As a teenager, I assumed being tired was just part of growing up. But as I got older, I started to notice something wasn't right. My friends didn't fall asleep while hanging out or struggle to stay awake in class.
No matter how much sleep I got, I couldn't physically stay awake. From about age 13 to 17, my parents and I were constantly visiting doctors, trying to work out what was wrong. At first, it was brushed off as typical teenage laziness.
But I was exhausted all the time. I had to cancel plans, cut back on cheerleading and miss out on things I enjoyed because my body never felt rested. I could fall asleep anywhere.
I was also dealing with brain fog. I knew I was smart and driven, but it became difficult to focus and stay motivated. I struggled socially in high school because I often couldn't think clearly enough to know what to say.
At one point, I wondered if I had an attention disorder. A doctor initially suggested I might be depressed, but that didn't feel right to me. There wasn't anything in my life making me unhappy.
I asked my mom to take me for tests. I worried that maybe I had diabetes. I saw a psychiatrist because doctors thought my focus issues and low mood might have a psychological cause.
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