Ever-present tiredness, laziness, lethargicness...help?

I'm curious...I am a seemingly (on the outside) healthy 19 year old male. I get enough excercise, I eat well for the most part, and have abstained (in the past 2.5 months) from ANY drug, albiet having one or two drinks but hardly anything at all really. I still, however, am usually tired most of the day no matter how much or little sleep I get, and am lethargic in terms of doing things that need to be done.
My thoughts do stray to depression as well, but the tiredness is much more prevalent. I was curious as to any ways to get more energy, I believe working out everyday might help, but what can I add to my diet to improve my mental state and gain me energy. I feel like I am too young to be this lazy as I am.
I used to think I was clinically depressed, but from what I've talked about with my friends with depression, my symptoms are not severe enough to warrent medication. I have also considered experimenting with herbal drugs, if this is a viable option, I would love to hear some recommendations. I am also getting a job soon, which I believe will help me (getting out of the house more, right now im just ALWAYS here if I am not at classes).
Any advice will be appreciated, I may see a doctor if I cant think of something because as far as I can think back I've always had a constant tiredness about me! are there prescription drugs for this?

>>My thoughts do stray to depression as well, but the tiredness is much more prevalent. >>
Hmmm...you could have sub-clinical dysthymia, the more chronic, but less-severe form of depression. I agree with you that medication may be inappropriate. You have to remember that depression doesn't always manifest itself as a sad mood although it is rather common that it does. Do you find yourself unable to find pleasure in the activities of which you do partake? Do you find yourself with little hope about the future?
You could see a psychologist, but I don't know how much help he or she would be. As for diets, I don't know enough to advocate anything in particular. When I switched from a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet to a reasonably (but not ideal by any means) balanced vegan diet, I found myself with more energy, but it could easily be placebo.
ebola
np: autechre

If you were a woman I would suggest an iron deficiency. However, that's still a possibility ... do you eat much red meat? Listlessness and fatigue (and pale skin, in later stages) are all signs of low iron stores.
You may need iron supplements or vitamin B injections, perhaps.
As for supplements, vitamin B, as mentioned, is the "energy vitamin"; whilst herbal products such as gingko biloba and ginseng can also provide a short-term boost.
I would suggest however that your lethargy is mostly due to lifestyle factors. Lack of motivation tends to compound when you don't have a structure to your day... I think things might vastly improve when you get that job.
If not, see your doctor. You might also want to look up the symptoms of:
~Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)
~ Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
or ~ Thyroid deficiency (hypothyroidism)
.... to see if any of those fit.
Good luck!
SLM.
[ 10 December 2002: Message edited by: Strawberry_lovemuffin ]

I too find i am extremely lethargic/ weak some days at work.
I did have my blood tested about 6 months ago, the doctor was concerned that i had low FERRETON. fereton? *sp* levels, he told me they were quite low, he told me to take some vitamins which i brought and took for a few weeks and havent taken since, i think they were iron supplements.
What role foes ferreton? play in the body ?
i think the low levels were caused by the loss of my period for some time by distorted eating patterns. .. ?
-funk-

funki, ferraton is probably indeed a fancy way of saying iron ... the iron in supplements actually takes the form of "ferrous sulphate", or ferrochel, is another trade name. So I'm pretty sure it was iron you tested low in.
BTW, did you know that you should go for a "chelated" iron supplement? Much better absorbed by the body. Don't just pop the pills your doctor tells you... go into a health food shop and look at some of their liquid supplements. Some are absorbed up to four times better than the average 'iron tablet' generally prescribed, but doctors are lazy and drug companies have the upper hand.
An example is here under the link to Clement's Iron

Thanks heaps for this information, i have the bags under my eyes too, back into the supplements, ill see how i feel after a few weeks.
-funk-

Hydra:
join the boat!
i suffer exactly the same thing, for a long time now. actually ever since i started working full time.
the damn lethargy ruins everything. your mood, outlook on life/future. and that is the main problem.
for over 2 years now, i have trying to find out why i was suffering.
and i am pretty sure my circadian rythems are messed up or wired stragely.
i can barely move in the morning and wak up feeling like a ton. kinda like you are jetlagged.
but anytime after 9pm and up untill 4am, i am perfect, full of energy and happy.
yes i am still looking for the cure, possibly amphetamine based.

^^im close what you describe. And have been diagnosed with clinical bipolar. since its winter im on the more depressed part of my cycle. I suffered from extreme fatigue, loss of motivation, hoplessnes etc... they didnt want to put me on an anti-depressant because i've been on so many and i hate the way they make me feel. (medication compliance problems) so they put me on 15 mg Dexidrine daily. Its helped a lot although it is only temporary. Im seeking therapy which is also helping emensly. I am realizing that symptoms i didnt even relate to my depression (my fatigue) were related to it, and improve with my overall mood, not my day to day mood.
Although my situation is different, i hope this helps.
If it starts interfering with work then i'd definetly go to your GP and try and get a script to help you.

You could always try 5-HTP. Although when you take it it does make you tired, the next day you are pleasantly refreshed and in a generaly better mood alltogether, its quite nice Just take it before you sleep and you'll have some nice dreams and a great next day.
Getting out more would also help. Last summer I did nothing, and I mean nothing, and I was the most miserable depressed piece of life you would ever meet. Once I went to college and started geting involved in things and with people my day is just better knowing that I have things to do and people who rely on me

At least I'm not alone
For the past year or so I've been really lethargic. I have no motivation whatsoever to do anything constructive. I used to write a lot, now I rarely even do that (mainly because I do so little so that I have no inspiration to write about). I'm not depressed, though I often am quite negative in general outlook, but it's not as though I feel bad.
I mean, I need to fix up a couple of grades from school. That means me handing in a couple of assignments, maybe 2-3 hours of work. I've had all summer and all fall. Guess what? I've barely gotten started. I simply don't want to do anything, and I have no motivation to do anything. It sucks, but even if I try to motivate myself, I can't.
I will however start a job that seems I will like (receptionist-type job) after new-years, in fact I'm going there in ten minutes for training, so I hope that will change something.
The one who wrote about structure in his life I think is absolutely right. The less structured it is, the less motivation you have. At least it seems true to me, since when I did go to school at least I had some motivation, now I have almost none. I like to hang out with friends, hit the pub with them in the weekends, sit by the computer or the TV and read. That's it. That's what I do from when I wake up (12-2pm) to when I go to bed (anywhere between 1am-6am).
It sucks and I know it. How to change it? Not sure.
Oh, I also tend to sleep a whole lot. 9-10hrs each night on average. Sometimes I feel tired and I sleep 12. If I sleep 6-8 (ie I have something to do in the morning) then I usually sleep a few hours during the afternoon. Well, I must be off to my new job. I hope that will change at least something, if not then I'll at least have some money!
Peace

It does sound depression related, even if it's not intense depression.
While I am against self-medication, one thing you might look into is Provigil (modafanil), which is used to treat narcolepsy. It keeps you alert, but without amphetamine-like side effects.

I was there - some of it doesn't go away, but I cut my sugar, and carbohydrate intake way down - especially at night. I also stopped eating after around 7:00pm except for small snacks. I also started working out. It took a little while, but now I have energy during the day and can sleep at night. I also have found that if I am still slow - xenadrine, or ripped fuel extreme will give me my motivation, and a lot better outlook on life. I only take half the recommended dose, and only occasionaly. If I eat a lot of sugar now, it messes me up for a couple days.

I'm always like this.
What I suggest is goto your doctors and get a blood test.
You could be inemic (sp?), which could suggest tiredness and low iron
You could have an underactive thyroid (mine keeps underproducing), which could also cause some of the symptoms you have suggested.
If not, I would suggest a better diet, cut out sugers, crap food with no food value etc, just eat good proper food..
eat
Bakes Potato's with tuna / beans / sweat corn / salad
Red Meat such as Steak
Chicken
Fish
Fruit (eat 5 portions of fruit and veg per day)
Healthy Pies (steak and kidney for example)
Fruit Juice
Lots of Water
Healthy breakfast, such as muesli, or maybe eggs on toast
basically, try and consume 2500-3000 calories per day, get lots of protein in you (such as tuna, or whey protein supplements) and work out and go down the gym, it's the best cure if what symptoms you may have are depression and it is a chemical imbalance in the brain. working out releases lots of chemicals, and if you are gonna do it, do it properly with a good diet and you will feel the benefits. alot of your symtoms could be down to bad diet anyway!
I still find it reeeeeealy hard to get going in the morning and find it hard to wake up, other than that I feel much better.