Understanding Chronic Fatigue
Chronic fatigue is more than just feeling tired. It is a persistent and overwhelming exhaustion that does not improve with rest and can significantly impact daily life. For some, this fatigue is linked to a medical condition known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS/ME), a complex disorder with symptoms such as brain fog, muscle pain, and unrefreshing sleep. For others, chronic fatigue may have no clear medical explanation but remains a debilitating presence, affecting work, relationships, and overall quality of life.
Fatigue can also be a sign of emotional and psychological strain. Stress, unresolved trauma, depression, and anxiety often manifest physically, leading to prolonged exhaustion. When the body and mind are in a constant state of stress, energy levels deplete, and the ability to recover is compromised.
The Psychological Causes of Chronic Fatigue
While chronic fatigue can have physical causes, the mind plays a crucial role in both its development and persistence. Some psychological factors that may contribute to ongoing exhaustion include:
Repressed emotions – Suppressed anger, grief, or anxiety can manifest as fatigue when the mind redirects emotional distress into physical symptoms.
Burnout and chronic stress – Overworking, high expectations, and relentless self-pressure can leave little energy for the body to recover.
Perfectionism and people-pleasing tendencies – Constantly striving to meet unrealistic standards can be exhausting over time.
Unresolved trauma – Past experiences, particularly those from childhood, may create unconscious stress patterns that drain emotional and physical energy.
Depression and anxiety – Both conditions can result in extreme tiredness, even in the absence of physical exertion.
Understanding these underlying psychological aspects is key to managing and alleviating chronic fatigue in the long term.
How Psychodynamic Therapy Can Help
Psychodynamic therapy explores the unconscious processes and past experiences that shape current thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. Unlike quick-fix approaches, it delves deep into the root causes of emotional and physical distress, helping clients uncover long-standing patterns that may be contributing to fatigue.
1. Uncovering Repressed Emotions
Many people with chronic fatigue have unresolved emotional pain that remains buried. Psychodynamic therapy helps bring these emotions to the surface, allowing for healing and emotional release, which can free up mental and physical energy.
2. Identifying Stress Patterns and Burnout Cycles
Through therapy, individuals can explore their relationship with work, responsibility, and self-expectations. Recognising unhealthy patterns, such as overcommitting or feeling unworthy of rest, can help break cycles of exhaustion.
3. Processing Unresolved Trauma
Past experiences, especially those from early life, can create unconscious stress responses that drain energy. Therapy provides a space to process these traumas, reducing their ongoing impact on emotional and physical well-being.
4. Developing Healthier Coping Mechanisms
Psychodynamic therapy fosters self-awareness and emotional resilience, enabling individuals to manage stress more effectively. As coping strategies improve, many find their fatigue lessens over time.
5. Restoring a Sense of Self and Agency
Chronic fatigue can make individuals feel powerless over their bodies and lives. Therapy helps clients reconnect with their sense of self, improving their ability to set boundaries, prioritise well-being, and regain control over their energy levels.
Start Your Journey to Recovery
Chronic fatigue can be overwhelming, but you don’t have to navigate it alone. Psychodynamic therapy offers a path to understanding and managing the psychological aspects of exhaustion, helping you reclaim your energy and well-being.
Start your journey to recovery today. Book a free initial consultation with Mayfair Therapy today. We offer the free first 50-minute consultation, with no subsequent obligation, to see if we will be a good therapeutic fit.