Psychiatrist Explains Why You Feel Tired All The Time (No Matter What You Do...)

Summary

The video explores the concept of tiredness as an emotional response, explaining how it acts as a mechanism for energy conservation. It reveals that tiredness is not just physical, but psychological, triggered by overwhelming tasks or emotional strain. The brain perceives tasks as energy-draining when success seems uncertain, prompting us to avoid them. To overcome tiredness, it’s essential to reframe tasks into manageable steps and challenge the brain’s perception of effort. The key takeaway is to understand tiredness as valuable information about where to invest our energy, leading to smarter decision-making.

Takeaways

• 😀 Tiredness is not just a physical state but an emotional response designed to help us conserve energy.
• 😀 Tiredness serves as an adaptive mechanism when we perceive tasks as overwhelming or low in success probability.
• 😀 Emotions, including tiredness, are signals from the body and mind to help guide our decisions and actions.
• 😀 We often misinterpret tiredness as purely physiological, when it can also be psychological in nature, linked to emotional workload.
• 😀 Tiredness can arise from tasks that seem like a waste of energy, even if they are necessary (e.g., taxes or writing a dissertation).
• 😀 The feeling of being tired can occur in emotionally draining situations, such as complex family dynamics during holidays.
• 😀 The brain’s perception of a high workload or complex tasks often triggers tiredness as a way to prevent wasting energy.
• 😀 Breaking tasks into smaller, manageable chunks can help overcome the feeling of tiredness by reducing the perceived difficulty.
• 😀 Tiredness in social situations (e.g., family gatherings) is often linked to the emotional burden of fulfilling others' needs.
• 😀 Recognizing that tiredness is an emotional signal allows us to reframe tasks, understand the underlying reasons for feeling tired, and make better decisions.
• 😀 Tiredness can be seen as an emotion that discourages us from engaging in tasks with low perceived success, but understanding it allows us to overcome it and make progress.

Q & A

What does the speaker mean by tiredness being an emotion rather than just a physical state?

The speaker explains that tiredness can be a result of emotional or psychological stress, not just physical fatigue. It often arises when we anticipate difficulty or feel overwhelmed by certain tasks.

How does the speaker describe the brain's response to perceived difficulty or overwhelm?

The speaker describes the brain as working to protect us by avoiding tasks or situations that seem overwhelming or emotionally draining. This response helps us conserve energy by reducing the perceived emotional cost of engaging in those tasks.

Why does the speaker mention that we avoid family holidays or certain conversations?

The speaker highlights that people often feel emotionally tired at the thought of events like family holidays or difficult conversations because these situations may involve emotional complexity or conflict, which can drain our energy.

What is meant by the concept of 'energy budgeting' in the context of emotional exhaustion?

Energy budgeting refers to the process of allocating emotional and mental energy. The speaker notes that we subconsciously assess how much energy a task or situation will require, and if it seems like too much, we may avoid it to preserve our emotional resources.

What role does anticipation play in feeling tired, according to the speaker?

Anticipation plays a major role in tiredness because the brain can predict how emotionally taxing an event will be, even before it happens. This can lead to a sense of exhaustion due to the mental effort of preparing for difficult situations.

How does the speaker suggest dealing with tasks that feel overwhelming?

The speaker recommends breaking down large tasks into smaller, more manageable pieces to avoid the feeling of being overwhelmed. This approach reduces the perceived emotional cost of the task and makes it easier to take action.

What does the speaker mean by 'emotional fatigue'?

Emotional fatigue refers to the exhaustion that comes from the mental and emotional toll of dealing with difficult situations, relationships, or tasks. It can occur when we are drained from interacting with complex or challenging emotional contexts.

How can reflection help manage tiredness, as mentioned by the speaker?

Reflection allows individuals to understand the underlying causes of their tiredness. By asking themselves why they feel exhausted and identifying emotional triggers, they can make adjustments and better manage their energy.

Why does the speaker suggest rethinking the idea of energy expenditure?

The speaker encourages rethinking energy expenditure by considering that tasks may not inherently be tiring, but rather, the emotional stress we associate with them can drain our energy. Changing our perspective can help reduce unnecessary exhaustion.

How does the speaker view tiredness in the context of working with others?

The speaker views tiredness as a potential signal from our emotional state when working with others. It’s not just physical fatigue but also a response to the emotional demands of social interactions or collaboration. Being aware of this can help manage relationships more effectively.