Physical Symptoms??

Hi...Does anyone here suffer from PHYSICAL symptoms of depression/anxiety? If so, please describe what it (your body) felt like for you BEFORE you got help and what helped (therapy or pills and/or anything else).

My entire body feels SO HEAVY AND TIRED 24/7 (including upper and lower limbs) and objects feel heavier (books, doors, etc.) when I try to lift them. It feels SO HARD to do the simplest things without feeling like it's a big physical struggle (get out of bed, walk across the room, walk a few steps, lift my arms to brush my teeth). When I walk, I feel like I am dragging a big bag of sand/cement and my muscles feel so tired/stiff/achy. Also, have lightheadedness and brain fog but not as bothersome as heavy, tired feeling..All of that makes me want to procrastinate, put "chores" off (cleaning the house, taxes, shopping). I used to do those things with no

All my blood tests (including those for vitamins/minerals/thyroid/adrenals) are all normal. My weight is normal range (5'3" and 116 pounds). Like everyone else, I am getting older (over 55) and am a bit depressed about it, but surely this extreme exhaustion feeling can't be "normal" aging.....

My PCP chalks it up to "atypical depression"--bad fatigue-related depression/anxiety/insomnia--and recommends MH counseling and/or meds. I am sure those issues ARE factors for me as I have a history of earlier life PTSD and decades-long insomnia, work burnout (I even left the bad toxic job a year ago to rest with no improvement).

I've been depressed before in life (when my mom died decades ago) but it never felt THIS BAD PHYSICALLY before. Is this unusual for people who struggle with depression/anxiety issues?

Thanks for any comments/suggestions.

Post Edited (kate333) : 8/15/2020 2:25:10 PM (GMT-6)

Kate welcome to the forum!

Physical pain can a direct result of depression for lots of reasons.

Even though you have moved on from the traumas of the past, does not necessarily meant those emotions will not effect you anylonger.

Some things need to be met head on and dealt with to be healed. I learned this the hard way.

For me, I eat less, become that much more exhausted, no fuel in my body.
Less exercise, and late 50's, joints and muscle get stiff and ache more

But when a person. Is "fighting" depression
It takes an overwhelming amount of energy.
I think what you are expierencing is

Meditation and journaling helped me from the start. I do recommend therapy. It wasn't what I thought it would be like. It is hard work, and
Incredibly self rewarding!😊

I am adding a link. So when you are ready you and look at what you can do to manage and possibly over come depression.

https://
https://www.mindful.org/?s=depression+and+pain

Ditto to all.
Ya not alone kate.
Keep 💪. HT

Sure Kate that is whate we are about.!

Keep posting. Let us know how you are, having people in your life to validate or just.share things with on our daily thread can help your depression.