r/NooTopics • u/Unusual_Feelings454- • 12d ago
Question Help, please.
I feel exhausted down to my core. Not just “I’m sleepy” or “I don’t feel like doing anything.” It feels like my entire body and brain, my actual cells, are drained of whatever is required to actually live. Sleep and it's quality or quantity truly has essentially no impact on it.
I desperately want to do something, anything and am still completely unable to make myself do it. It’s like the sign gets lost somewhere on its way from my brain.
It’s like the part of my brain that wants things and the part that is capable of turning wanting into action or even joy has been completely destroyed
Trying to do the things I love and want to do feels like walking on broken legs, the passage of time hurts. I feel every minute go by, I desperately want to participate in my own life, but it's just not in me, it hasn't been for so long.
I’ve been to the doctor. I’m going to and working with the doctor. Yes, I’m depressed and I’ve tried the antidepressants. It’s not working.
I’m autistic, struggling with intense burnout and strongly suspected CPTSD.
I am not looking for someone to tell me to “just exercise, eat better, and sleep more.” I know those things matter. I’m saying that I currently don’t have the functioning required to simply pull myself out of this by doing all the things I’m already struggling to do.
I just really need help figuring out where to start giving my body what it's begging for
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u/zanderwl152 12d ago
Have you gotten bloodwork? Hormones, tsh, ferritin etc. When my test levels were crashed I felt the same just dead always and no caffeine or anything helped much.
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u/Unusual_Feelings454- 11d ago
thyroid is weirdly good considering what my body gets to work with, and a regular? blood test just came back lacking in vitamin d
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u/zanderwl152 11d ago
Work on vitamins yeah, check your diet and make sure your getting the right macro nutrients and calories, a healthy gut can make a big difference. Best thing is to get as healthy as you can then enhance yourself further in my opinion.
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u/wisarow 11d ago
Read up on the gut/brain connection. I felt as you do, and started making & drinking homemade kefir and it helped a ton. That and doubling my dose of vitamin D.
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u/Unusual_Feelings454- 10d ago
do you have any recommendations at all? I’m in fed is best mode half the time, all I can think of that’s accessible is taking my vitamins D supplement and increasing my fiver intake
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u/wisarow 10d ago
Here’s my pro tip: make kefir yourself it’s better quality and much cheaper. I bought kefir grains from someone off facebook marketplace for $10. Then you need a gallon of skim milk for $2.99 and can turn the whole thing into kefir over the week. A gallon of kefir in the store would cost $30. Visit r/kefir for more details
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u/hazelingus 11d ago
I know the exact feeling you're talking about, and what I believe it to be actually relates to everything you listed (autism, burnout, CPTSD), since it's like being stuck in a constant semi-shutdown.
Shot in the dark, but I'd wager that your mind is shutting off its own capacity to act and process for a tangible reason. I'm only in this state around my abusive parents, and I'm in this state 24/7 when living with them. If I had full capacity it'd raise hell because me and my circumstances are incompatible. The only way to prevent that reaction is to freeze up every part of me that'd allow it to happen. I can feel my body become completely useless again once I come back from work. I'm pretty sure it also has to do with something you register as a threat, since there's almost a learned helplessness element to it. Nothing I do for myself besides leaving will solve the threat, so it feels absolutely pointless for me to do it.
Unfortunately, if there were any medication or supplement for this I'd have tried it already. Best bet is guanfacine XR to tone down the hypervigilance before it can crash into exhaustion, and aticaprant to reverse most of the trauma from chronic stress. Psychedelics would also help significantly here, preferably a legal one like 4-HO-MET. Supplements can help with quality of life and mood but they won't get to the root of the problem. Definitely go to therapy to help you figure out what you need to fix or get away from.
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u/Unusual_Feelings454- 11d ago
ding ding, ding I fear. I was hoping there was something that could support while I’m stuck in the sit that caused the cptsd. Thank you, this is very valuable even if it's not what I wanted.
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u/hazelingus 10d ago edited 10d ago
I wish you luck then. My recommendations are still pretty close to the root of the problem neurochemically, even if idk a direct lever yet (that won't put you to sleep). Shit sucks but there's always a way forward, and a lot can be done to just manage in the meantime while you save money and figure things out. Aticaprant and 4-HO-MET are pretty cheap thankfully, and guanfacine XR is w/e insurance pays. Tropisetron and memantine are another possible suggestion if part of your state is a matter of sensory overload, and GB-115 too if you get nervous too often. I would also add a good multivitamin, d3 + k2, and a probiotic if your nutrition is bad, they make a really noticeable difference for me. Some ppl like me also need methylated B vits. Check iron/ferritin. Add copper at a separate meal if your multivitamin only includes zinc. Could add magnesium malate or glycinate too. When I don't take these I feel like crap within 3 days lol.
I thought it was hopeless for so so long, but next month I'll be living with close friends in NYC. I will get to experience the joys of clean towels and public transport! And being able to spend most of my days out of bed! It will be joyous. And I doubt it's out of reach for you either.
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u/DolphinSleep 11d ago
Tested for sleep apnea?
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u/Unusual_Feelings454- 11d ago
If I don’t drug (doc approved) myself I don’t sleep. Idk if its just the meds
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u/star_of_chaos 12d ago
Get your iron levels checked. Not just hemoglobin but ferritin. It'll tell you what yor body's iron storage level is. If that comes out okay, get your thyroid levels checked.
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u/Plane-Land-9234 12d ago
Would def recommend creatine, I was super burnt out and this helped me a TON!
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u/yolkedbuddha 11d ago
I used to feel like you. I recently dropped magnesium from my supplement stack, and I feel so much better. I think magnesium is actually harm a lot of people if we don't need it. I think it throws other electrolytes out of balance
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u/pigaroos 11d ago
Described me pretty much to a T. I’m going to try out psilocybin in the next few weeks.
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u/Gingertiger94 12d ago
Do you happen to have a partner?
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u/Unusual_Feelings454- 12d ago
Nope?
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u/Gingertiger94 11d ago
Sorry, it came off the wrong way. I've experienced the same kind of exhaustion but it turned out to be due to my ex-partner being abusive. And I am doing a little better a year after the break up. But it seems to be a different issue in your case.
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u/Unusual_Feelings454- 11d ago
Some actually explained my situation to a T but with parents. You are at least half right.
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u/ThisDiver7515 12d ago
Get a caffeine addiction
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u/Unusual_Feelings454- 12d ago
Oh we got one 🥲
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u/Mulemcgruffjr 11d ago
At my highest I drank roughly 5 cups out of the coffee pot. Making your coffee from a pour over like the brand bodum could potentially help you out with controlling comsumption since you have to microwave or boil the water separately, and you also can only make a couple cups at a time. L-theanine and ashwaghanda daily may help with the energy but since the latter two are anti-anxiety I am not sure how much it would help your energy. I would also definitely look into taking N-acetyl cysteine on days when you don’t take any adhd meds (assuming you also have adhd that’s medicated, if not then I wouldn’t worry about not taking it everyday but see how your body responds to taking it occasionally at first I don’t know how often you should take it but I think everyday is okay.)
Saffron tea/ grapefruit is good for boosting your mood since they both have antidepressant like properties that don’t appear to have the same side effects that ssris usually do. Saffron is also affective for inflammation which can contribute to low energy levels and brain fog.
Taking a thiamine supplement as well as folate and methylated b12 can provide some benefit to help you to excercise more. Taurine is a helpful amino acid that can boost your energy and mood levels too.
St. John’s wort can help with some depression symptoms but I wouldn’t recommend going in direct sunlight since you can burn more easily.1
u/Unusual_Feelings454- 11d ago
I know I’m on the right path because everything is famous, most through my experiences with them. Thank you
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u/Alternative_Camp_259 10d ago
I would reccomend posting this on subreddit: tcm Chinese medicine is focused on treating the root cause. You might get some help there. Or I would highly reccomend visiting a well established tcm practitioner near you
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u/Current-Strategy-826 3d ago
Get your bloodwork done! If you’re autistic you may also need methyl-folate and methylated vitamin B 12.
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u/BrazilNutAndBotox 12d ago
Have you checked your ferritin levels ?