How long can it take to recover from exhaustion (fatigue) ?

[SarahM777]

Just a quick question as i have come out of a long term very stressful situation which ended about 9 months ago. I had come to the point of being so wiped out mentally and emotionally. The main causes of the severe stress is gone but i do have some other things going on which is stressful but no where near as bad.  The 2 things were about 4 years ago my business nearly got wiped out and shortly there after my father ended having a few strokes and i ended up as care giver (He was not a very good patient) Got very little help and almost no breaks for the 4 years.  The current issues are starting to end over the next 2-3 weeks.

It just seems like everything is coming back very slowly. The emotions are starting to come back,i don't feel as wiped out but i still seem to have a lack of ambition and it's still hard to get things done during the day. Right now i am eating fairly well,getting about an hour of exercise a day,getting regular sleep which is starting to get back to my normal pattern (About 5 1/2 to 6 hours a night which has always been normal for me) and trying to take some breaks from the business.

I can't seem to find out anything about how long it can take to finally recover from it.

[Robert Scott]

Sounds like depression ... talk to your physician and see about an antidepressant ... taking it for a while might break you out and then you can wean yourself off of it

[Janet_Girl]

As the stressors are eliminated, you may find that you will need to find something to replace it, because you have been under that pressure.

[SarahM777]

Sounds like depression ... talk to your physician and see about an antidepressant ... taking it for a while might break you out and then you can wean yourself off of it

It's possible that i may have a low grade depression. I really do not want to go on antidepressants unless i really need to. (Do not like all the possible side affects) This is the 2nd time i have gone through exhaustion and depression can be a part of it. The first time i did have a few advantages. I was able to get rid of all of the stress factors rather quickly after the main stress was gone. And then it only took about 6 months total time before it was much better from the time that the the main stress was relieved.

Right now it's just a lack of energy and not so much ambition. I just feel like i need about a month or two of getting a break to recharge myself so to speak. (I feel like i have been drained that much)

As the stressors are eliminated, you may find that you will need to find something to replace it, because you have been under that pressure.

I just really need to learn to take some breaks and do some good things for myself. Something which i never really learned how to do.