Mind Matters psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald answers your mental health questions.
Q. I'm tired all the time. I've been to my GP, and they've done tests and said there's nothing wrong, and suggested I go on antidepressants. But I don't feel sad or depressed - just tired. No matter how much I sleep, I wake up exhausted. What should I do?
A. Talking about how it's been a tiring last couple of years has become a bit of a trope, but it is true. I think many of us are feeling that the grind of day-to-day life takes more effort, and there's also little question there are more pressures and expectations.
So I think you're not alone. And I am going to assume from your question that there isn't anything physical going on, although anyone reading this and thinking that they feel the same way should start by seeing their GP and ruling out medical causes - from low iron, hormone imbalances, to acute illness, or other more complicated conditions such as chronic fatigue or long Covid.
Having said that, not feeling depressed or sad doesn't necessarily mean that the cause isn't depression. Some people experience frustration, irritability and exhaustion as their most notable symptoms, and it can take some time and a few sessions with a therapist to figure out if what you're experiencing is depression.
