Too tired to even walk in some parts of the day

[DecimalRocket]

I notice even without flashbacks or an obvious stressor, I'm charged and tense nearly all the time. It's summer vacation here, and a break from my formal education, but for some reason even when I'm taking a break, I get exhausted.

At times, I'd start to get dizzy spells and need to lie down for a few minutes or a little longer. Even getting up feels like it would take a lot of energy, and sometimes my muscles and head ache from it. Even back in school, I had some of these. I'd just physically collapse and when someone would check my temperature, though it seems a little more heated up, my body's not hot enough for a fever.

Sometimes I would need to rest for about an hour away from class in the middle of the school schedule. And compared to the first week of summer vacation, I feel a lot stronger, but just . . . not quite. I just chalked it up to my own trauma exhausting me, but I wonder if there's something more to that. . .

SIgh. I'm too young to be sickly.

[Rainagain]

I think there are so many ways the body responds to stress that almost any physical symptoms can arise.

I'd guess its trauma affecting your body systems such as immune system and other regulatory systems.

Things I've heard that help are routine, diet, exercise, sunshine and companionship. Working on the physical seems to feed back to the emotional reversing (or at least resisting) the effect of trauma on our health.

[Eyessoblue]

Hi, I'm sure this is an obvious question, but have you been to your gp to see if you could actually not be very well, maybe blood tests would be an idea, I think we are quite quick sometimes to put everything down to cptsd but it could well be something else, maybe thyroid or iron deficiency. I have noticed since I've upped my vitamins especially the b ones and magnesium that I'm not feeling quite so stressed or anxious now, don't get me wrong I still have my moments but not as bad as they were, maybe a chat with your gp would help to put your mind at rest.

[Blueberry]

  at least get it checked! My iron levels have finally normalised but my underfunctioning thyroid is remaining under function. When these are low, you tend to be exhausted.

otoh what you write reminds me of my self and the way things used to be. People recommended exercise. It did not help. My body and soul were so exhausted that I could hardly keep going. Also exercise was triggering for me. (You must, you should...). Just saying - even though exercise is usually recommended, it might not be the correct route. Although I did yoga, the way it was often taught was: 'pay attention to the limits of your body' but then you'd be harangued by the instructor to keep going anyway and not give up. This contradiction was triggering to me and didn't help energy levels either.

I often used to feel as if I had a temperature, but when I checked it was normal after all. I remember getting a lot of dizzy spells in my late teens / early 20's and even occasionally into my 30's. I think it was all CPTSD-related.

This might also be very obvious, but make sure your liquid intake is high enough. My apologies if that's too obvious.

I note you say you're tense. Constant body tension is tiring. Been there, had that.
Good luck with this.

[ah]

I agree about the GP, too.

Been thinking about what you described here and I don't know if it's all of it, but I'm sure high levels of stress could be part of it. It can be related to muscle pain and feeling very tired.
I know for me stress can be beyond exhausting. It can leave me very sleepy, if it goes on for a long time till my energy is depleted.
Makes perfect sense to me too that you'd be feeling exhausted. And I really wouldn't want your body to get used to exhaustion as a habit. Not a nice habit, that. I think the fact that you're trying to figure it out now, before college, is excellent.

Also, maybe your routine change, especially when you go really quickly from a high pressure schedule to low - can be tiring too? Studies provide structure, physically and mentally, relaxing in its own way. Take it away and the mind can be so noisy. 

Society nowadays sometimes has an idea of work / holiday that seems extreme to me. When people focus they're expected to be stressed, when they relax and go on holiday they're expected to be totally limp.
But maybe a skillful way to use the mind would be somewhere in between, balanced. Relaxed and focused at the same time?

Maybe try to give your mind things to work with, not just for the thing itself but also as a way to try to help calm down a bit of the tension in your body. The mind can be like a little kid sometimes... it needs guidance. It's a very good tool, but it often has no clue where to go without help.

And remember not everyone rests in the same way. The things that relax you and help you refill your batteries may bore others and vice versa. You have every right to be you, tired you included.

Maybe.

[DecimalRocket]

I guess all of you are right when it comes down to stress, and maybe I do need to ask my GP. Often when I make decisions like this, I often like to observe and reflect on my situation more when I'm deciding. I don't want any important detail to be lost, whether it's from evidence or a lack of evidence.

I can be indecisive sometimes though. Especially with something like this, I'd have to ask my parents about it since they're the ones taking care of the money. It's not really a bad idea since they willingly supply financial needs much more than emotional needs.

The thing is is that I'm very bad at trusting people with problems like this, and I also have a lot of guilt over buying things for myself even if I need it. I've been asking for a much more healthier supply of food, and even tried asking for a small trampoline to exercise on. . . noticing that I hate most exercise but for some reason enjoy jumping. Asking more would drive me into more guilt, even if we're downright rich already.

You're right Ah that I need a certain amount of order in my life. Sometimes I feel bad that I'm not the type to go outside into big social gatherings or crowded areas for "fun" that much, and even when I'm at home, I often don't hold the stereotypical ways of relaxing. Much of my relaxation today involves watching multiple videos on computers and numbers which is heaven to me, but too difficult or a bother for most people.

Oh well then. Some people's triggers are when someone is being cruel to them, but somehow I get triggered just by being kinder to myself. My body resists my own self-care by making me feel physically terrible, but I'll try to get the rest I need.

for you guys.

[Rainagain]

Could you get involved in the food shopping? I remember when one of my daughters became vegetarian she started coming with me to do the weekly shop as I was out of my depth, if you go a couple of times you may find the healthy stuff becomes the new normal?

Might help trust if you take control?

I wasn't anti couscous, just didn't know where it was in the shop or really what it looked like......!

As for a trampoline, great idea.

[DecimalRocket]

Hmmm, maybe I'll go try that.