to start the conversation and to screen for more serious conditions.
There can be a number of causes for mental fatigue and this needs a full and comprehensive history and work-up to try to narrow down the cause. Sometimes abnormal labs such as thyroid, B12 or others can contribute to poor motivation/focus/energy. Other medical issues could contribute to this as well, such as Obstructive Sleep Apnea that is untreated as a quite common one.
Quite often lack of motivation/focus energy occur along with mood symptoms, such as low mood or anxiety. Poor focus/attention can also be incontext of other issues such as ADHD, however this tends to be more chronic (long-term) and not an issue out of the blue- but nevertheless may be as a possibility.
The next best step is to likely make an appointment with your primary physician and see their recommendations. If you are also experiencing issues with mood/anxiety as well, I would recommend to go ahead and make an appointment with a specialist, such as a psychiatrist for further investigation.
Quite often lack of motivation/focus energy occur along with mood symptoms, such as low mood or anxiety. Poor focus/attention can also be incontext of other issues such as ADHD, however this tends to be more chronic (long-term) and not an issue out of the blue- but nevertheless may be as a possibility.
The next best step is to likely make an appointment with your primary physician and see their recommendations. If you are also experiencing issues with mood/anxiety as well, I would recommend to go ahead and make an appointment with a specialist, such as a psychiatrist for further investigation.
Decreased effort may be a symptom of medical or mental illness. I'd start with having your primary Doctor order labs for anemia and thyroid function, as well as s referral for a psychiatric evaluation to rule out anxiety, depression.
Please identify any recent triggers that could have led to the change- medical issue, abnormal labs- thyroid/ vitamin b12 etc.., medication changes- need to contact your PCP. If there was a major life stressor then try to rectify that. If you cannot find a trigger you need to talk to a psychiatrist or psychologist.
A consultation with your LMD to check on systemic health is indicated. A request for referral to a mental health specialist should be made by you, if systemic illness is not part of the picture. Anxiety and depression can present this way.
It could be a number of things. I wouldn't immediately jump to a psychiatric diagnosis - but would suggest thorough labwork to assess thyroid functioning, B12 and folate levels, and a complete blood count to make sure that you're not suffering from anemia. Abnormalities in any of these areas could definitely explain the symptoms you're describing. Why not be thorough? Nothing is more important than your health.
Hello, there are many underlying causes that impact emotional and mental effort, including chronic or acute stress, anxiety or mood disorder, sleep disturbances or other mental health or physical conditions. You can start with your primary care provider or seek a mental health consultation, if it starts to impact your work performance or persists or worsens. Thank you for consulting.
It could be many things, like adjustment reaction, depression, and attention deficit disorder.
There are different possibilities here to look at. I would first try and rule out any underlying medical condition which could be causing mental fogging or fatigue. For example, hypothyroidism, anemia, and obstructive sleep apnea need to be ruled out. Then depression is another cause of difficulty concentrating . Adult ADD is another consideration. What I think you need is a medical evaluation followed by psychiatric evaluation if no underlying medical cause is detected.
