How to Survive Periods of Fatigue & Fear

“Why Am I So Perpetually tired?”
“Why am I so Fearful?”
“What is it exactly that I’m afraid of?”
“What is it exactly that is wearing me down?”

Have you ever asked yourself any of these questions? Have you ever found yourself waking up with fatigue (as if the sleep didn’t help), or waking up with an uneasy feeling in your stomach—those queasy sensations of anxiety and fear—and you really aren’t even sure why?

I can remember day-after-day of such an experience as I was tapering medications and working through a withdrawal & healing process years back. Increased and even non-situational levels of anxiety and fear are so very common in this process. In time healing will progress and that sort of withdrawal-related fear will no longer be an issue. However, periods of stress and worry can still occur in life. Even absent withdrawal you still might have times in your life when for one reason or another you find yourself feeling on edge, emotionally depleted, or flat out fearful. And at first you might not always know why.

I’ve had times well past medication withdrawal when I’ve felt those uneasy feelings creep in, and in my experience there isn’t always one specific reason but usually an accumulation of multiple stressors (some large and some tiny) that lead to a systemic fatigue, a sort of burn-out. And when we feel burnt-out, we might feel overly anxious or depressed.

A part of my “ongoing wellness education” in post-withdrawal years has involved learning how to work through such periods of personal fatigue, so here are a few suggestions to help you during those times when you might be feeling overly stressed or afraid and you aren’t even exactly sure where everything is coming from.

1. Journal and talk to others. Keeping everything bottled up in your body and in your mind only leads to increased feelings of internal pressure and unease. However, writing about what you are going through and talking to others about it both help to release that internal pressure and serve as a catharsis whereby you can begin to find renewal.

Also, as you begin to journal or speak your emotions out loud you might give name to some of the situations and stressors that have understandably worn you down or caused you feelings of fear in the past months or even years. You might be able to find perspective and say “Wow, I guess I have been through more than I thought recently.” And with this realization comes suggestion number 2.

2. Be understanding with yourself and gentle with yourself. It is easy to criticize yourself and beat yourself up when you aren’t feeling well. It is easy to jump to some sort of conclusion that it is all your own fault, and then to nitpick every past action and decision to find what the specific faults and missteps were. However, this usually proves pretty unproductive.

It is better to make a pact with yourself that you will be your own friend and source of support in times of fatigue, fear and stress. As you journal about the difficulties of your situation, also make sure to journal some positive self-talk and encouragement. Tell yourself something good about yourself. Congratulate yourself for what you’ve endured and how you’ve hung on. Encourage yourself with words of reassurance regarding the future. Congratulate yourself on goals reached, every time!

Also, if goals need to be pared back for a period of time because of decreased energy or capacity, be okay with that. Meet yourself where you are at, and make sure that meeting space is safe and comforting and uplifting.

3. Find a greater perspective that helps to shrink your problems, worries and fears down to size. Sometimes this is certainly done by talking with supportive others who are able to offer you a healthy perspective when yours is distorted by feelings of fear and stress. But also there are timeless sources of wisdom to turn to in such times: God’s word in Scripture is one, and ancient philosophical writings such as those of the Stoics (Seneca, Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius) are others. Men and women thousands of years ago went through the same struggles as us, in one form or another, and their writings have much to offer.

The Bible reminds us over and over that God is greater than our situational stresses and internal worries, and the Stoics remind us over and over that many times things seem overly stressful or fearful only because of the meaning we are attaching to them psychologically or emotionally. If we can find ways to shift our perspective or detach from that strong and distorted connection, then we can find increased calm and courage.

These are the suggestions for today: Journal about your fears; talk to others about them; be understanding and gentle with yourself as you work through a fearful or stressful period; and lean on timeless wisdom to find perspective when the feelings of fear or stress might seem overwhelming. All of these things will help to calm you and create a healthy roadmap for working through trying times.

Stay encouraged,
Michael