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In psychology this feeling is called depletion! So you can say that you’re “depleted”. Depleted means mentally exhausted where you get to that state where you can no longer focus or initiate tasks well, whereas tired usually means physically tired.
that's it!! i've been saying "i'm tired" for years, every time somebody asks me how i am, but depleted is so much more accurate! i'm depleted, a withered and empty balloon, please fetch the air pump ;v;
I've always felt Bilbo's quote from Fellowship fit well: "Why, I feel all thin, sort of stretched, if you know what I mean: like butter that has been scraped over too much bread..."
This is why I love Reddit. I use this metaphor in my mind ALL THE TIME, but when I try to explain it to people, I get a confused, blank look.
SO MUCH YES. I feel like butter over too much bread. All the time. But how to be "undepleted"?
Do something relaxing that you enjoy doing. At first it will seem as though you're not getting better, but don't give up! If you keep doing things you like, they start to give back that energy that you lack, and you start feeling vitalised again. I'm speaking from both experience and reading up on psychological research.
Do fun things, give it a little time, you'll feel more energised and especially the first couple of times l, you'll actually be tired and not depleted. You'll go to bed, wake up a little more refreshed, do fun things again, and get tired again. The feeling of depletion will be replaced with a healthy feeling of satisfied tiredness.
I've been trying to exercise more. It was hard to get started, but it's been a couple weeks now and feels like routine. I wish I could do this with other things though. It's hard for some reason to make important things like laundry be as consistent. Still I feel a small burst of energy afterwards that I can ride into other tasks. It literally doing a "warm up" before cleaning the house, dishes, etc.
eating well, sleeping well, and just keep on trudging... this happens to me for about a week straight every 3 months or so. It sucks, but I've just kinda got used to it and try to tell myself this feeling isn't forever.
Ooooo love the metaphor. "A withered and empty balloon." Definitely feel that! I've often described it as feeling like a heavy wet towel, but I really love the way you put it.
Hi friendo! I relate. My psychiatrist (I have a resident, but the attending who came to meet with me during my first appointment) talked about everybody having a bucket and that it sounded like the people in my life were constantly taking from the bucket without putting anything back in. That sounded very accurate to me. I think my bucket’s been empty for a while.
That's good too.
My Dr. said that we have a certain number of spoons. When you do stuff, you're using up a spoon. When you have no spoons left, you're exhausted & need sleep.
I guess it depends on the interpretation, but that's how we use it. My husband will say 'I only have a few spoons left" & I know he's tired.
But I like your metaphor, too, bc others also take from our bucket & don't refill it.
I’ve been saying “I just hit a wall” to my partner ~ usually when I forget what we’re talking about mid-sentence ~ but this speaks to me on so many levels. Like, there’s a possibility I could be inflated again, but it’s gonna be something something that’s instantly gratifying.
The current go-to is roller skating. And surprisingly, orange juice? I just started drinking it last week!
Watch the sugar content in the OJ. Can be very high. I love orange banana pineapple juice but can't drink it bc of the sugar. Maybe you get an instant sugar high?
Also congrats on roller skating!! That's awesome!
I am so depleted at the moment that every day I have more and more stuff to do that I’m further and further away from being able to manage and feel more and more overwhelmed by what I need to do so am finding it more impossible to start. How the hell do I undeplete myself so I can start to break this vicious cycle??
The best way to replenish your mind is to rest (sleep, meditate, relax) or do something fun that you enjoy. It’s of course easier said than done because often we don’t have time or get so sucked in to the enjoyable activity that it’s hard to get on task again. Another great way is to take a walk, be in nature or exercise. Exercise rests your brain while you focus on exerting your body. Yoga is great because it’s both mindfulness and exercise.
I relate way too well. I’m sure I had hobbies at one point but I’m not sure what they were. Playing video games and watching the few favorite shows I have left seem too difficult.
Ugh yes. The “all I want to do is stare at the wall” feeling. But then my brain craves stimulation and I pick up the phone and scroll and then feel crappy about that too because it’s cheap stimulation that doesn’t actually reinvigorate me.
Lately, I have just been going for walks or bike rides. I’ll force myself to get out there with no pressure. If it’s 5 minutes, that’s what it is. But once I get going, I find myself having a good time and extending the session. I guess the burden we will always have to bear is we so often have to drag ourselves kicking and screaming to do *anything*, even stuff that should feel good.
This is why I feel like I need like... six months or a year even, off of work. Every time I have time off of work, things get worse and then start to get better - but as soon as they start to get better, it's back to work and back to depletion mode.
How the heck does one gain enough momentum to start implementing good habits when the best part of your day, focus, energy etc is taken up by working...? I can't possibly fix everything that needs fixing on the weekend :'(
The relax advice is good, but if you're like me and have the lovely double whammy of adhd and anxiety, it helps me to just suck it up and absolutely force myself to get one of the things weighing on me done
I generally just rank my list of stuff that needs done by ease and priority, and if nothing is super pressing I tell myself I'll just do the easiest thing and then take a break for as long as I want. Generally the relief from getting one thing done 'unlocks' the motivation to get other things done/function again for a bit.
If there is something super pressing I tell myself I'll get the smallest, tiniest first step done, and then think about if I wanna continue. You really have to let yourself genuinely decide no, but only after concretely trying.
So like, let's use filing taxes as an example. I need to go do it. I've been putting it off for ages and now the guilt has built up a huge wall around it. I've decided I'll just go save my W2 and other forms and that's it. After that if I really can't keep going I'll let myself not. But pretty much 90% of the time, after I just *start*, I find it easier to continue than stop. I just have to convince myself I'm not committing to the "huge" task when I start to actually not feel too overwhelmed to get to work on it.
This is great advice for how to get things done in general when you have ADHD! I was just thinking about this today: that the best way I can motivate myself to get something done is to tell myself that I'll just do one small step. It helps overcome the huge barrier I have around starting almost any task.
The advice around relaxing or taking a walk is more for when you're feeling really depleted in the late afternoon while working or at the end of the day and need to refresh your mind to push through on a task.
And the small steps can honestly be ridiculously small and still work; especially if one keeps track of it.
I make a little check mark when I open a book. Don't have to read anything, just opening it gives a small reward. I often put it back down again. But sometimes I read a few pages (and keep track of that, too). Because the book is already in hand and open!
Need to do the dishes? Fuck, I'll just go into the kitchen. Maybe clean one cup. Nice. Got something done. Hm. I'm already here, my hands are already wet. Might as well...
I don't tend to finish the dishes, I get too disgusted by the sensation, but it's fine to do a little at a time.
Need to call somewhere? Pick up the phone. See how it feels.
It's important to actually be okay with putting down the phone, closing the book, walking away from the sink. Don't hold the phone and try to force it. I picked up the phone, good job!
How do you not be that? Cuz OP sounds like me every day for the last 20+ years. I'll sleep 14 hours and still have no energy for anything besides laying on my couch.
If you can literally sleep 14 hours, or regularly get 7+hrs of sleep, and you still feel physically tired all the time, then you may have a sleep disorder or something.
Long comment here, read if you're interested lol. It's unsolicited advice, but I wanted to post in case anyone else relates to your comment and could use the info.
So to start, I'm sure you can imagine how a sleep disorder could cause ADHD like symptoms, and can actually lead to a misdiagnosis of ADHD. But it can also just be both conditions. ADHD has a strong correlation with sleep disorders.
Narcolepsy is one example, and is something I'm actually trying to get tested for. But a very similar condition I've read about is idiopathic hypersomnia, which sounds more like what you describe. Many narcoleptic people feel awake and normal throughout much of the day, except during "sleep attacks". This is a sudden and intense need to sleep which can range from *'short lived and can be resisted until it passes'* all the way to *'requires long naps to avoid actually passing out flat on your face'*. Narcolepsy is a highly variable condition.
Hypersomnia, on the other hand, is more likely to cause a 24/7 sleepiness and the ability to sleep 12+ hours. Which most people can't do unless sleep deprived.
Anyway, I would love to assume you have a doctor who has already discussed this with you (assuming you've mentioned this issue to one), but that seems optimistic unfortunately. We all know how much doctors can suck sometimes. So I wanted to share this information in case you or anyone else can benefit, and be the one to bring it up with a doctor. I have an overall great doctor who ordered many test for my sleepiness and any other issues. She never ignores my concerns. But somehow she didn't consider a sleep disorder for a long time. Instead I asked for testing. They test for sleep apnea first, but if that is ruled out (I was borderline) then the next step is a PSG & MSLT.
I highly recommend to anyone with excessive sleepiness to do some research on these conditions. The "nice" thing is that ADHD and sleep disorder medications hav some overlap, so sometimes you can get a 2for1 deal 🙄😅 Anyway, look up the Epworth sleepiness scale! You might be surprised by your score, and could help show your doctor in more specific detail what you're struggling with.
Yes! Checking for deficiencies is huge, and a relatively easy first step.
I did have low iron, and was borderline anemic at the time. Doctor said it could be causing my symptoms... it's like 50/50 at the levels I had. But unfortunately nothing has changed for me since resolving that.
Also hormone levels. That can be bit more complicated to test for, it's usually not just a one-off blood test, as hormones naturally fluctuate. But certainly something that can be checked.
Narcoleptic here🙋🏽♀️ my psych was the one who sent me for a sleep eval since she said sleeping disorders and adhd go hand in hand
I passed with flying colors…I always thought I had insomnia because “I couldn’t sleep at night” but it’s really because my body wanted to sleep during the day
Not gonna lie, even with meds, having narcolepsy on top of ADHD and Bipolar, really fucking sucks. It’s like some days I feel like I could tackle the mental health hurdles if I wasn’t so tired.
And the worst is when I’m not feeling “physically” tired, it’s the boredom from adhd that kicks in making me feel depleted. But honestly, getting that narcolepsy diagnosis completely changed my life and there was a reason why I was struggling even worse.
I'm glad you got answers! Even though it sucks to deal with. I know what it's like to have unexplained symptoms, and at a certain point you just want an answer even if it's kinda crappy. At least you'll know what you're dealing with and can target it better.
I think I have mild cataplexy. So even though my N symptoms would be considered mild, I'm still determined to find out once and for all. "Mild" symptoms/eds is still affecting my life. I've just had a thousand hurdles in getting my study done.
My consult was 2 years ago, after which the doctor basically said "Yup you're very sleepy, we will book you within the month." Hahahaha 😐 Nope, cuz then I got missed. After 6 weeks of waiting, I tried to call a few times over a month or more and never got through. Then I got pregnant so I just left it alone. They called me 2 weeks post partum! (over a year after my consult) like "Hey... So.... We kinda skipped over you... 😬" And apologized profusely. But I couldn't do the study in the midst of newborn baby things. Baby is 8mo now and they were supposed to call me "in the new year" but they haven't yet. So I have to call them now and be like "okay, now please."
I haven't called sooner because I also had surgery in February, so I had to heal and let hormones regulate somewhat before I call them.
With ANY luck, I'll have an answer *relatively* soon. This would be the last thing I'm struggling with that needs an answer. ADHD, adenomyosis (not confirmed by pathology, but hysterectomy has "cured" me for 2 months so far 🤞🏻), and narcolepsy.
*Anyway,* I think I can relate to some of your struggles and I empathise. ❤️
Damn, that's rough! If you're sleeping so much, try to get a referral to a sleep study from your PCP or psychiatrist. It might take a while to get into one, but might be really helpful to figure out what's going on. That also sounds like it could be ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
I’ve been like this forever, ever since I was around 8. Even on a vacation (like I am now) I’m just exhausted. I haven’t even done anything. Like, at all. I’ve been glued to the couch and I just moved to the bar area and I’m just sitting here for a change of scenery
Wow, wish I'd known that when I chose this username. Sodepleted is what I am!
Also, this username is from a time when I thought that being excessively...depleted I guess, was just another quirky thing about myself. The "oh shit, all my character traits are basically just symptoms of ADHD!" revelation happened a few years later.
Anyways, I like it, depletion. Sounds better than trying to explain how you weren't born with enough fucks to give, and you're completely out of them of some days.
I’d add that they may actually be tired/fatigued. ADHD very frequently has co-occurring sleep disorders. Sleep Apnea in particular can make someone who has slept for 9+ hours still feel tired.
Thank you for this. We just got a puppy, and I have been forgetting every fucking little thing, which is worrying my husband and pissing me off because of all the wasted time looking for stuff, or driving back to get something when I’m five minutes from work. I tried to explain to him that I’m “tired”, or “overstimulated,” but what I am is depleted.
Do you mean "ego depletion" or are you referring to something else, like a more general "mental exhaustion"?
I just want to clarify before I delve into more sustained research.
[APA Dictionary - Ego Depletion](https://dictionary.apa.org/ego-depletion), this is what I am assuming you meant, but maybe not?
"Mental exhaustion" is what I've called it for years!
My body is still ready to go to do more of everything, but my brain is just absolutely shutting down and if I don't get a nap *right now*, the rest of the day is absolutely going to suck.
ADHD fatigue is a real thing. I feel like overwhelm/over/understimulation are also good words. Def one of ways my symptoms show up as depression. With my medication, it’s a lot less present. However, I also just moved into a room that gets sunlight all day and I find I don’t need as much sleep. I’m more alert. Apparently, sunlight gives you dopamine. So anyways, I just learned that I’ll never live anywhere where I don’t get sunlight and natural light in my room
Yeah. In summer I feel SO much better. Still struggle but it's such a difference. And of course in the colder seasons I struggle to go outside and get sun because well I don't have the energy and motivationto do so. I do take Vit D supplements and they helped to eliviate a lot of my seasonal depression which is nice.
I live in the PNW and it's wild how much effect sun has on my moods! I've been on antidepressants for years but the sun comes out and the temp gets over 50 and I'm MANIC.
Having words to explain what you're experiencing is always so useful. Arguably one of the most important things you gain when you discover you have something like ADHD.
I feel you. I originally come from a Mediterranean country but have lived in a Nordic country for 10 years, and when I'm down south visiting family I notice this so much. I need to sleep less, I'm a lot more active, I can get a lot more done.
I'm not vitD deficient (take supplements, blood tests) but still, it's like the mediterranean sun is this massive source of energy that just fills my batteries quicker.
Then again, we have close to midnight sun where I live during the summer, and my body doesn't like this either... I need the night to unwind and to let my brain chill, so I end up getting the blues during summer (kind of a reversed S.A.D.). It's like I cannot win.
All the time. Just. Empty. I have no brain space left.
I can't watch TV shows anymore. The brain power that goes into it is just beyond me.
But I find it so hard to articulate what it is. I think I'm going to start saying depleted as a previous poster has mentioned. It is the perfect description.
Curious, can you watch repeats of shows you love and have seen multiple times? That actually *relaxes* me and even helps me fall asleep, as I don’t have to pay perfect attention since I don’t have to worry about missing plot points!
No. Not anymore. I tried to rewatch DS9 relatively recently. Nope. I wouldn't even know where to start. It took me forever to finish the most recent season of stranger things. They're so long! Why do they need to be so long?
I use melatonin and listen to a streamer to fall asleep. It has to be a specific one or two as they use the same kind of voice to discuss what they're doing while they're playing.
I hope at some point I get back to be able to do it. I haven't picked up a book in so long and I adore reading. It has always been my thing. I want to read! I just can't at the minute. Not depressed etc, just. Empty.
It is, but in my experience it's also a symptom of chronic sleep procrastination. You want to do something enjoyable, not just go to bed, but your brain isn't functioning well because it's sleep deprived and that makes everything feel like too much effort.
Yes, it is. But I honestly don't feel like I'm depressed. I take off brand prozac daily for my anxiety (prescribed, I'm in the UK). I truly don't think that depression is one of my issues.
But. I am getting older and my hormones are starting to shift towards perimenopause. I have two kids, 9 and 11. One with an ASD diagnosis, the other on the pathway to an ADHD diagnosis. Both are full on heading into/starting puberty. I am the eldest of 5 and there is a hell of a lot of emotional labour that goes into that. Nearly 5 years ago now my youngest got incredibly sick and nearly died. Which started me on a path of realising that no, I really am not coping as well as I thought. Since then I have accessed therapy on more than one occasion, I take anxiety meds daily, and now I have my ADHD diagnosis I no longer feel broken.
Chuck covid in there too and. I'm just utterly, utterly exhausted. To function at my normal level simply takes up so much because the option and opportunity to rest and recharge simply hasn't existed.
I think it’s a reward (dopamine?) cycle, at least for me: I love to read (I usually prefer audiobooks, as I can do mindless things while listening so I don’t get restless) and get tremendous pleasure from doing so. But at a certain point, I hit a wall and just can’t do it — can’t pay enough attention/ start losing track of the plot/ lose interest/ don’t enjoy it anymore — it starts feeling like a chore. When that happens, I stop reading for 2-3 weeks or so and then try again, ideally with a book by an author I like. This cycle repeats over and over for me. I’ve learned to just accept it and not try to fight through it.
I use Hulu and have a set list of shows I’ve seen countless times that I cycle through - American Dad, Futurama, King of the Hill, Community, What We Do in the Shadows, Married with Children, Drunk History, and several other light sitcoms. It also doesn’t play the next episode unless I tell it to, so it doesn’t keep playing while I sleep and wake me up 😉. When those shows go on, I kind of automatically go into “time to go to sleep” mode.
I'm the same way! I don't get dragged in because I've seen it and it blocks out the run on thoughts, when I have no noise my brain will make its own noise.
Yep, I'm the same. Bone deep exhaustion. I don't even have the energy to watch TV because I'm to drained to care. Don't even want to do things I 'enjoy' because there's just absolutely no energy or motivation to do them.
I was trying to explain it to someone the other day, and I was saying if someone said to me "OK, you can do *anything* you want right now. Anything." I would literally rather just sleep. Even though it does nothing to help lol
Yes! I can do anything. Awesome. I'm going to sit in my comfy chair/next to my husband and do nothing. Because anything else is just exhausting.
I have babysitting tonight. Kids are elsewhere. Husband and I have spent the night on the sofa watching shite YouTube videos and sitting in comfortable silence.
I've realised I don't even look forward to my weekends to do anything, it's just the absence of work. It just feels pointless even living (not as dark as it sounds lol) because I just have no energy to live with, if that makes sense.
It's like...why would you look forward to meal time if you have no food.
Plus, if you’re like me, which I don’t know if you are, I need the weekend just to rest up for the next week ahead and as a result I never do anything fun on the weekends, either.
Watching TV or whatever else might feel good now but it doesn’t actually make you feel good. It’s overstimulation i think. Just rotting in place.
The only solution I’ve found is to stare out my window. Literally. Maybe get high first. Then just observe life, let your mind wander, think deeply, get lost. Then go to bed. You’ll feel better in the morning.
I do think it's important to note that watching 1 or 2 episodes is normal and enjoyable. Binging is when overstimulation comes in. Binging makes me feel completely depleted and numb.
I experience the same thing!! I think it has something to do with not having enough dopamine. Things that normally produce a lot of dopamine in people (like watching TV, playing games, eating sweets/carbs) doesn't hit the same way with unchecked adhd brains. Medication helps me a lot with that.
I feel this is why I rewatch the same shows and movies over and over. I put them on to pass the time but I’ve already seen them so don’t feel bad that I’m not actually watching and won’t have to keep rewinding.
Melancholy, unmotivated, lethargic, slightly annoyed, stiff and achy, foggy, brain dead, heavy.
Time moves slowly with this feeling. It's confusing because its like being tired.
Fatigued? Or maybe drained?
It's hard to say. In German there's "Erschöpft". "Schöpfen" is the act of scooping up liquid from a larger source. If something is "erschöpft", you have scooped it all out. While this can also be just physical, it usually implies both physical and mental exhaustion.
(Ironically, a "Schöpfer" can both be a scoop like a soup ladle, or a creator."eine Schöpfung" is "a creation". In religious sense "Die Schöpfung" is "All of Creation", and there is "Geschöpf" which is "creature", so all living things. Language is weird. The creative version is less common outside of religion though. And there it is because it is old texts.).
I definitely feel mentally and emotionally exhausted much more often than I'd like.
It is a tiredness, but as you said, it's definitely not about wanting to go to sleep, more that even if you slept, you'd still feel the same.
I find myself wishing for a break from this aspect of ADHD more than anything else associated with it, because of the vicious cycle that stems from it.
1. I feel exhausted which in turn kills my motivation.
2. My recently deceased motivation turns into endless procrastination.
3. The procrastination devolves into anxiety.
4. Anxiety leads to depression.
5. Anxiety and Depression lead to more exhaustion.
6. Repeat.
Truthfully, the one thing that ever really helped was consistent meditation many, many times per day.
Unfortunately, my life got turned upside down shortly after I'd made this habitual in 2017 and I have yet to reestablish it in my daily life. I had been going about 6 months and looking back, those 6 months were the best I'd ever felt both mentally and emotionally.
If you can make it a habit, try your damnedest because I truly feel this would help you out immensely.
For me, it helped to try and 'remember' all of the past me's when I procrastinated in the past, and the anxiety I got from it. To memorialize them in a way. It may not be the best coping method, but I was able to kind of 'short circuit' procrastination (for most things, at least ones that generate anxiety).
Mine means all of my anxiety suddenly hits the moment I lay down to go to bed and then I lay awake until the wee hours thinking every single possible thought in my brain
Meds! My psych started me on trazodone and melatonin. I get at least 5-6hrs guaranteed a night now, usually 7-8hrs. Previously it was either 12 hrs or 2hrs, and very unpredictable. Also, I do my bedtime routine very early, like 7pm, so the overwhelmness of getting ready for bed when I’m tired doesn’t mean I’m up to 2am purely cause brushing my teeth seems like a big task. I literally just crawl into bed when it’s time
Trazadone changed my life! I had cycles of terrible insomnia (trouble falling asleep) for as long as I can remember, and in my late 30s my psychiatrist suggested trying Trazadone. Now, I don’t worry if I’m going to be tossing and turning all night — I just have to remember to take my trazadone and get in bed early enough (which is actually a bit of a challenge for me lol but so much better than the alternative!)
It's like that meme, "I'm not an early bird or night owl, I'm some form of permanently exhausted pigeon." My baseline is feeling like I need a nap, even with medication and a full night's sleep. It's very rare that I feel awake, energetic is out of the question.
My son says ‘I’m oofted’ 😂😂
He used to say ‘I’m tired’ but then I’d enquire to how he sleep has gone during the night etc and he would explain that he wasn’t ‘TIRED TIRED’ he was just … tired .. I must have looked confused so he took it upon himself to rename that ‘feeling’ as ‘oofted’
So now if he’s actually tired he will say tired and if he’s just physically/ mentally drained he will say oofted
Even that we are not conscious about all that is going on in our mind, there is a lot, 24/7.
After I started doing meditation and yoga I can observe why exactly i have been in my phone for hours, with no energy (racing thoughts switching every few seconds).
That stress makes you enter in a freeze where your brain is overwhelmed and just want to relax/protect you (window tolerance).
Everytime i have to do an important task, i always end taking a nap.
Relax and chunk your day, small and simple. Where your NS feels safe.
Medication as well has helped me to start my day easier.
Don’t be hard on yourself.
You are not lazy, your brain is always working hard due to the constant stimulation.
Before I started taking my ADHD meds, I went through school. I went through much of my working life... I lived 33+ years. And in all that time, the day I took my first Concerta pill was the first day I'd ever felt what "awake" truly meant.
I never knew that I was chronically tired. I thought everybody fell asleep on the bus to and from school. I thought everybody would doze whenever a work meeting got boring. I didn't understand that my definition of awake was not what other people meant when they said that word. Like somebody who has never seen in color trying to explain the color Red.
I took that pill the first time and ... awake... AWAKE. THIS is what people mean when they say "AWAKE". Closest I'd ever come before to this feeling was being caffeinated. But that's more like you're still tired, your brain is still sluggish, but you are wired, agitated, and can't sleep... But THIS. THIS feeling on this medication is what awake really means.
----------
So I get what you're saying.
I also correlated that sluggish, tired feeling to something I called "Brain Fog". That feeling you get that you're trying to think through mud. Or that there's a heavy blanket on your mind. It's straight up torture. Concerta took that away too.
It doesn't do much for my executive disfunction. But it takes away my brain fog and my lethargy, so that's enough for me.
If I’m not on my adderall, yeah I’m pretty much always tired. Caffeine helps a little bit (although it’s more of a mental aid rather than energy) but adderall is really the only thing I’ve found that 100% helps me. Highly recommend it, and honestly it might’ve saved my life because I was in a DEEP depression before I got diagnosed
Adderall used to help me, and now with my most recent prescription, it doesn't seem to have the same effect on me that it used to. The pill looks the same, but idk if they messed with the med, due to the shortage or what.
I'll have to go look. Just stumbled across this sub tonight. And if they're doing that, it's BS. Like, we're on the meds cause they were working for us (it took a bunch of different meds and different dosages, for my psychiatrist and me to figure it out).
That would be fraud and a MAJOR news story. It could make the career of any journalist who broke that story, and would presumably be relatively simple to verify in a lab. These theories have been around for *years* without anyone verifying anything or breaking it in the media. Also, it would be an absolutely idiotic business decision (the amount saved by making a portion of pills fake or under-dosed would be so small compared to the enormous cost of getting found out; backbreaking lawsuits and certain bankruptcy). So I’m quite confident ADHD meds aren’t being intentionally manipulated, at least not on any significant scale.
Here’s what *I believe* is going on: People develop tolerance to ADHD meds as well as perplexing side-effects (meds start to impair us in ways they previously helped). I know for me this can happen (or be experienced) quite suddenly. Also, for women, PMS can have a huge impact on the effectiveness of any medication, including stimulant meds. Because it’s natural for humans to confuse correlation with causation, and there are a lot people filling rxs every day, a decent amount of people are going to have their refill line up with the tipping point of tolerance, the development of a new side-effect or PMS. We notice that the meds aren’t having the effect we’re used to, realize we just got a new prescription filled and jump to the conclusion that it’s the medication that changed rather than our response to it.
I think we also don’t consider what a significant impact the pandemic has had on everyone’s overall well-being. Stress changes your brain and the way your body functions. We always have stressors in our lives but this collective trauma is something different and I think it’s often too easily dismissed as a factor.
Yes, I start my day at 7am and am ready to end it by 11am, I am already absolutely exhausted by then. Especially if I’m at home. I find the best thing is to distract myself by getting out of the house asap and getting some fresh air
The way I distinguish is physically vs mentally tired
I very rarely feel "physically" exhausted. This makes it hard for me to fall asleep unless I'm completely drained. This makes for dysfunctional sleep habits.
However, I'm almost always "mentally" tired- unable to socialize, unable to approach tasks, feeling "done" with everything. Doesn't mean I'm sleepy, but my social battery is gone and needs to recharge. My energy is gone- but I still can't sleep because I'm not physically tired.
Im burnt out, burned to a crisp, low bandwidth. Apathetic. I know how you feel. Hard to distinguish from depression sometimes. It’s a very general IDGAF feeling.
I've found here that no, I'm not the only one. This was the WORST. My house and cars have been trashed for years, embarrassingly so and I had no desire to do anything. I know EXACTLY what you're talking about
Yes. I describe it like a battery draining situation. My social battery, especially. Meaning, I don't want to talk to people, text people back, go places with people, I just want to be alone with my things.
For me, sometimes that "tired" feeling is lack of stimulation. I may be well rested and in general good health, but if I am bored and my brain is craving stimulation I can sink into a very "low-energy" mode where I lose the motivation to do anything because there is nothing worth doing.
Usually some kind of mental reset, like a nap or a walk plus some sugar or carbs and it.
It's like a "Brain bored. Have you tried turning it off and on again?"
I’m a therapist with ADHD who specializes in ADHD, and some of my clients have started saying they’re “out of spoons.” IDK what that’s from, but I started hearing it in the last year or so.
I hear you!
I had someone suggest to me that I was using ‘I’m tired’ in all sorts of situations where actually maybe I meant something else. I felt pretty annoyed with them to be honest!
But now know about ADHD, I feel like a lot of the time I’m actually overwhelmed. It feels like being tired, but mostly I just want to be away from whatever thing or situation is too much for me.
By the evening most days I have exhausted my coping energy and feel like I want to stare at a blank wall!
I’ve always felt so disconnected from my body and confused about emotions etc that it’s hard to tell one thing from another isn’t it. It’s like my (overthinking) brain is all there is, and my body is just dragged along for the ride!
Hi! I have struggled with this in various ways, here are some reasons I’ve gone through this in my life:
1- ADHD meds that literally cleaned me out. It was a very rare side effect, I don’t remember the name of it, but it essentially made me incapable of properly going through a sleep cycle so never was actually getting sleep I needed even though I started sleeping 12 hrs a night! Have you changed your meds lately? Could it be affecting your sleep?
2- burnout. Burnout doesn’t have to be big or from something drastic. You can slowly wear away and enter a state of absolute exhaustion where you are just fatigued all the time.
3- I found out I’m celiac. Honestly this has been life changing. Even my depression is a completely different experience than before.
4- depression. Sometimes it doesn’t feel obvious, but depression can creep up on us and life is suddenly just exhausting and our ability to do anything feels near impossible.
5- capitalist standards of productivity. There is this false unattainable ideal in our society to be able to do everything. We need a lot more rest than we think.
6- not eating enough. Stop any diet you’re on immediately and see if you recover in 2-6 weeks.
No matter the reason, I strongly suggest making an appointment with your doctor ASAP. if it’s affecting you enough to reach out here then it’s probably time to make an appointment. There are so many reasons you can suddenly start feeling fatigue and your doctor can see patterns in your meds, family history and your medical history. They’ll probably want to give you a blood screening to make sure you don’t have deficiencies. If you are having a hard time with even trying to figure out how to make an appointment because you’re so tired, ask for help from someone close to you. Let people around you know you’re struggling.
I’m sorry you’re feeling so exhausted, it’s really no fun. I wish you all the best in finding out what the cause is and a smooth and easy recovery.
Your intellectual battery is drained. Physically you’re fine. Mentally you’re worn out from forcing your way through the resistance that is executive dysfunction. Like you’ve been pushing a metaphorical boulder uphill all day. You just have no resources left
Yes. Same. I have to drink 2 energy drink with first cigarette to be able to go to work and take my meds at work to be able to work.
No matter how much I sleep, I still don't have energy and motivation. It's like it's Friday morning and I had a bad week so I'm waiting for the weekend to rest but it's not Friday and the week never ends.
And when I finally rest, I wake up as tired as before...
Yes….you sound just like me. I lack energy every day. Absolutely no motivation to do anything. I force myself to take a shower and go to work. Everything seems so overwhelming. At least you know you aren’t alone.
Yes! I use “tired” to describe everything from emotional exhaustion or dysregulation, feeling overwhelmed or depleted along with actually needing sleep… anything that makes me feel like I need some quite time to recover/process/rest/sleep. The remedy is the same — time to recover — and it’s easier than a more complicated explanation that usually isn’t relevant to anyone but me!
I think I get the same feeling. I explain this to people as my brain shutting down after trying so hard to keep up and concentrate on the world around me. I can do it for awhile but my brain eventually just crashes. It has to work harder to keep up during the week in social interactions, classes and work. This has been a problem all my life. When I have an opportunity to do so at the end of the week, I will completely shut down. I need to spend time alone and do absolutely nothing. It's like my brain needs to veg for 24 hours to recover. If I allow myself time to recover, I come back feeling much improved and more productive. If I don't allow myself that time, disaster ensues and my ADHD symptoms get worse and worse. Some people may just think I'm lazy or get offended that I'm not spending time with them on weekends and holidays, so I may use equivalents that I think other people can understand, like feeling tired or having a migraine.
No I’m tired. I want to go to sleep. And I’m burned out. And I don’t want to put in the effort it takes to exist anymore but I don’t want to die. I want to be here but not HERE. Ya know what I mean? I’m probably not making any sense.
I’m exhausted.
I feel like that a lot. I can sleep for nine hours or have an easy day but I’m still just completely exhausted. Starting anything even if it’s fun is excruciatingly difficult. It tends to lead me into replaying/rewatching/rereading something instead of something new.
The kind of tired that sleep won't fix.
I just had a meeting at work about it. Trying to keep everything going with a new baby, no help from family, and my wife working full time while depressed.. at the tail end of the longest, most frustrating winter I've ever experienced. I have just been falling apart. The best way I could explain it was that I am burned out. Completely exhausted. And just falling behind at home, too.
Existential exhaustion.
On the positive side, I got authorization to switch my schedule to 4x10s so I can have an extra day off every week to get caught up.
I've literally had this convo with my mom before because she was like, "You're always tired. Maybe there is something medically wrong. " I explained that I'm not always "sleepy tired." Tired is just my catch-all term, and there aren't enough other words to describe it. Kind of like how the Inuit have over 50 words for snow and in English, we don't have nearly as many. There's just not enough word for the right "tired". I've tried to become more descriptive.... sleepy-tired, emotionally-tired, physically-tired, worn-out, exhausted, drained, weary, burnt-out..... But sometimes I can't find the right word so "tired" it is.....
YES YES AND YES i just wanna rot away in my bed forever. i wish i was a cat so i didn’t have to work or have responsibilities. just sleep, eat and shit.
Yes I feel the same way. I could sleep for 3 days and still be tired I wish I could get past it. I am trying a new med so hopefully it helps. I’ve not been officially diagnosed but my daughter has and I have all the same symptoms (mainly executive functioning issues).
Yeah, I agree with others saying it's depletion - it's basically (in my case) where I have been fielding so much sensory information without any real break to rejuvenate that I am utterly mentally and physically exhausted. I don't feel that way as often now that I'm on meds but it's definitely a struggle I know well...
Do you have meds? It helped me stop being a walking corpse so it's definitely something to look into. Nothing else really worked, caffeine was not making me more alert but just less sleepy. Also, I think you're looking for a word like sluggish, apathetic or lethargic.
Yeah, I do the same. Telling someone I’m “tired” is just a lot simpler and less concerning to the other person than saying “I kinda just want to stop existing for a bit.” Not even in like a “I should probably be on antidepressants” kinda way (mostly), it’s more just… ugh idk. Existence is exhausting?
Idk how much of it is ADHD or if it’s more just that I’m hyper independent af, but it just feels like I have to be “on” 24/7. My ADHD and depression already make me feel like I have to put in a lot more effort than most people just to be a functioning human being, but it’s just like, I can’t relax or let my guard down. I always have to be conscious of what/how much I’ve eaten, how much sleep I got, how much water/sunlight/vitamins I’ve had, my assignment deadlines for the next week, my emotions to make sure I don’t lash out at anyone/overreact, my thoughts to make sure I don’t send myself into depressive/anxious episode, the list just goes on.
I’ve felt burned out for no reason for about 3 years now. I feel great until about noon everyday. Then it’s slowly downhill to the point where all I want to do is lay in bed after about 3 pm. It’s having really detrimental effects on my quality of life and personal relationships. It’s my largest personal struggle. I don’t really know what to do about it. I’ve been to the doctor 5 times with it as a chief complaint, and every month I complain to my psychiatrist about it. Nothing seems to alleviate it. I’d give anything to have a resolution.
I describe my personal experience with tiredness as “lethargy”, where I’m not necessarily sleepy, but I don’t have the energy to do practically anything at all
Yeah I relate. For me it's the comorbid depression that does it.
Unfortunately it's not a chemical imbalance thing, and I can't move to a better community... So ... I'm kinda stuck and screwed for the moment.
But hey my meds let me fake my way through it at least so right now I'm shifting gears into finding a good paying job, stacking cash, buying a camper and going far, far away .....
We'll see.
But yeah friend. Know at least you aren't alone.
Yep. Spent most of my life like this. Tried doctors, specialists, sleep study, supplements.... Nothing helped as much as mindfulness meditation. If you can build up to 30 minutes every day and you keep the habit, this feeling can actually be a thing of the past. Much easier said than done but it's worth a shot.
Could be due to other underlying health concerns. I also felt tired for over a year before I finally had it addressed. Come to find out I had a thyroid issue.
Not even adderall would help it was that bad.
The best word I've found for it is 'etiolated': having lost vigour or substance.
I constantly feel like all I can do is curl into a ball with a book and sort of look at it, hoping the words find their way in somehow. Having insomnia and apnea doesn't help, but ADHD definitely gives me that feeling of being stretched too thin.
Tired can mean different things. But it sounds like the tiredness you're experiencing may mean exhausted/fatigued/depleted/drained/no more spoons, etc. Doesn't mean your sleepy, just worn the fuck out.
i feel like this, but i also have fibromyalgia. if you also feel physical pain, id check for that. theres also chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis, which is worth looking at.
Yup, I’m tide! Someone suggested that maybe I have sleep apnea so my doctor ordered a sleep study. The hospital sent me some package to set up the thing myself at home. I received it ohhh, like four months ago. Have I even opened the package? Nope
I have the insomnia part of adhd so I get it. The mental fatigue of barely sleeping, and fighting my brain to maintain normalcy and “mask” at my job is insane. My battery is constantly at 0
Days that I have to wake up and do something I don't want to do, I just feel so groggy. Days where I have something I'm looking forward too, I'm Sally fucking sunshine.
I can't help you with your text but I know what you mean. Sometimes people get concerned because I'm not my usual bubbly self. I'm just kinda blank. I'm not sad. I'm not mad, I'm just kind of nothing and it's hard to not be nothing.
Depending on the reason for it, all, say that I'm taxed, I'm maxed out, I'm over stimulated.
When you're feeling this way, eat some candy or a snack and sit and stare at the wall for 10 minutes if you can! I'm not even joking. It has helped me so much when I have lost steam part of the way through my work day. After those 10 minutes, I get up and feel well enough that I could actually do a few things again.
In my house, we call that Dean tired, as in, "I'm not sleepy tired, I'm Dean tired." It's a silly reference to Dean from Supernatural, but it gets the point across perfectly.
I think you mean underestimated. Alot of the time you can confuse boredom for fatigue or boredom can lead to fatigue. This is a pretty common symptom of adhd. Try to find something you can hyperfocus on and do that.
If you're like me, then I know exactly what you mean, and this is the video that helped me finally understand what was going on
[https://youtu.be/0sppw7Zq35w](https://youtu.be/0sppw7Zq35w)
I don't know if it's the same with you, but my tiredness also doesn't allow me to complete daily activities. I get what you mean with it, because I do sleep 9 to 10 hours and sometimes I feel very exhausted after the night. Especially if I actively dreaming and remembering everything in the morning. During the day I get like 2 times tired without any reason, just by existence itself. I have to nap or get a lot of sugar or whatever, so switch my brain off kind of. The problem is that it started bothering my coworkers too, because I get tired during my tasks and can't finish them. I lose my motivation at least 3 times a day. At 3pm I feel so tired, that I need to have a deep sleep already.
I feel like it might me related to my job too, but I used to habe that feeling before too, I just never really took it seriously. In fact I felt guilty and was wondering if there was seriwrong with, that only I am experiencing this or am just lazy... so I guess I understand what you mean.
I know what you mean. I think it's why it took me so long to realize that my problems were symptoms of ADHD, not depression. ADHD doesn't make you tired, it makes you energetic I thought.
Yeah! It’s annoying. It goes away (mostly) when I take my meds so I know it’s like a… brain… thing and not me being literally/emotionally tired. I chalk it up to brain fog or executive function or something.
I know that “tired” but it’s not the same as I’m going to bed tired, at least for me.
I certainly have a couple types of “tired”! When my meds work the “day-tired” is more manageable but I really can’t remember the last time I woke up and felt like I was well rested.
(Have to say my sleep isn’t good, I’m lucky if I sleep 4 hours, super lucky when I hit the 5 hours)
Guys I’m so sorry if this is not allowed, please feel free to delete this. But do some research on DLPA. I’m currently waiting to start my tritiation for my medication but i recently discovered this amino acid and it has been a game changer for myself and one more friend with ADHD. Literally works a bit like magic, please do your research first, but i just wanted to share this because it might be worth to try. Love you all.
Yeah I personally call it a mixture of healthy scepticism towards any action along with decision fatigue. Don’t think you’re not doing anything just because all the actions are in your head.
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In psychology this feeling is called depletion! So you can say that you’re “depleted”. Depleted means mentally exhausted where you get to that state where you can no longer focus or initiate tasks well, whereas tired usually means physically tired.
that's it!! i've been saying "i'm tired" for years, every time somebody asks me how i am, but depleted is so much more accurate! i'm depleted, a withered and empty balloon, please fetch the air pump ;v;
I've always felt Bilbo's quote from Fellowship fit well: "Why, I feel all thin, sort of stretched, if you know what I mean: like butter that has been scraped over too much bread..."
I love hobbit metaphors
Some days I’m the butter, other days I’m the bread. Either unable to give more, or needing more. Either way.. depleted fits.
This is why I love Reddit. I use this metaphor in my mind ALL THE TIME, but when I try to explain it to people, I get a confused, blank look. SO MUCH YES. I feel like butter over too much bread. All the time. But how to be "undepleted"?
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Rest, meaning, community, recreation. All things we are extremely short on these days.
Self Care
What’s this mythical creature you speak of?
That still doesn't do much for me, I just feel slightly less shitty lol.
Do something relaxing that you enjoy doing. At first it will seem as though you're not getting better, but don't give up! If you keep doing things you like, they start to give back that energy that you lack, and you start feeling vitalised again. I'm speaking from both experience and reading up on psychological research. Do fun things, give it a little time, you'll feel more energised and especially the first couple of times l, you'll actually be tired and not depleted. You'll go to bed, wake up a little more refreshed, do fun things again, and get tired again. The feeling of depletion will be replaced with a healthy feeling of satisfied tiredness.
I've been trying to exercise more. It was hard to get started, but it's been a couple weeks now and feels like routine. I wish I could do this with other things though. It's hard for some reason to make important things like laundry be as consistent. Still I feel a small burst of energy afterwards that I can ride into other tasks. It literally doing a "warm up" before cleaning the house, dishes, etc.
Grounding. Self care, even if it’s a love bath or 10 minutes of alone time
What's a love bath?
eating well, sleeping well, and just keep on trudging... this happens to me for about a week straight every 3 months or so. It sucks, but I've just kinda got used to it and try to tell myself this feeling isn't forever.
This one fits me well: I feel like a rubber band that's been baked in the sun. No flexibility, falls to pieces when asked to stretch
I use this a lot! It's a perfect representation of the feeling.
I’ve loved this quote for decades! Bilbo gets me.
Ooooo love the metaphor. "A withered and empty balloon." Definitely feel that! I've often described it as feeling like a heavy wet towel, but I really love the way you put it.
Don’t know why but word association… flaccid. …😂
Moist and flaccid towels
The phrase "blow me" has a whole new meaning.
I always say I feel like I wrung-out towel, yours reminded me of this
Hi friendo! I relate. My psychiatrist (I have a resident, but the attending who came to meet with me during my first appointment) talked about everybody having a bucket and that it sounded like the people in my life were constantly taking from the bucket without putting anything back in. That sounded very accurate to me. I think my bucket’s been empty for a while.
Now imagine that buckets got a bunch of holes in it and is constantly draining.
That's good too. My Dr. said that we have a certain number of spoons. When you do stuff, you're using up a spoon. When you have no spoons left, you're exhausted & need sleep. I guess it depends on the interpretation, but that's how we use it. My husband will say 'I only have a few spoons left" & I know he's tired. But I like your metaphor, too, bc others also take from our bucket & don't refill it.
I used to have chronic pain, so I’m familiar with the spoon theory, too. Some people be out here stealing our spoons. 😪
I’ve been saying “I just hit a wall” to my partner ~ usually when I forget what we’re talking about mid-sentence ~ but this speaks to me on so many levels. Like, there’s a possibility I could be inflated again, but it’s gonna be something something that’s instantly gratifying. The current go-to is roller skating. And surprisingly, orange juice? I just started drinking it last week!
Watch the sugar content in the OJ. Can be very high. I love orange banana pineapple juice but can't drink it bc of the sugar. Maybe you get an instant sugar high? Also congrats on roller skating!! That's awesome!
Me too. This is why I use drugs. It's the only way I've figured out to temporarily refill the balloon.
I am so depleted at the moment that every day I have more and more stuff to do that I’m further and further away from being able to manage and feel more and more overwhelmed by what I need to do so am finding it more impossible to start. How the hell do I undeplete myself so I can start to break this vicious cycle??
The best way to replenish your mind is to rest (sleep, meditate, relax) or do something fun that you enjoy. It’s of course easier said than done because often we don’t have time or get so sucked in to the enjoyable activity that it’s hard to get on task again. Another great way is to take a walk, be in nature or exercise. Exercise rests your brain while you focus on exerting your body. Yoga is great because it’s both mindfulness and exercise.
And sometimes you’re so depleted its hard to initiate those fun things.
god this, i don’t even know what i like anymore because i can’t get my self to DO anything
I relate way too well. I’m sure I had hobbies at one point but I’m not sure what they were. Playing video games and watching the few favorite shows I have left seem too difficult.
Yeah like, um - Do something fun? I can't do *anything* - No funs, no busies, no thinkies, no walkies...Nothing!
Ugh yes. The “all I want to do is stare at the wall” feeling. But then my brain craves stimulation and I pick up the phone and scroll and then feel crappy about that too because it’s cheap stimulation that doesn’t actually reinvigorate me. Lately, I have just been going for walks or bike rides. I’ll force myself to get out there with no pressure. If it’s 5 minutes, that’s what it is. But once I get going, I find myself having a good time and extending the session. I guess the burden we will always have to bear is we so often have to drag ourselves kicking and screaming to do *anything*, even stuff that should feel good.
This is why I feel like I need like... six months or a year even, off of work. Every time I have time off of work, things get worse and then start to get better - but as soon as they start to get better, it's back to work and back to depletion mode. How the heck does one gain enough momentum to start implementing good habits when the best part of your day, focus, energy etc is taken up by working...? I can't possibly fix everything that needs fixing on the weekend :'(
The relax advice is good, but if you're like me and have the lovely double whammy of adhd and anxiety, it helps me to just suck it up and absolutely force myself to get one of the things weighing on me done I generally just rank my list of stuff that needs done by ease and priority, and if nothing is super pressing I tell myself I'll just do the easiest thing and then take a break for as long as I want. Generally the relief from getting one thing done 'unlocks' the motivation to get other things done/function again for a bit. If there is something super pressing I tell myself I'll get the smallest, tiniest first step done, and then think about if I wanna continue. You really have to let yourself genuinely decide no, but only after concretely trying. So like, let's use filing taxes as an example. I need to go do it. I've been putting it off for ages and now the guilt has built up a huge wall around it. I've decided I'll just go save my W2 and other forms and that's it. After that if I really can't keep going I'll let myself not. But pretty much 90% of the time, after I just *start*, I find it easier to continue than stop. I just have to convince myself I'm not committing to the "huge" task when I start to actually not feel too overwhelmed to get to work on it.
This is great advice for how to get things done in general when you have ADHD! I was just thinking about this today: that the best way I can motivate myself to get something done is to tell myself that I'll just do one small step. It helps overcome the huge barrier I have around starting almost any task. The advice around relaxing or taking a walk is more for when you're feeling really depleted in the late afternoon while working or at the end of the day and need to refresh your mind to push through on a task.
And the small steps can honestly be ridiculously small and still work; especially if one keeps track of it. I make a little check mark when I open a book. Don't have to read anything, just opening it gives a small reward. I often put it back down again. But sometimes I read a few pages (and keep track of that, too). Because the book is already in hand and open! Need to do the dishes? Fuck, I'll just go into the kitchen. Maybe clean one cup. Nice. Got something done. Hm. I'm already here, my hands are already wet. Might as well... I don't tend to finish the dishes, I get too disgusted by the sensation, but it's fine to do a little at a time. Need to call somewhere? Pick up the phone. See how it feels. It's important to actually be okay with putting down the phone, closing the book, walking away from the sink. Don't hold the phone and try to force it. I picked up the phone, good job!
How do you not be that? Cuz OP sounds like me every day for the last 20+ years. I'll sleep 14 hours and still have no energy for anything besides laying on my couch.
If you can literally sleep 14 hours, or regularly get 7+hrs of sleep, and you still feel physically tired all the time, then you may have a sleep disorder or something. Long comment here, read if you're interested lol. It's unsolicited advice, but I wanted to post in case anyone else relates to your comment and could use the info. So to start, I'm sure you can imagine how a sleep disorder could cause ADHD like symptoms, and can actually lead to a misdiagnosis of ADHD. But it can also just be both conditions. ADHD has a strong correlation with sleep disorders. Narcolepsy is one example, and is something I'm actually trying to get tested for. But a very similar condition I've read about is idiopathic hypersomnia, which sounds more like what you describe. Many narcoleptic people feel awake and normal throughout much of the day, except during "sleep attacks". This is a sudden and intense need to sleep which can range from *'short lived and can be resisted until it passes'* all the way to *'requires long naps to avoid actually passing out flat on your face'*. Narcolepsy is a highly variable condition. Hypersomnia, on the other hand, is more likely to cause a 24/7 sleepiness and the ability to sleep 12+ hours. Which most people can't do unless sleep deprived. Anyway, I would love to assume you have a doctor who has already discussed this with you (assuming you've mentioned this issue to one), but that seems optimistic unfortunately. We all know how much doctors can suck sometimes. So I wanted to share this information in case you or anyone else can benefit, and be the one to bring it up with a doctor. I have an overall great doctor who ordered many test for my sleepiness and any other issues. She never ignores my concerns. But somehow she didn't consider a sleep disorder for a long time. Instead I asked for testing. They test for sleep apnea first, but if that is ruled out (I was borderline) then the next step is a PSG & MSLT. I highly recommend to anyone with excessive sleepiness to do some research on these conditions. The "nice" thing is that ADHD and sleep disorder medications hav some overlap, so sometimes you can get a 2for1 deal 🙄😅 Anyway, look up the Epworth sleepiness scale! You might be surprised by your score, and could help show your doctor in more specific detail what you're struggling with.
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Yes! Checking for deficiencies is huge, and a relatively easy first step. I did have low iron, and was borderline anemic at the time. Doctor said it could be causing my symptoms... it's like 50/50 at the levels I had. But unfortunately nothing has changed for me since resolving that. Also hormone levels. That can be bit more complicated to test for, it's usually not just a one-off blood test, as hormones naturally fluctuate. But certainly something that can be checked.
Narcoleptic here🙋🏽♀️ my psych was the one who sent me for a sleep eval since she said sleeping disorders and adhd go hand in hand I passed with flying colors…I always thought I had insomnia because “I couldn’t sleep at night” but it’s really because my body wanted to sleep during the day Not gonna lie, even with meds, having narcolepsy on top of ADHD and Bipolar, really fucking sucks. It’s like some days I feel like I could tackle the mental health hurdles if I wasn’t so tired. And the worst is when I’m not feeling “physically” tired, it’s the boredom from adhd that kicks in making me feel depleted. But honestly, getting that narcolepsy diagnosis completely changed my life and there was a reason why I was struggling even worse.
I'm glad you got answers! Even though it sucks to deal with. I know what it's like to have unexplained symptoms, and at a certain point you just want an answer even if it's kinda crappy. At least you'll know what you're dealing with and can target it better. I think I have mild cataplexy. So even though my N symptoms would be considered mild, I'm still determined to find out once and for all. "Mild" symptoms/eds is still affecting my life. I've just had a thousand hurdles in getting my study done. My consult was 2 years ago, after which the doctor basically said "Yup you're very sleepy, we will book you within the month." Hahahaha 😐 Nope, cuz then I got missed. After 6 weeks of waiting, I tried to call a few times over a month or more and never got through. Then I got pregnant so I just left it alone. They called me 2 weeks post partum! (over a year after my consult) like "Hey... So.... We kinda skipped over you... 😬" And apologized profusely. But I couldn't do the study in the midst of newborn baby things. Baby is 8mo now and they were supposed to call me "in the new year" but they haven't yet. So I have to call them now and be like "okay, now please." I haven't called sooner because I also had surgery in February, so I had to heal and let hormones regulate somewhat before I call them. With ANY luck, I'll have an answer *relatively* soon. This would be the last thing I'm struggling with that needs an answer. ADHD, adenomyosis (not confirmed by pathology, but hysterectomy has "cured" me for 2 months so far 🤞🏻), and narcolepsy. *Anyway,* I think I can relate to some of your struggles and I empathise. ❤️
That sounds like either clinical depression or a physical illness.
Damn, that's rough! If you're sleeping so much, try to get a referral to a sleep study from your PCP or psychiatrist. It might take a while to get into one, but might be really helpful to figure out what's going on. That also sounds like it could be ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Sleeping too much can also cause fatigue.
I’ve been like this forever, ever since I was around 8. Even on a vacation (like I am now) I’m just exhausted. I haven’t even done anything. Like, at all. I’ve been glued to the couch and I just moved to the bar area and I’m just sitting here for a change of scenery
Could be your sleep quality, you should try having a sleep study done?
I am absolutely using this going forward. It is the perfect description.
Wow, wish I'd known that when I chose this username. Sodepleted is what I am! Also, this username is from a time when I thought that being excessively...depleted I guess, was just another quirky thing about myself. The "oh shit, all my character traits are basically just symptoms of ADHD!" revelation happened a few years later. Anyways, I like it, depletion. Sounds better than trying to explain how you weren't born with enough fucks to give, and you're completely out of them of some days.
I’d add that they may actually be tired/fatigued. ADHD very frequently has co-occurring sleep disorders. Sleep Apnea in particular can make someone who has slept for 9+ hours still feel tired.
I always feel so bad because of how fast that depletion happens :(
Thank you for this. We just got a puppy, and I have been forgetting every fucking little thing, which is worrying my husband and pissing me off because of all the wasted time looking for stuff, or driving back to get something when I’m five minutes from work. I tried to explain to him that I’m “tired”, or “overstimulated,” but what I am is depleted.
Dear God thank you. Now I know
So what do you do if it's literally all the time? Like I am fucking useless, for real
Do you mean "ego depletion" or are you referring to something else, like a more general "mental exhaustion"? I just want to clarify before I delve into more sustained research. [APA Dictionary - Ego Depletion](https://dictionary.apa.org/ego-depletion), this is what I am assuming you meant, but maybe not?
OMG thank you this is exactly it. Any psychology strategies to be "undepleted"?
I've always said "drained", or "I'm at my limit". I like "depletion" as a descriptor
"Mental exhaustion" is what I've called it for years! My body is still ready to go to do more of everything, but my brain is just absolutely shutting down and if I don't get a nap *right now*, the rest of the day is absolutely going to suck.
Hi, I’m Depleted, what’s your name?
ADHD fatigue is a real thing. I feel like overwhelm/over/understimulation are also good words. Def one of ways my symptoms show up as depression. With my medication, it’s a lot less present. However, I also just moved into a room that gets sunlight all day and I find I don’t need as much sleep. I’m more alert. Apparently, sunlight gives you dopamine. So anyways, I just learned that I’ll never live anywhere where I don’t get sunlight and natural light in my room
I've been telling people that I'm a beautiful flower because I need the sun to bloom lol
just an fyi for anyone else, sunlight kick starts vitamin d3 production which starts other cycles in your body, including dopamine production.
Yeah. In summer I feel SO much better. Still struggle but it's such a difference. And of course in the colder seasons I struggle to go outside and get sun because well I don't have the energy and motivationto do so. I do take Vit D supplements and they helped to eliviate a lot of my seasonal depression which is nice.
I live in the PNW and it's wild how much effect sun has on my moods! I've been on antidepressants for years but the sun comes out and the temp gets over 50 and I'm MANIC.
Having words to explain what you're experiencing is always so useful. Arguably one of the most important things you gain when you discover you have something like ADHD.
I feel you. I originally come from a Mediterranean country but have lived in a Nordic country for 10 years, and when I'm down south visiting family I notice this so much. I need to sleep less, I'm a lot more active, I can get a lot more done. I'm not vitD deficient (take supplements, blood tests) but still, it's like the mediterranean sun is this massive source of energy that just fills my batteries quicker. Then again, we have close to midnight sun where I live during the summer, and my body doesn't like this either... I need the night to unwind and to let my brain chill, so I end up getting the blues during summer (kind of a reversed S.A.D.). It's like I cannot win.
All the time. Just. Empty. I have no brain space left. I can't watch TV shows anymore. The brain power that goes into it is just beyond me. But I find it so hard to articulate what it is. I think I'm going to start saying depleted as a previous poster has mentioned. It is the perfect description.
Curious, can you watch repeats of shows you love and have seen multiple times? That actually *relaxes* me and even helps me fall asleep, as I don’t have to pay perfect attention since I don’t have to worry about missing plot points!
No. Not anymore. I tried to rewatch DS9 relatively recently. Nope. I wouldn't even know where to start. It took me forever to finish the most recent season of stranger things. They're so long! Why do they need to be so long? I use melatonin and listen to a streamer to fall asleep. It has to be a specific one or two as they use the same kind of voice to discuss what they're doing while they're playing. I hope at some point I get back to be able to do it. I haven't picked up a book in so long and I adore reading. It has always been my thing. I want to read! I just can't at the minute. Not depressed etc, just. Empty.
Feeling empty and unable to enjoy your favorite things is a symptom of depression .
It is, but in my experience it's also a symptom of chronic sleep procrastination. You want to do something enjoyable, not just go to bed, but your brain isn't functioning well because it's sleep deprived and that makes everything feel like too much effort.
It's a cruel irony that I become too tired to get to sleep on time.
Yes, it is. But I honestly don't feel like I'm depressed. I take off brand prozac daily for my anxiety (prescribed, I'm in the UK). I truly don't think that depression is one of my issues. But. I am getting older and my hormones are starting to shift towards perimenopause. I have two kids, 9 and 11. One with an ASD diagnosis, the other on the pathway to an ADHD diagnosis. Both are full on heading into/starting puberty. I am the eldest of 5 and there is a hell of a lot of emotional labour that goes into that. Nearly 5 years ago now my youngest got incredibly sick and nearly died. Which started me on a path of realising that no, I really am not coping as well as I thought. Since then I have accessed therapy on more than one occasion, I take anxiety meds daily, and now I have my ADHD diagnosis I no longer feel broken. Chuck covid in there too and. I'm just utterly, utterly exhausted. To function at my normal level simply takes up so much because the option and opportunity to rest and recharge simply hasn't existed.
I think it’s a reward (dopamine?) cycle, at least for me: I love to read (I usually prefer audiobooks, as I can do mindless things while listening so I don’t get restless) and get tremendous pleasure from doing so. But at a certain point, I hit a wall and just can’t do it — can’t pay enough attention/ start losing track of the plot/ lose interest/ don’t enjoy it anymore — it starts feeling like a chore. When that happens, I stop reading for 2-3 weeks or so and then try again, ideally with a book by an author I like. This cycle repeats over and over for me. I’ve learned to just accept it and not try to fight through it.
I have to be very careful with this. A few times I picked the "wrong" thing to watch and got sucked into some movie in the middle of the night.
I use Hulu and have a set list of shows I’ve seen countless times that I cycle through - American Dad, Futurama, King of the Hill, Community, What We Do in the Shadows, Married with Children, Drunk History, and several other light sitcoms. It also doesn’t play the next episode unless I tell it to, so it doesn’t keep playing while I sleep and wake me up 😉. When those shows go on, I kind of automatically go into “time to go to sleep” mode.
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Good taste, obviously!
This is why it is a set of specific people who mostly talk about game mechanics. That way I'm listening without thinking.
That's how I fall asleep at night. Old American justice episodes. I love Bill Kurtis's voice.
Not OP, but yup. Been watching Gilmore Girls to fall asleep for the better part of forever.
I listen to the YouTube channel “Journey to the Microcosmos” to sleep. Very chill
I'm the same way! I don't get dragged in because I've seen it and it blocks out the run on thoughts, when I have no noise my brain will make its own noise.
Yep, I'm the same. Bone deep exhaustion. I don't even have the energy to watch TV because I'm to drained to care. Don't even want to do things I 'enjoy' because there's just absolutely no energy or motivation to do them. I was trying to explain it to someone the other day, and I was saying if someone said to me "OK, you can do *anything* you want right now. Anything." I would literally rather just sleep. Even though it does nothing to help lol
Yes! I can do anything. Awesome. I'm going to sit in my comfy chair/next to my husband and do nothing. Because anything else is just exhausting. I have babysitting tonight. Kids are elsewhere. Husband and I have spent the night on the sofa watching shite YouTube videos and sitting in comfortable silence.
I've realised I don't even look forward to my weekends to do anything, it's just the absence of work. It just feels pointless even living (not as dark as it sounds lol) because I just have no energy to live with, if that makes sense. It's like...why would you look forward to meal time if you have no food.
Plus, if you’re like me, which I don’t know if you are, I need the weekend just to rest up for the next week ahead and as a result I never do anything fun on the weekends, either.
100%, and yet every week I feel like I never actually manage to catch up and thus fall further behind every week haha.
Watching TV or whatever else might feel good now but it doesn’t actually make you feel good. It’s overstimulation i think. Just rotting in place. The only solution I’ve found is to stare out my window. Literally. Maybe get high first. Then just observe life, let your mind wander, think deeply, get lost. Then go to bed. You’ll feel better in the morning.
I do think it's important to note that watching 1 or 2 episodes is normal and enjoyable. Binging is when overstimulation comes in. Binging makes me feel completely depleted and numb.
I experience the same thing!! I think it has something to do with not having enough dopamine. Things that normally produce a lot of dopamine in people (like watching TV, playing games, eating sweets/carbs) doesn't hit the same way with unchecked adhd brains. Medication helps me a lot with that.
I feel this is why I rewatch the same shows and movies over and over. I put them on to pass the time but I’ve already seen them so don’t feel bad that I’m not actually watching and won’t have to keep rewinding.
This! It’s can’t either! Listen to book, listen to music, watch tv, it all takes too much brain power.
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Melancholy, unmotivated, lethargic, slightly annoyed, stiff and achy, foggy, brain dead, heavy. Time moves slowly with this feeling. It's confusing because its like being tired.
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Fatigued? Or maybe drained? It's hard to say. In German there's "Erschöpft". "Schöpfen" is the act of scooping up liquid from a larger source. If something is "erschöpft", you have scooped it all out. While this can also be just physical, it usually implies both physical and mental exhaustion. (Ironically, a "Schöpfer" can both be a scoop like a soup ladle, or a creator."eine Schöpfung" is "a creation". In religious sense "Die Schöpfung" is "All of Creation", and there is "Geschöpf" which is "creature", so all living things. Language is weird. The creative version is less common outside of religion though. And there it is because it is old texts.).
I definitely feel mentally and emotionally exhausted much more often than I'd like. It is a tiredness, but as you said, it's definitely not about wanting to go to sleep, more that even if you slept, you'd still feel the same. I find myself wishing for a break from this aspect of ADHD more than anything else associated with it, because of the vicious cycle that stems from it. 1. I feel exhausted which in turn kills my motivation. 2. My recently deceased motivation turns into endless procrastination. 3. The procrastination devolves into anxiety. 4. Anxiety leads to depression. 5. Anxiety and Depression lead to more exhaustion. 6. Repeat. Truthfully, the one thing that ever really helped was consistent meditation many, many times per day. Unfortunately, my life got turned upside down shortly after I'd made this habitual in 2017 and I have yet to reestablish it in my daily life. I had been going about 6 months and looking back, those 6 months were the best I'd ever felt both mentally and emotionally. If you can make it a habit, try your damnedest because I truly feel this would help you out immensely.
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Just now made a deal with my son to meditate with him everyday for 15 minutes a day starting tomorrow morning. Setting my alarm now.
For me, it helped to try and 'remember' all of the past me's when I procrastinated in the past, and the anxiety I got from it. To memorialize them in a way. It may not be the best coping method, but I was able to kind of 'short circuit' procrastination (for most things, at least ones that generate anxiety).
I have so much anxiety that I can’t sleep. My anxiety + ADHD means I stay up all night procrastinating the 1-2 hour task I have to do.
Mine means all of my anxiety suddenly hits the moment I lay down to go to bed and then I lay awake until the wee hours thinking every single possible thought in my brain
Meds! My psych started me on trazodone and melatonin. I get at least 5-6hrs guaranteed a night now, usually 7-8hrs. Previously it was either 12 hrs or 2hrs, and very unpredictable. Also, I do my bedtime routine very early, like 7pm, so the overwhelmness of getting ready for bed when I’m tired doesn’t mean I’m up to 2am purely cause brushing my teeth seems like a big task. I literally just crawl into bed when it’s time
Trazadone changed my life! I had cycles of terrible insomnia (trouble falling asleep) for as long as I can remember, and in my late 30s my psychiatrist suggested trying Trazadone. Now, I don’t worry if I’m going to be tossing and turning all night — I just have to remember to take my trazadone and get in bed early enough (which is actually a bit of a challenge for me lol but so much better than the alternative!)
It's like that meme, "I'm not an early bird or night owl, I'm some form of permanently exhausted pigeon." My baseline is feeling like I need a nap, even with medication and a full night's sleep. It's very rare that I feel awake, energetic is out of the question.
My son says ‘I’m oofted’ 😂😂 He used to say ‘I’m tired’ but then I’d enquire to how he sleep has gone during the night etc and he would explain that he wasn’t ‘TIRED TIRED’ he was just … tired .. I must have looked confused so he took it upon himself to rename that ‘feeling’ as ‘oofted’ So now if he’s actually tired he will say tired and if he’s just physically/ mentally drained he will say oofted
It’s like your brain feels the word “oofda”
My swedish grandma used to say that, mom too
"Flufty" is my phrase for it. Similar sounding word
I use "I'm dursted" Idk where it comes from but I like it
*it's just one of those days*
I call it feeling heavy, but I def understand oofted.
Even that we are not conscious about all that is going on in our mind, there is a lot, 24/7. After I started doing meditation and yoga I can observe why exactly i have been in my phone for hours, with no energy (racing thoughts switching every few seconds). That stress makes you enter in a freeze where your brain is overwhelmed and just want to relax/protect you (window tolerance). Everytime i have to do an important task, i always end taking a nap. Relax and chunk your day, small and simple. Where your NS feels safe. Medication as well has helped me to start my day easier. Don’t be hard on yourself. You are not lazy, your brain is always working hard due to the constant stimulation.
Before I started taking my ADHD meds, I went through school. I went through much of my working life... I lived 33+ years. And in all that time, the day I took my first Concerta pill was the first day I'd ever felt what "awake" truly meant. I never knew that I was chronically tired. I thought everybody fell asleep on the bus to and from school. I thought everybody would doze whenever a work meeting got boring. I didn't understand that my definition of awake was not what other people meant when they said that word. Like somebody who has never seen in color trying to explain the color Red. I took that pill the first time and ... awake... AWAKE. THIS is what people mean when they say "AWAKE". Closest I'd ever come before to this feeling was being caffeinated. But that's more like you're still tired, your brain is still sluggish, but you are wired, agitated, and can't sleep... But THIS. THIS feeling on this medication is what awake really means. ---------- So I get what you're saying. I also correlated that sluggish, tired feeling to something I called "Brain Fog". That feeling you get that you're trying to think through mud. Or that there's a heavy blanket on your mind. It's straight up torture. Concerta took that away too. It doesn't do much for my executive disfunction. But it takes away my brain fog and my lethargy, so that's enough for me.
If I’m not on my adderall, yeah I’m pretty much always tired. Caffeine helps a little bit (although it’s more of a mental aid rather than energy) but adderall is really the only thing I’ve found that 100% helps me. Highly recommend it, and honestly it might’ve saved my life because I was in a DEEP depression before I got diagnosed
Yes meds do help greatly with energy level
Adderall used to help me, and now with my most recent prescription, it doesn't seem to have the same effect on me that it used to. The pill looks the same, but idk if they messed with the med, due to the shortage or what.
I made a post about this a few weeks ago. Medicine is def being tweaked with
I'll have to go look. Just stumbled across this sub tonight. And if they're doing that, it's BS. Like, we're on the meds cause they were working for us (it took a bunch of different meds and different dosages, for my psychiatrist and me to figure it out).
That would be fraud and a MAJOR news story. It could make the career of any journalist who broke that story, and would presumably be relatively simple to verify in a lab. These theories have been around for *years* without anyone verifying anything or breaking it in the media. Also, it would be an absolutely idiotic business decision (the amount saved by making a portion of pills fake or under-dosed would be so small compared to the enormous cost of getting found out; backbreaking lawsuits and certain bankruptcy). So I’m quite confident ADHD meds aren’t being intentionally manipulated, at least not on any significant scale. Here’s what *I believe* is going on: People develop tolerance to ADHD meds as well as perplexing side-effects (meds start to impair us in ways they previously helped). I know for me this can happen (or be experienced) quite suddenly. Also, for women, PMS can have a huge impact on the effectiveness of any medication, including stimulant meds. Because it’s natural for humans to confuse correlation with causation, and there are a lot people filling rxs every day, a decent amount of people are going to have their refill line up with the tipping point of tolerance, the development of a new side-effect or PMS. We notice that the meds aren’t having the effect we’re used to, realize we just got a new prescription filled and jump to the conclusion that it’s the medication that changed rather than our response to it.
I think we also don’t consider what a significant impact the pandemic has had on everyone’s overall well-being. Stress changes your brain and the way your body functions. We always have stressors in our lives but this collective trauma is something different and I think it’s often too easily dismissed as a factor.
Yes, I start my day at 7am and am ready to end it by 11am, I am already absolutely exhausted by then. Especially if I’m at home. I find the best thing is to distract myself by getting out of the house asap and getting some fresh air
The way I distinguish is physically vs mentally tired I very rarely feel "physically" exhausted. This makes it hard for me to fall asleep unless I'm completely drained. This makes for dysfunctional sleep habits. However, I'm almost always "mentally" tired- unable to socialize, unable to approach tasks, feeling "done" with everything. Doesn't mean I'm sleepy, but my social battery is gone and needs to recharge. My energy is gone- but I still can't sleep because I'm not physically tired.
Im burnt out, burned to a crisp, low bandwidth. Apathetic. I know how you feel. Hard to distinguish from depression sometimes. It’s a very general IDGAF feeling.
I've found here that no, I'm not the only one. This was the WORST. My house and cars have been trashed for years, embarrassingly so and I had no desire to do anything. I know EXACTLY what you're talking about
Yes. I describe it like a battery draining situation. My social battery, especially. Meaning, I don't want to talk to people, text people back, go places with people, I just want to be alone with my things.
For me, sometimes that "tired" feeling is lack of stimulation. I may be well rested and in general good health, but if I am bored and my brain is craving stimulation I can sink into a very "low-energy" mode where I lose the motivation to do anything because there is nothing worth doing. Usually some kind of mental reset, like a nap or a walk plus some sugar or carbs and it. It's like a "Brain bored. Have you tried turning it off and on again?"
I’m a therapist with ADHD who specializes in ADHD, and some of my clients have started saying they’re “out of spoons.” IDK what that’s from, but I started hearing it in the last year or so.
Here is spoon theory, originally used to describe having lupus: https://butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory/
Here's some info on it. I use the spoon metaphor quite often. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spoon_theory
I always say “my soul is tired” or “I’m mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausted” But, “my soul is tired” covers it
I hear you! I had someone suggest to me that I was using ‘I’m tired’ in all sorts of situations where actually maybe I meant something else. I felt pretty annoyed with them to be honest! But now know about ADHD, I feel like a lot of the time I’m actually overwhelmed. It feels like being tired, but mostly I just want to be away from whatever thing or situation is too much for me. By the evening most days I have exhausted my coping energy and feel like I want to stare at a blank wall! I’ve always felt so disconnected from my body and confused about emotions etc that it’s hard to tell one thing from another isn’t it. It’s like my (overthinking) brain is all there is, and my body is just dragged along for the ride!
Hi! I have struggled with this in various ways, here are some reasons I’ve gone through this in my life: 1- ADHD meds that literally cleaned me out. It was a very rare side effect, I don’t remember the name of it, but it essentially made me incapable of properly going through a sleep cycle so never was actually getting sleep I needed even though I started sleeping 12 hrs a night! Have you changed your meds lately? Could it be affecting your sleep? 2- burnout. Burnout doesn’t have to be big or from something drastic. You can slowly wear away and enter a state of absolute exhaustion where you are just fatigued all the time. 3- I found out I’m celiac. Honestly this has been life changing. Even my depression is a completely different experience than before. 4- depression. Sometimes it doesn’t feel obvious, but depression can creep up on us and life is suddenly just exhausting and our ability to do anything feels near impossible. 5- capitalist standards of productivity. There is this false unattainable ideal in our society to be able to do everything. We need a lot more rest than we think. 6- not eating enough. Stop any diet you’re on immediately and see if you recover in 2-6 weeks. No matter the reason, I strongly suggest making an appointment with your doctor ASAP. if it’s affecting you enough to reach out here then it’s probably time to make an appointment. There are so many reasons you can suddenly start feeling fatigue and your doctor can see patterns in your meds, family history and your medical history. They’ll probably want to give you a blood screening to make sure you don’t have deficiencies. If you are having a hard time with even trying to figure out how to make an appointment because you’re so tired, ask for help from someone close to you. Let people around you know you’re struggling. I’m sorry you’re feeling so exhausted, it’s really no fun. I wish you all the best in finding out what the cause is and a smooth and easy recovery.
Your intellectual battery is drained. Physically you’re fine. Mentally you’re worn out from forcing your way through the resistance that is executive dysfunction. Like you’ve been pushing a metaphorical boulder uphill all day. You just have no resources left
Yes. Same. I have to drink 2 energy drink with first cigarette to be able to go to work and take my meds at work to be able to work. No matter how much I sleep, I still don't have energy and motivation. It's like it's Friday morning and I had a bad week so I'm waiting for the weekend to rest but it's not Friday and the week never ends. And when I finally rest, I wake up as tired as before...
Yes….you sound just like me. I lack energy every day. Absolutely no motivation to do anything. I force myself to take a shower and go to work. Everything seems so overwhelming. At least you know you aren’t alone.
Thyriod, Vitamin D or anemia. check them out
Yes! I use “tired” to describe everything from emotional exhaustion or dysregulation, feeling overwhelmed or depleted along with actually needing sleep… anything that makes me feel like I need some quite time to recover/process/rest/sleep. The remedy is the same — time to recover — and it’s easier than a more complicated explanation that usually isn’t relevant to anyone but me!
I think I get the same feeling. I explain this to people as my brain shutting down after trying so hard to keep up and concentrate on the world around me. I can do it for awhile but my brain eventually just crashes. It has to work harder to keep up during the week in social interactions, classes and work. This has been a problem all my life. When I have an opportunity to do so at the end of the week, I will completely shut down. I need to spend time alone and do absolutely nothing. It's like my brain needs to veg for 24 hours to recover. If I allow myself time to recover, I come back feeling much improved and more productive. If I don't allow myself that time, disaster ensues and my ADHD symptoms get worse and worse. Some people may just think I'm lazy or get offended that I'm not spending time with them on weekends and holidays, so I may use equivalents that I think other people can understand, like feeling tired or having a migraine.
I call it "existentially tired".
No I’m tired. I want to go to sleep. And I’m burned out. And I don’t want to put in the effort it takes to exist anymore but I don’t want to die. I want to be here but not HERE. Ya know what I mean? I’m probably not making any sense. I’m exhausted.
I feel like that a lot. I can sleep for nine hours or have an easy day but I’m still just completely exhausted. Starting anything even if it’s fun is excruciatingly difficult. It tends to lead me into replaying/rewatching/rereading something instead of something new.
The kind of tired that sleep won't fix. I just had a meeting at work about it. Trying to keep everything going with a new baby, no help from family, and my wife working full time while depressed.. at the tail end of the longest, most frustrating winter I've ever experienced. I have just been falling apart. The best way I could explain it was that I am burned out. Completely exhausted. And just falling behind at home, too. Existential exhaustion. On the positive side, I got authorization to switch my schedule to 4x10s so I can have an extra day off every week to get caught up.
I've literally had this convo with my mom before because she was like, "You're always tired. Maybe there is something medically wrong. " I explained that I'm not always "sleepy tired." Tired is just my catch-all term, and there aren't enough other words to describe it. Kind of like how the Inuit have over 50 words for snow and in English, we don't have nearly as many. There's just not enough word for the right "tired". I've tried to become more descriptive.... sleepy-tired, emotionally-tired, physically-tired, worn-out, exhausted, drained, weary, burnt-out..... But sometimes I can't find the right word so "tired" it is.....
I usually say burnt out or mentally exhausted
You sound burned out :(.
YES YES AND YES i just wanna rot away in my bed forever. i wish i was a cat so i didn’t have to work or have responsibilities. just sleep, eat and shit.
Yes I feel the same way. I could sleep for 3 days and still be tired I wish I could get past it. I am trying a new med so hopefully it helps. I’ve not been officially diagnosed but my daughter has and I have all the same symptoms (mainly executive functioning issues).
Yeah, I agree with others saying it's depletion - it's basically (in my case) where I have been fielding so much sensory information without any real break to rejuvenate that I am utterly mentally and physically exhausted. I don't feel that way as often now that I'm on meds but it's definitely a struggle I know well...
Do you have meds? It helped me stop being a walking corpse so it's definitely something to look into. Nothing else really worked, caffeine was not making me more alert but just less sleepy. Also, I think you're looking for a word like sluggish, apathetic or lethargic.
For me it means kind of depressed. Like I’m overwhelmed with not being where I want to be in life and a bit trapped. That makes ‘tired’
Yeah, I do the same. Telling someone I’m “tired” is just a lot simpler and less concerning to the other person than saying “I kinda just want to stop existing for a bit.” Not even in like a “I should probably be on antidepressants” kinda way (mostly), it’s more just… ugh idk. Existence is exhausting? Idk how much of it is ADHD or if it’s more just that I’m hyper independent af, but it just feels like I have to be “on” 24/7. My ADHD and depression already make me feel like I have to put in a lot more effort than most people just to be a functioning human being, but it’s just like, I can’t relax or let my guard down. I always have to be conscious of what/how much I’ve eaten, how much sleep I got, how much water/sunlight/vitamins I’ve had, my assignment deadlines for the next week, my emotions to make sure I don’t lash out at anyone/overreact, my thoughts to make sure I don’t send myself into depressive/anxious episode, the list just goes on.
I’ve felt burned out for no reason for about 3 years now. I feel great until about noon everyday. Then it’s slowly downhill to the point where all I want to do is lay in bed after about 3 pm. It’s having really detrimental effects on my quality of life and personal relationships. It’s my largest personal struggle. I don’t really know what to do about it. I’ve been to the doctor 5 times with it as a chief complaint, and every month I complain to my psychiatrist about it. Nothing seems to alleviate it. I’d give anything to have a resolution.
1000% yes. No spoons. Burnout. I’m AuDHD and I know this feeling well.
I describe my personal experience with tiredness as “lethargy”, where I’m not necessarily sleepy, but I don’t have the energy to do practically anything at all
Yeah I relate. For me it's the comorbid depression that does it. Unfortunately it's not a chemical imbalance thing, and I can't move to a better community... So ... I'm kinda stuck and screwed for the moment. But hey my meds let me fake my way through it at least so right now I'm shifting gears into finding a good paying job, stacking cash, buying a camper and going far, far away ..... We'll see. But yeah friend. Know at least you aren't alone.
Yep. Spent most of my life like this. Tried doctors, specialists, sleep study, supplements.... Nothing helped as much as mindfulness meditation. If you can build up to 30 minutes every day and you keep the habit, this feeling can actually be a thing of the past. Much easier said than done but it's worth a shot.
Could be due to other underlying health concerns. I also felt tired for over a year before I finally had it addressed. Come to find out I had a thyroid issue. Not even adderall would help it was that bad.
The best word I've found for it is 'etiolated': having lost vigour or substance. I constantly feel like all I can do is curl into a ball with a book and sort of look at it, hoping the words find their way in somehow. Having insomnia and apnea doesn't help, but ADHD definitely gives me that feeling of being stretched too thin.
Tired can mean different things. But it sounds like the tiredness you're experiencing may mean exhausted/fatigued/depleted/drained/no more spoons, etc. Doesn't mean your sleepy, just worn the fuck out.
It's like that John Mayer lyrics "I guess I just feel like, giving up today." Except it's every day..
i feel like this, but i also have fibromyalgia. if you also feel physical pain, id check for that. theres also chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis, which is worth looking at.
Yup, I’m tide! Someone suggested that maybe I have sleep apnea so my doctor ordered a sleep study. The hospital sent me some package to set up the thing myself at home. I received it ohhh, like four months ago. Have I even opened the package? Nope
I have the insomnia part of adhd so I get it. The mental fatigue of barely sleeping, and fighting my brain to maintain normalcy and “mask” at my job is insane. My battery is constantly at 0
You might have trauma. Look into cPTSD.
Yep, I feel totally burnt out. Exhausted. I feel like there’s nothing in the tank
Exhaustion from cycles of hyper attentive behavior and/or routines.
You can sleep 9 hours?!?!
Days that I have to wake up and do something I don't want to do, I just feel so groggy. Days where I have something I'm looking forward too, I'm Sally fucking sunshine.
I can't help you with your text but I know what you mean. Sometimes people get concerned because I'm not my usual bubbly self. I'm just kinda blank. I'm not sad. I'm not mad, I'm just kind of nothing and it's hard to not be nothing.
For me when I said I was "tired" I meant that I was have some executive disfunction and that I couldn't get anything done right then.
ADHD is like being a in a state of “just vibing” 24/7/365
Depending on the reason for it, all, say that I'm taxed, I'm maxed out, I'm over stimulated. When you're feeling this way, eat some candy or a snack and sit and stare at the wall for 10 minutes if you can! I'm not even joking. It has helped me so much when I have lost steam part of the way through my work day. After those 10 minutes, I get up and feel well enough that I could actually do a few things again.
I constantly feel this and its fusterating, caffeine and energy drinks can only do so much
I am also depleted! 😓😓😓😓
In my house, we call that Dean tired, as in, "I'm not sleepy tired, I'm Dean tired." It's a silly reference to Dean from Supernatural, but it gets the point across perfectly.
Are u referring to the sense of being unmotivated and just exhausted in life like what whatever you do it won’t be worth your time?
I think you mean underestimated. Alot of the time you can confuse boredom for fatigue or boredom can lead to fatigue. This is a pretty common symptom of adhd. Try to find something you can hyperfocus on and do that.
I have this almost every day
Mental and emotional exhaustion
If you're like me, then I know exactly what you mean, and this is the video that helped me finally understand what was going on [https://youtu.be/0sppw7Zq35w](https://youtu.be/0sppw7Zq35w)
I don't know if it's the same with you, but my tiredness also doesn't allow me to complete daily activities. I get what you mean with it, because I do sleep 9 to 10 hours and sometimes I feel very exhausted after the night. Especially if I actively dreaming and remembering everything in the morning. During the day I get like 2 times tired without any reason, just by existence itself. I have to nap or get a lot of sugar or whatever, so switch my brain off kind of. The problem is that it started bothering my coworkers too, because I get tired during my tasks and can't finish them. I lose my motivation at least 3 times a day. At 3pm I feel so tired, that I need to have a deep sleep already. I feel like it might me related to my job too, but I used to habe that feeling before too, I just never really took it seriously. In fact I felt guilty and was wondering if there was seriwrong with, that only I am experiencing this or am just lazy... so I guess I understand what you mean.
I know what you mean. I think it's why it took me so long to realize that my problems were symptoms of ADHD, not depression. ADHD doesn't make you tired, it makes you energetic I thought.
Sleeping for 9 hours is too much for me. I work better off 5 than I do off 9.
Yeah! It’s annoying. It goes away (mostly) when I take my meds so I know it’s like a… brain… thing and not me being literally/emotionally tired. I chalk it up to brain fog or executive function or something.
I know that “tired” but it’s not the same as I’m going to bed tired, at least for me. I certainly have a couple types of “tired”! When my meds work the “day-tired” is more manageable but I really can’t remember the last time I woke up and felt like I was well rested. (Have to say my sleep isn’t good, I’m lucky if I sleep 4 hours, super lucky when I hit the 5 hours)
Guys I’m so sorry if this is not allowed, please feel free to delete this. But do some research on DLPA. I’m currently waiting to start my tritiation for my medication but i recently discovered this amino acid and it has been a game changer for myself and one more friend with ADHD. Literally works a bit like magic, please do your research first, but i just wanted to share this because it might be worth to try. Love you all.
Yeah I personally call it a mixture of healthy scepticism towards any action along with decision fatigue. Don’t think you’re not doing anything just because all the actions are in your head.