It is important to differentiate mental fatigue from physical fatigue. The latter is linked to physiological factors: when we “run” a lot every day, when we sleep little, when we work a lot without resting too much… we mainly suffer from physical fatigue: it is the body who needs rest.
Psychic fatigue (or asthenia): an exhaustion of the mind
On the other hand, the mental fatigue (which is also called “asthenia” in medical language) could rather be defined as a “struggling with fruitless thoughts” explains the psychologist Antoine Spath. “The person who suffers from asthenia may have the feeling (consciously or not) of not being able to “achieve” something: they may feel helpless in the face of a situationexplains the expert. It can also be a question of contradictory desires: the person wants several things that are not compatible with each other.“You could say that psychic fatigue is similar to an exhaustion of the mind.
Psychic fatigue: what is the difference with burn-out? “THE burnout is something very suddennotes Antoine Spath. It manifests like a balloon that bursts after being overfilled with water. Asthenia, on the other hand, is more insidious and sets in more gradually. Moreover, asthenia can develop outside the professional context.“
Asthenia: what are the signs of mental fatigue? Psychic fatigue is characterized first of all by a particular state of mind: the person is demotivated, they feel tired, they feel exhausted, they are more irritable… Many small sentences (“it’s no use” , “I’m fed up”, “I’m tired”…) can translate asthenia. There may also be physical signs – drowsiness, numbness…
Psychic fatigue (asthenia): diagnosis and management
Diagnostic. Initially, it will be a question of excluding certain diseases (of the endocrine system, for example) which can be the cause of physical and psychological exhaustion: for this, the doctor may prescribe a blood test and/ or additional examinations. “It should be noted that many diseases can cause a feeling of mental fatigue – including many infectious diseases such as Covid-19“says the psychologist.
Supported. Asthenia often occurs in a context of “masked depression”: “the person feels “only” tired, but not necessarily sad” underlines the specialist. Antidepressant drugs are then almost essential. In the event of asthenia without associated depression, psychotherapy (with a psychologist) may be proposed in order to identify where the patient’s feeling of helplessness or his print of “inner conflict“.
Covid-19 and mental fatigue: how to get out of it?
The Covid-19 epidemic that has been raging on the planet since December 2019 is probably accompanied by an increase in the number of people who suffer from asthenia (or “psychic fatigue”) around the world.
“Between economic difficulties, restrictive measures and successive confinements, many initiatives have been blocked: it is difficult to plan for the short / medium / long term (planning a vacation, starting a sporting activity, etc.) and this can result in a persistent feeling of helplessness – which eventually leads to mental fatigue“explains Antoine Spath.
The advice of the pro. “If it is indeed complicated to embark on your projects which go against the restrictive measures taken against the Sars-Cov-2 coronavirus, you can always put in place small initiatives which give a “goal”: going away for the week – end in the countryside, repaint an old piece of furniture, discover new films, start a sporting activity not far from home or at home… The idea is to create your own satisfaction to repel weariness. And don’t forget that after the storm, the good weather always comes back.“
thanks to Antoine Spathclinical psychologist in Paris.
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