Chronic Fatigue and Hyperactivity : Psychoanalysis in Lyon or via Teleconsultation

Some people work a lot, multiply activities, or constantly look for something to do because stopping is hard to bear. The question can then become: "Why do I find it so hard to rest when I'm exhausted?" Psychoanalysis allows us to explore the relationship with rest, activity, and solitude, and what can emerge when one stops being busy. Stopping may seem simple in theory but become very difficult in practice. Even when exhausted, some people feel the need to find something to do. They may feel guilt when they rest, or have the impression of wasting time. This difficulty may be linked to very high personal standards, fear of not being useful, or difficulty simply being present without needing to produce or act. Exploring what happens internally when activity ceases can help understand why it is so hard to slow down. Exhaustion and the inability to slow down may seem contradictory. Yet, continuing to act can sometimes be a way of keeping an inner worry or tension at bay. One can then find oneself in a paradoxical situation: the more tired one is, the more one feels the need to do; the more one does, the more one exhausts oneself. Understanding this cycle helps avoid reducing the situation to mere poor organisation. Psychoanalytic work can seek to understand why stopping is so difficult and what hyperactivity keeps at a distance.

Constant activity can be associated with high demands on oneself, the need for performance, fear of wasting time, or difficulty staying alone with one's thoughts. For some people, it can also be a way of avoiding certain preoccupations. However, this hypothesis cannot be generalised. The meaning of this activity must be sought in the singularity of each individual.

Some people feel guilt when they are not working or being productive. Rest can then be associated with the idea of wasting time, not being useful, or not meeting expectations. A psychoanalytic approach allows one to question the relationship with rest, performance, demands, and the gaze of others.

Constant preoccupations and certain tensions can contribute to a sense of exhaustion. However, persistent fatigue can also have medical causes and, when necessary, warrants a health evaluation. When the psychological dimension plays an important role, psychoanalysis can help explore the tensions running through daily life and the demands to which the person submits themselves.

The consultation allows one to question the relationship with work, success, rest, and limits. Why must one always be doing something? What happens when one no longer meets expectations? Why is it difficult to accept one's own limits? These questions can open up analytical work around what lies behind the constant need for activity.

As a psychoanalyst in Lyon, I offer consultations in person and via teleconsultation to explore this singular relationship with activity, rest, work, and personal demands.