You're Not Imagining It: This Kind of Exhaustion Is Far More Common Now
If it feels like everyone around you is running on empty, you’re not imagining it. A particular kind of exhaustion, the “I’ve got no batteries, I can’t think, my brain doesn’t work” kind, has gone from an occasional presentation in clinic to one of the most common things we see.
It Used to Be Rare. Now It’s Everywhere
There was a time when a patient describing themselves this way, no energy, no motivation, brain fog thick enough that simple things felt hard, stood out as unusual. It doesn’t stand out anymore. It’s become a regular, almost routine, part of the conversation, and it’s worth naming that shift rather than treating each case as an isolated one.
What’s Actually Changed
It’s rarely one single cause. What tends to be common across these presentations is sustained demand without much of a genuine break, work, family, finances, general life admin stacking on top of each other with little space to properly recover in between. The kind of stress that used to come in waves, with recovery time in between, now often just doesn’t let up long enough for that recovery to happen.
Why This Matters If You Recognise Yourself in It
If this description sounds like you, it’s worth knowing you’re not broken, unmotivated, or unusual, you’re describing something that’s become genuinely common. That doesn’t mean it should be ignored, but it does mean it’s worth taking seriously as a pattern rather than a personal failing. The earlier this kind of depletion is recognised, the more manageable it tends to be to work through.
Getting Support for Something This Common
Because we’re seeing this presentation so often now, our team at Spinewise in Maidstone has a good handle on what to look for. We offer thorough, functional assessments that consider nervous system and recovery factors that may be contributing, rather than treating “I’m just tired” as the end of the conversation. Call us on (03) 9318 7758 or book online to talk it through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Based on what we’re seeing in clinic, it’s a genuine shift, not just a feeling. What used to be an occasional presentation has become a regular one.
Sustained depletion tends to affect mental clarity as much as physical energy. The brain fog and the exhaustion are usually part of the same underlying pattern, not two separate issues.
Not at all. Common doesn’t mean unimportant. It’s worth having it properly looked at rather than assuming it’s just how things are now.
Start by taking it seriously rather than pushing through it further. Getting an outside perspective on what’s driving it, rather than guessing, is usually the more useful next step.
About the Author
Dr Trevor Chetcuti, B.Chiro.Sc, B.App.Sc (Clin), DIBAK, CNET
Dr Trevor Chetcuti is Clinical Director at Spinewise in Maidstone, holding dual degrees in Chiropractic and Clinical Science from RMIT University and a Teaching Diplomate in Applied Kinesiology through the International College of Applied Kinesiology (ICAK). He is chairman of ICAK International’s Board of Research and Standards and has spent over 20 years helping patients work through complex health, neurological and pain-related concerns.