Overcoming "Neurotic Fatigue"

[YourUniverse]

From Intelligence and metabolism

"His work contradicted the stereotype of bright people as being sickly or frail, but, contrary to his expectation, there was an association between maladjustment and higher I.Q.; the incidence of neurotic fatigue, anxiety, and depression increased along with the I.Q. The least bright of his group were more successful in many ways than the most bright."

Im not suggesting this describes me, but if neuroses, or neurotic fatigue, were a problem, how could a person overcome it? It seems to me if thinking too much is the problem, then DOING more would be the answer?

 

[LUH 3417]

yes i think so. even though peat is not an advocate of exercise, rigorous physical activity has boosted my self esteem and changed my way of being in the world plentifully. i found myself thinking way less about what people thought of me, or nervously fidgeting and overwhelmed with anxiety, when i had periods of being very physically active. teddy roosevelt's life is a good example of this. he had asthma and was a very sickly child, the story goes that he became a rancher in the west and grew to be very strong and muscular, and his entire personality changed. maybe for the worse, some would say. maybe he would have been a better president had he been sickly and frail, but i do think neurosis comes from living too much inside your head. not placing a value judgement on it of one being good or bad.

 

[Hans]

From Intelligence and metabolism

"His work contradicted the stereotype of bright people as being sickly or frail, but, contrary to his expectation, there was an association between maladjustment and higher I.Q.; the incidence of neurotic fatigue, anxiety, and depression increased along with the I.Q. The least bright of his group were more successful in many ways than the most bright."

Im not suggesting this describes me, but if neuroses, or neurotic fatigue, were a problem, how could a person overcome it? It seems to me if thinking too much is the problem, then DOING more would be the answer?

Like OCD type of overthinking?

 

[YourUniverse]

yes i think so. even though peat is not an advocate of exercise, rigorous physical activity has boosted my self esteem and changed my way of being in the world plentifully. i found myself thinking way less about what people thought of me, or nervously fidgeting and overwhelmed with anxiety, when i had periods of being very physically active. teddy roosevelt's life is a good example of this. he had asthma and was a very sickly child, the story goes that he became a rancher in the west and grew to be very strong and muscular, and his entire personality changed. maybe for the worse, some would say. maybe he would have been a better president had he been sickly and frail, but i do think neurosis comes from living too much inside your head. not placing a value judgement on it of one being good or bad.

This may be the biggest thing. I dont remember being encumbered in my early 20s by this sort of thing, and I was a gym rat, fitness junky type. That said, life was a lot simpler then, of course.

@Hans I dont know what constitutes OCD precisely. I can say this: I have recently graduated college in computer science, with honours mind you, and I feel unable to progress now. I think this, I think that, and end up paralyzed. I play video games instead of taking action: the "action" (applying for jobs, studying for interview questions, networking) seems overwhelmingly large. Sometimes I dont know where to begin, even though I quite obviously do know what I have to do. Sometimes the next step seems so intense I find it paralyzing, and do nothing. It seems perfectionist as well.

 

[Constatine]

@Hans I dont know what constitutes OCD precisely. I can say this: I have recently graduated college in computer science, with honours mind you, and I feel unable to progress now. I think this, I think that, and end up paralyzed. I play video games instead of taking action: the "action" (applying for jobs, studying for interview questions, networking) seems overwhelmingly large. Sometimes I dont know where to begin, even though I quite obviously do know what I have to do. Sometimes the next step seems so intense I find it paralyzing, and do nothing. It seems perfectionist as well.

I have this issue at times as well. I find that focusing on the journey and not the destination helps tremendously. At least for me this is a sickness of being too goal oriented. I had to abandon looking at life as a to-do list, where certain key events soak up all of life's importance. Rather find satisfaction in the daily workflow. Its quite difficult to change your perspective, and I find myself continually falling back into being my own project manager, but just being aware of this helps immensely.

 

[Hans]

@Hans I dont know what constitutes OCD precisely. I can say this: I have recently graduated college in computer science, with honours mind you, and I feel unable to progress now. I think this, I think that, and end up paralyzed. I play video games instead of taking action: the "action" (applying for jobs, studying for interview questions, networking) seems overwhelmingly large. Sometimes I dont know where to begin, even though I quite obviously do know what I have to do. Sometimes the next step seems so intense I find it paralyzing, and do nothing. It seems perfectionist as well

Might there be an underlying fear?
If you find a job, would you be happy in that career? Would that fulfill you or do you feel no fear when you think of your future?
Deep underlying fears or fear of experiencing pain is a powerful demotivator.

 

[YourUniverse]

@Constatine and @Hans thank you both so much. Youre both on it. I do view life as a to-do list, and I posted in another thread (about overcoming procrastination) about the exact method that you are writing here, Constantine. This was a great reminder. I also fear public speaking. I think job interviews, and a 60 hour work week, trigger this fear. Really good call.

 

[somuch4food]

This may be the biggest thing. I dont remember being encumbered in my early 20s by this sort of thing, and I was a gym rat, fitness junky type. That said, life was a lot simpler then, of course.

@Hans I dont know what constitutes OCD precisely. I can say this: I have recently graduated college in computer science, with honours mind you, and I feel unable to progress now. I think this, I think that, and end up paralyzed. I play video games instead of taking action: the "action" (applying for jobs, studying for interview questions, networking) seems overwhelmingly large. Sometimes I dont know where to begin, even though I quite obviously do know what I have to do. Sometimes the next step seems so intense I find it paralyzing, and do nothing. It seems perfectionist as well.

I view this behavior as anxiety. I used to be exactly like that. Fearing making mistakes and analysing too much.

@Constatine is right. Focusing on day to day is good. I have also found that diet can help or worsen the symptoms.

 

[lampofred]

I think neurotic fatigue is related to too much glutamate, being intelligent in a book smart sense but at times not being able to see the forest for the trees. I think egg yolks and aspirin would help, manual labor (like chopping wood) too. Getting more gelatin, vitamin D and keeping copper higher than iron would probably help to shift personality in a beneficial way in the long-run.

 

[boris]

Diet certainly plays a role it potentiates everything, but it's mentality, too.

I am like that too, because I grew up in an environment were mistakes were punished and "intelligence" was praised. Mistakes are necessary for learning and advancing at a good rate and making achievements. How does the infant learn to walk? It falls down and repeats the process with slight adjustments, this never changes. Being punished for mistakes makes you avoid them and thus makes you unable to make achievements, because you never start the process which is full of uncertainties.

Being praised for intelligence in childhood makes you avoid difficult tasks in "fear" of looking stupid and thus again unable to make achievements. It gives you a sense of good achievements having to be effortless and it doesn't put value on the process.

Understanding this was a big step in moving away from these unproductive subsconscious mindsets.

 

[lampofred]

Agree that excessive punishment is a problem, but I think focusing on mental training can end up increasing rigidity/serotonin and can be a risky approach to take. If you increase serotonin then you will become less perfectionistic because you will no longer be able to recognize your flaws or because you simply stop caring about the mistakes you make. But if you raise GABA and reduce glutamate then the things you do will tend to be more effortlessly successful without you having to try hard.

 

[YourUniverse]

I think neurotic fatigue is related to too much glutamate, being intelligent in a book smart sense but at times not being able to see the forest for the trees. I think egg yolks and aspirin would help, manual labor (like chopping wood) too. Getting more gelatin, vitamin D and keeping copper higher than iron would probably help to shift personality in a beneficial way in the long-run.

I gravitate to eggs, aspirin, gelatin, vitamin D and orange juice (vitamin C helps "restrain the oxidative burden of iron" as per nathan hatch). I think the labour and sunlight are the biggest holes now, this is great information.

 

[somuch4food]

I'm finding matcha helps me get out of my rut and get going. I was feeling lazy all week long and didn't do any of my chores. Then yesterday, I tried matcha again (I stopped since it seems to trigger heart palpitations) at a lowish dose: 1.25 g in a cup of milk and today I find I have more drive. Then, it could also be calcium since I upped dairy quite a bit too in the same timeframe.