What Is Anergia In Mental Health?

Anergia can result from a variety of underlying conditions, but there are effective anergia treatments available. Below, we’ll discuss anergia, conditions that can cause anergia, and treatment options to help restore your energy levels after an anergia diagnosis.

Anergia: A lack of energy

While many people have days where they feel lethargic, anergia occurs when this lethargic state becomes chronic. In addition to having low energy levels, people living with anergia may experience maladaptive thinking, insomnia, or loss of interest in activities they once enjoyed. 

Due to constant fatigue, some people with anergia may have difficulty completing even the simplest of tasks. Individuals around those with anergia may mistakenly think they are apathetic toward jobs, activities, and social life. However, people with anergia may simply be unable to engage in normal activities because of anergia. 

Depression and anergia

Sometimes, those living with anergic depression may also experience anergia. Some people with depression may feel there is no reason to get out of bed, and they may lack the physical energy to do so. Often, those with anergic depression become uninterested in what previously brought them joy in life.

Sometimes, anergia may be used to help in the diagnosis of depression. For an official diagnosis, a certain number of negative symptoms need to be present, and anergia can count as one. While anergia and depression can have some common symptoms, anergia doesn’t necessarily mean you have depression. If you are experiencing symptoms of depression and often feel fatigued, you may benefit from speaking to a doctor or psychologist about your symptoms of anergia.  

Several conditions have been linked to anergia, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and narcolepsy, a chronic sleep disorder. Anergia can be a symptom of dysthymia as well, which is a milder form of depression. Anergia has been shown to be long-lasting in many patients. Even when symptoms of these disorders are not as severe, anergia can persist and affect people’s lives in several ways.

There are also specific health problems that may result in anergia. Many heart conditions can cause anergia. One study published in the American Journal of Cardiology found that anergia was common among patients with post-acute coronary syndrome (ACS). 

Anemia, a lack of sufficient healthy red blood cells, frequently induces an anergic state, as does chronic fatigue syndrome. Also, if the thyroid is incapable of producing enough thyroid hormone—a condition that is referred to as hypothyroidism— anergia symptoms may arise. 

From time to time, certain medications can also lead to anergia. Depending on how crucial that medication is in a person’s health regimen, they may have to find another treatment for anergia instead of simply stopping the drug. Antidepressants often cause anergia but can usually be swapped for an equally effective medication that won't cause the same anergic effect.

Occasionally, a substance use disorder also produces anergia. For some, anergia is developed while taking the substance, while others experience anergia during withdrawal.

Possible effects of lack of energy on physical and mental health

The chronic lethargy of anergia can be debilitating for those who experience it, and not only in their mental health. When faced with an inability to summon the energy to perform daily tasks, or anergia, some people may experience symptoms of depression. Friends and family may not understand anergia, which can lead to further anxiety and depression. Due to intense fatigue, it can be difficult for those with anergia to perform well within their occupations, which can lead to financial stress if they lose their job due to anergic symptoms. Anergia can also take a toll on a person's physical health as they may not find the motivation to exercise or be active.

Because of inactivity, many people with anergia may experience dietary concerns as well. If food is present in their home, anergia may cause them to overeat, sometimes resulting in obesity or problems with their blood-sugar level. If food is not present, anergia may keep people from going to the grocery store or to a restaurant, which may lead them to skip meals. This anergic effect can lead to unhealthy weight loss and occasionally anemia. This may worsen the anergia because, without proper nutrients in the body, energy typically cannot be maintained.

Treating anergia: SSRIs, CBT, and other options

Several treatments are available for anergia. You might benefit from speaking with an anergic psychiatrist or therapist, as there may be underlying causes of anergia that also need to be treated. Doctors may target the underlying condition that is causing anergia instead of the anergia itself.

Medication options for treating anergia and depression

If depression is causing your anergia, instead of finding ways to get you out of a temporary anergic state, a psychiatrist might prescribe you a medication like a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) to treat your depression, which in turn may relieve anergia symptoms. However, the National Institute of Health notes that SSRIs may not be of particular help with anergia, while SNRIs sand similar medications have been found to be more effective for anergia and other motivation-related disorders. Before prescribing anergia medications, a doctor may order blood tests to get a clearer picture of your health and factor in any other conditions you may have to determine the best course of anergia treatment.

Cognitive behavioral therapy in treating anergia and other symptoms of depression

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is also common in treating the symptoms of depression like anergia. Some people with anergia avoid completing daily tasks that are often necessary, such as housekeeping, showering, or exercising. If you experience this, CBT may help you analyze why you feel incapable of completing these tasks and help you change inaccurate thoughts, which may enable you to perform such tasks in the future with anergia. 

If the cause of anergia does not appear to be psychological, a doctor may order blood tests to determine if there is a problem such as anemia. If the anergia persists, stimulants might be prescribed to restore healthy levels of energy. 

What else can I do?

Aside from medication, anergia treated with certain lifestyle changes such as a healthier diet or regular exercise may also provide relief. Exercise can reduce lethargy by helping you get more sleep at night. When you are naturally tired from exercise during the day, your sleep routine may become more regular, which may relieve anergia. This exercise does not have to be particularly difficult. Research shows that just 30 minutes of boosting your heart rate per day can make a significant difference. However, experts recommend you don't exercise too close to bedtime since it can energize you at the wrong time and disrupt your sleep cycle.

Reducing fat in your diet may also help keep you active. It may help to include whole grains, vegetables, and fruits in your diet, and you might stay away from unhealthy carbs, such as pasta, candy, and soda. Also, it may help to eat at regular times throughout the day and refrain from eating or consuming caffeine too close to bedtime, as this can also disrupt your sleep.

Activities as simple as spending time with friends and family, going outside, or playing a game may also offer bursts of energy that provide relief from anergia. 

Mental health support for anergia and its related symptoms

If you think you might be experiencing anergia, consider talking to a mental health professional. A licensed therapist be able to help you analyze your anergic symptoms, identify what is causing the anergia, and develop the most effective anergia treatment plan. 

If a lack of energy makes you feel hesitant to participate in traditional in-office talk therapy, you may benefit from online therapy. With online counseling, you can connect with a licensed therapist from the comfort of your home. You can communicate with a therapist via audio, video, or live chat at a time that works for you. 

Online therapy has been proven effective in treating conditions related to anergia, including depression. One study published in the journal Cureus showed that online cognitive behavioral therapy was effective for depression, general anxiety disorder, social anxiety, and substance use disorder.