Are You Lacking Energy? It Might Be Anergia
Anergia can result from a variety of underlying conditions, but there are effective treatments available. Below, we’ll discuss anergia, conditions that can cause it, and treatment options to help restore your energy levels.
What does anergia feel like?
While many people have days where they feel lethargic, anergia occurs when this lethargic state becomes chronic. In addition to having low energy levels, people living with anergia may experience maladaptive thinking, insomnia, or loss of interest in activities they once enjoyed.
Due to constant fatigue, some people may have difficulty completing even the simplest of tasks. Individuals around those with anergia may mistakenly think they are apathetic toward jobs, activities, and social life. However, people with anergia may simply be unable to engage in normal activities because of their condition.
Depression, lack of energy, and anergia
Sometimes, those living with depression may also experience anergia. Some people with depression may feel there is no reason to get out of bed, and they may lack the physical energy to do so. Often, those with anergic depression become uninterested in what previously brought them joy in life.
Sometimes, anergia may be used to help in the diagnosis of depression. For an official diagnosis, a certain number of negative symptoms need to be present, and anergia can count as one. While anergia and depression can have some common symptoms, anergia doesn’t necessarily mean you have depression. If you are experiencing symptoms of depression and often feel fatigued, you may benefit from speaking to a doctor or psychologist about your symptoms.
Several conditions have been linked to anergia, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and narcolepsy, a chronic sleep disorder. Anergia can be a symptom of dysthymia as well, which is a milder form of depression. Anergia has been shown to be long-lasting in many patients. Even when symptoms of these disorders are not as severe, anergia can persist and affect people’s lives in several ways.
There are also specific health problems that may result in anergia. Many heart conditions can cause this lack of energy. One study published in the American Journal of Cardiology found that anergia was common among patients with post-acute coronary syndrome (ACS).
Anemia, a lack of sufficient healthy red blood cells, frequently induces a chronic lethargic state, as does chronic fatigue syndrome. Also, if the thyroid is incapable of producing enough thyroid hormone—a condition that is referred to as hypothyroidism— anergia symptoms may arise.
From time to time, certain medications can also lead to anergia. Depending on how crucial that medication is in a person’s health regimen, they may have to find another treatment for anergia instead of simply stopping the drug. Antidepressants often cause the condition but can usually be swapped for an equally effective medication that won't cause the same side effect.
Occasionally, a substance use disorder also produces anergia. For some, anergia is developed while taking the substance, while others experience anergia during withdrawal.
Possible effects
The chronic lethargy of anergia can be debilitating for those who experience it. When faced with an inability to summon the energy to perform daily tasks, some people may experience symptoms of depression. Friends and family may not understand what they are experiencing, which can lead to further anxiety and depression. Due to intense fatigue, it can be difficult for those with anergia to perform well within their occupations, which can lead to financial stress if they lose their job. It can also take a toll on a person's physical health as they may not find the motivation to exercise or be active.
Because of inactivity, many people with anergia may experience dietary concerns as well. If food is present in their home, they may overeat, sometimes resulting in obesity or problems with their blood-sugar level. If food is not present, anergia may keep people from going to the grocery store or to a restaurant, which may lead them to skip meals. This can lead to unhealthy weight loss and occasionally anemia. This may worsen the anergia because, without proper nutrients in the body, energy typically cannot be maintained.
Can anergia be treated?
Several treatments are available for anergia. You might benefit from speaking with a psychiatrist or therapist, as there may be underlying causes of the lack of energy that also need to be treated. Doctors may target the underlying condition that is causing it instead of the anergia itself.
For example, if depression is causing your anergia, instead of finding ways to get you out of a temporary lethargic state, a psychiatrist might prescribe you a medication like a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) to treat your depression, which in turn may relieve anergia symptoms. However, the National Institute of Health notes that SSRIs may not be of particular help with anergia, while SNRIs such as Wellbutrin and similar medications have been found to be more effective for anergia and other motivation-related disorders. Before prescribing medications, a doctor may order blood tests to get a clearer picture of your health and factor in any other conditions you may have to determine the best course of treatment.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is also common in treating the symptoms of depression. Some people with anergia avoid completing daily tasks that are often necessary, such as housekeeping, showering, or exercising. If you experience this, CBT may help you analyze why you feel incapable of completing these tasks and help you change inaccurate thoughts, which may enable you to perform such tasks in the future.
If the cause of anergia does not appear to be psychological, a doctor may order blood tests to determine if there is a problem such as anemia. If the anergia persists, stimulants might be prescribed to restore healthy levels of energy.
What else can I do?
Aside from medication, anergia treated with certain lifestyle changes such as a healthier diet or regular exercise may also provide relief. Exercise can reduce lethargy by helping you get more sleep at night. When you are naturally tired from exercise during the day, your sleep routine may become more regular, which may relieve anergia. This exercise does not have to be particularly difficult. Research shows that just 30 minutes of boosting your heart rate per day can make a significant difference. However, experts recommend you don't exercise too close to bedtime since it can energize you at the wrong time and disrupt your sleep cycle.
Reducing fat in your diet may also help keep you active. It may help to include whole grains, vegetables, and fruits in your diet, and you might stay away from unhealthy carbs, such as pasta, candy, and soda. Also, it may help to eat at regular times throughout the day and refrain from eating or consuming caffeine too close to bedtime, as this can also disrupt your sleep.
Activities as simple as spending time with friends and family, going outside, or playing a game may also offer bursts of energy that provide relief from anergia.
Getting help for anergia and other mental health disorders
If you think you might be experiencing anergia, consider talking to a mental health professional. A licensed therapist be able to help you analyze your symptoms, identify what is causing them, and develop the most effective treatment plan.
If a lack of energy makes you feel hesitant to participate in traditional in-office talk therapy, you may benefit from online therapy. With online counseling, you can connect with a licensed therapist from the comfort of your home. You can communicate with a therapist via audio, video, or live chat at a time that works for you.
Online therapy has been proven effective in treating conditions related to anergia, including depression. One study published in the journal Cureus showed that online cognitive behavioral therapy was effective for depression, general anxiety disorder, social anxiety, and substance use disorder.
Below are some reviews of BetterHelp counselors from people who have experienced similar concerns.
Counselor reviews
"Dr. Munyan actually cares and is very knowledgeable. He checks up on you multiple times even if you don't respond. That means so much for someone like me. He doesn't push too much but just enough to have a proactive and positive conversation that always ends in me making a plan and finding newfound motivation to keep at it."
"I put off finding a therapist for a long time. I dreaded my first conversation with Neil and all the awkward, clunky explanations I'd have to give about my depression and anxiety—all of the things that felt like dirty little secrets that caused me so much pain. But I was so pleasantly surprised by the way Neil accurately picked up on what I was saying and gave me more insight into how my brain was working. It made my issue feel so much less of a personal problem and more of a universal problem we could examine together. He always gives me a thoughtful response within a day or two any time I send a message. I actually think we've made more progress in between sessions just by being able to communicate things that are coming up in real time. Neil is intelligent and kind. I really appreciate his communication style and highly recommend him."
Takeaway
What are the symptoms of this?
This is a symptom, not a medical condition, experienced by people with a wide range of mental health conditions, such as depressive disorders, and chronic physical health complications, such as acute coronary syndrome. It is characterized by a persistent and extreme lack of energy or fatigue.
This is a symptom that some people with a mental health condition, such as depression, experience. It is one of many depression symptoms and is defined as a persistent and extreme lack of energy or fatigue.
People with schizophrenia may experience this symptom. It is defined as a negative symptom of schizophrenia. Negative symptoms are referred to as symptoms that lower or remove altogether normal behaviors and functions. In this case, extreme and persistent fatigue affects someone’s ability to complete daily tasks, such as brushing their teeth, or activities they enjoy.
While fatigue and anergia are similar, anergia is considered to be persistent and not related to exertion (using mental or physical effort to complete a task). People who experience a mental health disorder or a chronic physical health condition may have an increased risk of experiencing anergia.
How do you know if you have anhedonia?
If you perceive that you’re losing interest in activities that you used to enjoy, you might be experiencing anhedonia. Anhedonia is characterized by the inability to experience joy or pleasure, and is a symptom of many mental health disorders, including depression.
Anergia and anhedonia are two symptoms that may be experienced by people with mental health disorders and psychiatric disorders. Anergia is persistent fatigue that doesn’t necessarily correlate with exertion. Anhedonia may accompany anergia, the inability to experience joy or pleasure, especially in activities or interests that you once enjoyed.
This can affect someone’s daily life, including work responsibilities, social activities, and how they relate to their family. For example, it is a common symptom in older people and may present as a lack of interest in their social lives, leading to isolation.
- Previous Article
- Next Article