Could Anxiety be giving rise to these symptoms?

Firstly, I just want to give a brief history as a means to create perspective on the situation.

I was totally normal and doing great up until I was mid way between 20 and 21.
I noticed certain symptoms coming on then, like insomnia, fatigue during the day, difficulty getting out of bed in the morning etc.
And, I guess not long thereafter, social withdrawal.

Now, I'd always been kind of solitary, but I mean, total withdrawal.
By 22 I had cut off ties with my friends, and was trying to run entirely my own operation, so to speak.

A year later, I was living overseas in a new country, working as a graduate engineer.
I lasted 9 months, and the lack of ability to concentrate, the fatigue, the poor performance, prompted me to quit that job (I was also having interpersonal difficulties, but I can't say if that was a product of interpersonal incompetence, or poor work performance, creating difficulties for my colleagues).

The insomnia and fatigue gets bad, I spend the next four years struggling by with a part time job in the service industry, then have a nervous breakdown, as one day it all became apparent to me how much of my life had gone by like this, and I was going no where.

Since then, I've been living with my parents and on disability benefit.


Like I said, my main symptoms currently, are complete fatigue - I can't even walk for a half hour in the fresh air.
Insomnia - I average about 4 hours a night.
Gastric issues - I tend to get frequent stomach cramps and diarrhoea - feels like I haven't been able to use the toilet properly in years.
Terrible concentration - unable to read, study etc etc.
Just an overall weakened and deteriorated state.


I was given a diagnosis of aspergers, due to the social withdrawal. The resulting treatment did nothing for me, and I'd personally dispute that diagnosis.

Could these types of symptoms be brought about by anxiety?

The element I'd question is, wouldn't it have to be pretty intense anxiety?
As in, I would be racked by it 24/7?
When in fact, I'm normally pretty chilled.

I do get bouts of panic etc, when the reality of my life and what it's become, the thought of that ruminates in my mind.
But apart from them times, I can be pretty chill.

Latent anxiety or something?
Is that a possibility?

Medication:
Was on 40mg prozac - did nothing, doc took me off again.
Currently on olanzapine, which helps with the sleep a little, and helps through them occasional times of panic, but does nothing to relieve the fatigue etc.

Anxiety affects different people in different ways. I must say that the constant fatigue (not being able to walk outside for 1/2 hour) is disturbing, in that I have not heard of that before. However, it seems to me that you are suffering from depression more than just anxiety, and you need to be on stronger and more depression oriented medications (Prozac is hardly even prescribed anymore it is so old). See a psychiatrist and see what happens next. You need consistent professional help.

MarkBH wrote:Anxiety affects different people in different ways. I must say that the constant fatigue (not being able to walk outside for 1/2 hour) is disturbing, in that I have not heard of that before. However, it seems to me that you are suffering from depression more than just anxiety, and you need to be on stronger and more depression oriented medications (Prozac is hardly even prescribed anymore it is so old). See a psychiatrist and see what happens next. You need consistent professional help.

Okay I appreciate the insight.

When you mention the depression, I'm curious regarding that, as I have experienced depressive emotions in the past, but currently, I don't.
I'm saying, I know how that feels, but can't really compare what I feel now, to that.

My question would be, is a kind of "latent" depression possible, where I suffer depressive symptoms such as chronic fatigue, lethargy, foggy mindedness, lack of concentration - whilst feeling, considering my situation, relatively upbeat?

I mean, I'm just kind of thinking - for very heavy depressive symptoms such as chronic fatigue, not being able to walk etc - wouldn't I be racked with depression and feeling terribly sad and unhappy almost constantly?? (which I don't)

Spoke with my doc today and he doesn't think I have depression.
I don't think I have (unwarranted) depression.

The fatigue, the poor concentration, lethargy etc - I'm just trying to determine if there is indeed a psychological root to these things.

My doc though it might be moments of extreme anxiety and distress that causes the fatigue, but I'd even have to dispute that cause there's plenty of times I'm totally chilled, and the fatigue is still overwhelming.