What are some physical reasons for unexpected anxiety?

[DustingMyselfOff]

I'm relaxed and happy, I swear I am! I retired a month ago, I am enjoying sleeping late, hanging around the house, getting projects done, loving a new hobby I started, hubby and I are getting along great, life is a dream. So why do I get these surges of adrenaline and anxiety out of nowhere!?!?!?!

Does anyone experience more anxiety after exercising? For example, does exercising produce adrenaline or cortisol or something that would cause excess energy or stimulation? I did a lot of physical activity today (exercising along to a video and then took a walk with my dogs) and when I tiredly hit the couch to catch up on e-mail, the anxiety poured in, physical and mental symptoms. I'm nourished, hydrated, and did plenty of physical stuff, I do yoga and meditate, so where does this come from!?!?! Oh, it makes me so angry!

Sorry, had to vent and hope someone can relate. Is the new surge of exercise doing this to me? I also found my tics have increased since I started getting more exercise. :(
Sue

[ankietyjoe]

Exercise can definitely be a trigger, no matter whether you feel anxious or not. Your body can perceive it as stress or trauma. You may have pushed a little too far with the exercise video AND taking the dogs for a walk. It invariably used to hit me 1-3 hours after the event, like an outpouring of adrenaline.

Just ease into those exercise routines and it should be fine. Let your body get used to it, and let the adrenaline pass if it does happen later. Don't get angry about it, that'll only make it worse.

[DustingMyselfOff]

Thank you, Joe! Your response was very reassuring and validates that this is probably the cause and that this too shall pass. Lord knows I don't want to start obsessing over the "why".... I'd rather accept this as the answer and carry on. Thank you. :)
Sue

[MyNameIsTerry]

Exercise or any level of physical activity will stimulate adrenaline and cortisol. If you do strenuous exercise >1hr though then it will mean a far greater amount of cortisol. It's also going to wake the body up and be pushing more oxygen through your blood stream to cope with the extra demand. An outcome of this can be that toxins are flushing out too.

Gentle exercise and deep breathing clear out excess adrenaline by causing the body to metabolize it into other chemicals. You could experiment with things like this.

Given how sensitive some of us are to stimulation of the body it can be a challenge anyway so you may need to habituate into new activity levels and/or teach your subconscious to stop associating these feelings with panic/anxiety...which is often our Holy Grail anyway!

[DustingMyselfOff]

Thank you, Terry. I had no idea that we could help metabolize adrenaline into other chemicals..... the body is truly fascinating. Now that I know why it's happening it will help to not dwell on it, stress over it, and try to just accept and let pass. Love this forum!
Sue

[Carnation]

Sue, I had this with excessive exercise, which is why I don't do it any more. Exercise is good, but too much can have the opposite affect.
3 years ago I joined a dancing class to learn how to jive.
A full hour of it! Too much!
I would have been better with the line dancing, lol.
Walking is good, yoga, pilates, gardening if not excessive, a gentle sport and not prolonged bouts of hard physical exercise. :)

[DustingMyselfOff]

Sue, I had this with excessive exercise, which is why I don't do it any more. Exercise is good, but too much can have the opposite affect.
3 years ago I joined a dancing class to learn how to jive.
A full hour of it! Too much!
I would have been better with the line dancing, lol.
Walking is good, yoga, pilates, gardening if not excessive, a gentle sport and not prolonged bouts of hard physical exercise. :)

Well crap - you try to do the right thing and it turns out wrong! I'm hoping my body will become accustomed to my new exercise routine and this anxiety and increase in tics will settle down? I don't want to back off on physical activity: one of the primary reasons for retiring was to focus on my body and mind and get my body in tip top physical shape, and my first project was to renovate a room in my house to turn into my exercise room, which I just did. I do not want to back off of my plan to get into good physical shape, so my adrenaline, cortisol levels and anxiety will just have to deal with it!

As with all anxiety, simply knowing why it's there or what triggered it helps reduce it a lot, so I will assume this is the cause and I will carry on with a "accept it and let it pass" attitude. (Of course, that's easy for me to say right now because I haven't done anything physical yet and I'm not feeling particularly anxious yet).

Thanks for confirming that the increased strenuous activity is most likely what caused the increase in anxiety - validation is a wonderful thing.
Sue

[MyNameIsTerry]

Thank you, Terry. I had no idea that we could help metabolize adrenaline into other chemicals..... the body is truly fascinating. Now that I know why it's happening it will help to not dwell on it, stress over it, and try to just accept and let pass. Love this forum!
Sue

Yep, it has too as otherwise it's excreted through urine. Since we can't get rid of it quick enough that way it metabolizes instead.

I think what we really need though is some boffin to come up with some nanotechnology like in the sci-fi films that we can buy and it says "no thanks, we are all good for adrenaline today" :yesyes:

I think meditation is known to do it too and that's probably about the breathing and calming the mind.

[ankietyjoe]

Meditation is more about intercepting the bodily reactions that cause the problems in the first place than calming down. Meditation isn't a calming or relaxation technique per se, although that is a side effect that can occur. Think of a speeding car. Is it better to slam on the brakes to avoid a crash, or see the obstacle earlier on and not even get into that situation where you need to emergency brake? Meditation is.....awareness.

[DustingMyselfOff]

Yes, Terry, please come up with that anti-adrenaline nano-technology, put me down for the first purchase, and you will become rich and famous in no time! The mind is a powerful thing..... maybe I can try chanting "I'll pass on the adrenaline" when I'm exercising and see if my body listens. :)

I agree with Joe that meditation doesn't do much for me if I am already anxious, but I'm hoping when I do it more often and get good at it, it will help reduce the triggers of anxiety. I do really well with guided meditations but when lying in bed and trying to do it on my own, I fail pitifully.
Sue

[ankietyjoe]

when lying in bed and trying to do it on my own, I fail pitifully.
Sue

In what way?

[DustingMyselfOff]

In what way?

Can't keep my mind focused on meditating, the intrusive, interrupting thoughts just pour in so fast. I guess I need that outside voice to focus on or some sort of distraction that I can't seem to provide. I tried chanting a 3-word mantra last night, that helped a little, but I soon get bored and the thoughts of what I want to do the next day just pour in.
Sue

[ankietyjoe]

Can't keep my mind focused on meditating, the intrusive, interrupting thoughts just pour in so fast. I guess I need that outside voice to focus on or some sort of distraction that I can't seem to provide. I tried chanting a 3-word mantra last night, that helped a little, but I soon get bored and the thoughts of what I want to do the next day just pour in.
Sue

It's a pretty common misconception that the point of meditation of focus, but it's actually not. The point of meditation is re-focusing when you lose focus, which you will. You'll lose focus repeatedly and that's not failing. The point of meditation practising, not achieving, and this took me a long time to realise. Absolute focus is impossible, it's not achievable. We can practise towards that goal though, and that's the practise that rewires the brain to NOT react to anxiety and depression, it rewires the brain NOT to catastrophise the smallest possible sensation or thought. It breaks the connection between stimulus and response and gives your conscious mind to intercept the fight or flight response.

[DustingMyselfOff]

Thanks, Joe.....that was a great explanation and I feel much better about continuing to "try" to meditate. Apparently I have already been doing just that! :)

I have found myself being able to say "Big deal" or "So what?" when I feel one of the anxiety symptoms in my body, instead of thinking "Oh no - please, no, not now!" I'm not sure if that's because there's a lot less stress now that I'm not going to a corporate setting every day, or if it's because my brain is getting re-wired, but I won't even obsess or contemplate over which is helping. I'll just be grateful.
Sue

[MyNameIsTerry]

I agree with, Joe. My therapist started me off with Mindfulness and went from there.

Initially it was very hard to get much from but I learned you had to keep going and results start to produce themselves. I had clear points where I felt changes. I experienced a shift towards positivity at one point and I really do mean I felt that change, it kind of just swooped in on me and things felt different. That was at 6 months of daily practice.

But initially I needed guided meditation so I had someone to follow.

What I said about it metabolizing is because, whilst we work in meditation to calm our mind and just "be", you may do an induction to the main meditation phase. I had 3 from my first guided sessions and all focussed on breathing and/or certain areas of movement. For instance, the first one you learned to use from watching you breathing in & out. Just doing this alone is a standalone anxiety technique therefore can help to some extent on it's own. Another one had similarities to body scanning.

I've long beaten my intrusive thoughts. I still get them from time to time, all human beings do as they are just part of how brains work, but they float through without a care. Just like in the panic cycle, where they say there is the point you consciously stop negative reactions that only push the cycle on further (Dr Claire Weekes termed this First Wave I think?), with intrusive thoughts (and all OCD) you need to work on altering the reaction from the negative. The negative is what the cycle is expecting and will be used as a reinforcer. You undermine it via positive/neutral reactions. Mindfulness is really good for this as it walks you through sitting with the thoughts and not reacting to them, being the curious observer. Over time this influences the subconscious into mothballing negative core beliefs about these fears because it sees they generate no reaction, certainly not the one it expects (and the area of the brain tat deals with this processes negative reactions expected in this cycle) because this cycle was only ever meant to protect us from the big scary bear.

But it takes time & repetition. The first 5 weeks I didn't get much from it. Then I found it a bit more relaxing. Six months in and real changes started. Prior to this I failed in CBT but now I started working on the goals I couldn't before.

[DustingMyselfOff]

Thanks, Terry. Patience has never been a strong suit of mine, but knowing that it could take 6 months to see any positive rewards will push me to keep trying. But focusing on the breathing: Oh, I am so sick of hearing about breathing! Everyone tells you to breathe when you're scared, when you're in pain, when you're ill, when you're meditating, etc. For some reason that really annoys me now so I guess I better get over that. I've been breathing 24/7 for decades now, and paying attention to the details of how I do it always irritates me. I don't feel the breath passing through my nostrils or through my lungs, what is there to focus on?

Obviously I need to find something else to focus on - the "pay attention to your breathing" just doesn't do it for me. :)
Sue

[MyNameIsTerry]

In one of the breathing inductions I used you would try to imagine the air going in & out coloured red.

I struggled with that anyway gas breathing focus was already an area I was struggling with and with having asthma too it just made it more worrying. It felt wrong to spend more time focussing on breathing but I learned it wasn't about that, it was more changing how you view that breathing and using it as a way into meditation.

I found benefits before 6 months, it was just a milestone for me because I suddenly felt a major change. It was coupled with me just sitting down on a hillside of an old stream and I just sat and was "being" as opposed to the constant chatter and rushing of anxiety. I sat there listening to the creatures, feeling the grass between my fingers, watching the birds & insects, etc. It was sudden and felt great. It happened a few more times over the next few days.

You find you learn to apply Mindfulness more easily the more you practice. I would just stop on my walks and feel the railings, the stone on a bridge, and feel the different textures.

[Carnation]

Sue, I gave up doing the breathing exercises when I am panicky or experience symptoms.
It doesn't work for me and just makes me more anxious and agitated because I feel it's not doing anything for me.
I only do it when meditating, but that's only for a short while.
I get more relief from letting out a long natural sigh or massaging my hands with hand cream.
I like to keep all my actions as natural as possible.
I'm sensing frustrating and annoyance from you. It's those you have to diminish.
Quite simple, things you find annoying, avoid!
As for the frustration or impatience, well that's a bit harder, because it may be part of your character.
You come across as a go to it / get it done sort of person who is probably methodical, capable and someone who achieves at everything they do.
Retirement will only appeal to you if you have something in the pipeline and you get annoyed because anxiety is getting in the way!
So deal with the anxiety like a naughty child. Tell it off when bad, pamper yourself when it hurts you and be aware of it misbehaving from time to time.
Like a child, it's something that has grown with you over time and you need to find your own way of putting it to bed.
Yes, meditation can help, so can mindfulness and for some the 'breathing' helps, but others need other methods and you will find them as you try different things.
I've had a massive release from painting and gardening.
I also take time to sit and relax listening to music.
Anything in your mind to do, write it down, don't take it to bed with you.
As for those moments that catch you out with a reminder that your anxiety is present, say to it, "yeah, I know you are there, but I am fine and I will carry on because that is what I want to do!" Then afterwards, let out one of those huge sighs, pat yourself on the back and have yourself some tea and cake. :)

[DustingMyselfOff]

In one of the breathing inductions I used you would try to imagine the air going in & out coloured red.

I struggled with that anyway gas breathing focus was already an area I was struggling with and with having asthma too it just made it more worrying. It felt wrong to spend more time focussing on breathing but I learned it wasn't about that, it was more changing how you view that breathing and using it as a way into meditation.

I found benefits before 6 months, it was just a milestone for me because I suddenly felt a major change. It was coupled with me just sitting down on a hillside of an old stream and I just sat and was "being" as opposed to the constant chatter and rushing of anxiety. I sat there listening to the creatures, feeling the grass between my fingers, watching the birds & insects, etc. It was sudden and felt great. It happened a few more times over the next few days.

You find you learn to apply Mindfulness more easily the more you practice. I would just stop on my walks and feel the railings, the stone on a bridge, and feel the different textures.

Well then I guess I already meditate successfully because I have a patch of woods behind my house with a small brook running through it, and when I venture down there, I can totally be in the moment and in my version of heaven. I hear every nature sound, I observe every movement of every creature and leaf, I am mesmerized by the way the water gushes over and past the rocks, etc. It's when I'm sitting at my desk, on the couch, or in bed that the mind races and I feel like I need to silence the noise.
Sue

[DustingMyselfOff]

Well you've got me pegged pretty well, Carnation. I can run a company very well and keep things organized and moving without missing a beat. It's done me well for 40 years but now it's time to let go of some of those traits. Yes, I NEED something in my pipeline, and I have found a new hobby: Diamond Painting. I am addicted and, like with everything, have totally thrown myself into it. They take a long time to complete and then there is the sealing and framing of the item, so that should keep lots of stuff in my pipeline for those times when I have no major projects.

Anxiety. WHY do some have lifelong issues with it while others seem to not even know what a panic attack is? Is it a gene? Our DNA? Childhood experiences? Stressful life? Combination of all of that? Maybe I should stop trying to figure out why I have this issue and just accept that I do. "Accept the things I cannot change."
Sue

[DustingMyselfOff]

. . . and here I sit, TRYING to enjoy a morning cup of coffee with my laptop and TV shows, smiling at the birds at my window bird feeder, and there is so much ... SOMETHING (adrenaline? cortisol?) running through my body that I can't sit still. My body tics and OCD are through the roof, and it's making me angry. I am totally relaxed and happy..... why is something in my body causing me to not be able to sit still and stop the repetitive movements!?!?!?
Sue

[Carnation]

Because when you sit or lay, your body is repairing in the form of twitches, rushes, head jolts and whatever else it needs to do. It's not what you are doing now, it's what you did earlier/yesterday/last week/last year.
Have you heard anyone say, "she's heading for a nervous breakdown"?
When I told some of my family and friends they were not at all surprised. I give 100% in whatever I do. I've worked long hours, sometimes in to the evening. I've done the jobs of 4 people just to prove how brilliant I am when my colleagues are on a 2 hour lunch.
Years and years of battering my body and exhausting my brain.
And when I was smacked in the face with a label called anxiety, which is actually a nervous breakdown, I too would not understand why my body was twitching nervously with what felt like ants running up and down my legs and my head would be zapping me and sitting still was a nightmare.
There are things you can do to help repair the damage, but nature has to take its course and 40 years of what we call burning the candle at both ends will erupt eventually.
Taking a leaf out of a cat's life is pretty much a good guideline. Eat, sleep, play a little, a walk about, a bit of grooming and repeat. :D
I know you are frustrated and ask the question 'why?' Sue, but there are reasons for everything! :hugs:

[DustingMyselfOff]

Such a wise woman you are. And all the replies help me feel so much better. So I guess I should stop trying to stop the tics and just let them release whatever is pent up in there.
Sue

[MyNameIsTerry]

. . . and here I sit, TRYING to enjoy a morning cup of coffee with my laptop and TV shows, smiling at the birds at my window bird feeder, and there is so much ... SOMETHING (adrenaline? cortisol?) running through my body that I can't sit still. My body tics and OCD are through the roof, and it's making me angry. I am totally relaxed and happy..... why is something in my body causing me to not be able to sit still and stop the repetitive movements!?!?!?
Sue

The normal Cortisol pattern is to wake us up ready for the day so it's much higher when we wake and reduces over the day. With my own anxiety waking has always been the peak and for several hours it would be much higher than normal. I guess when you add our higher baselines of anxiety on top of all that normal functioning this is what happens?

I find getting up and moving helps. Get something light to eat/drink, have a bit of a walk, maybe some fresh air, etc.

You will find what works for you with this even if it's only a little. I remember another member, MrAndy, saying this symptom of anxiety was something he had read was one of the last to go and he found it was the case for him.

As Carnation is saying about us being so busy too, I think like with many areas of our lives we have become conditioned to expect to be running around like a mad person earlier in the day. Rush to work, rush around at work, rush home.

That coffee is going to be adding caffeine on top of an already tweaked person. It might be worth considering whether you need to reduce it for a bit or whether it's non issue for you. I found things like caffeine difficult at the harder stages but since then I can drink it fine.

Are you saying mentally you feel like you aren't anxious but your body is just agitated?

[MyNameIsTerry]

Well then I guess I already meditate successfully because I have a patch of woods behind my house with a small brook running through it, and when I venture down there, I can totally be in the moment and in my version of heaven. I hear every nature sound, I observe every movement of every creature and leaf, I am mesmerized by the way the water gushes over and past the rocks, etc. It's when I'm sitting at my desk, on the couch, or in bed that the mind races and I feel like I need to silence the noise.
Sue

Sounds nice :yesyes:

I think it takes time just to "get" meditation. Once you have it then it's going to mean more time as you introduce it throughout those other areas.

It can also be about certain places with struggle with more. These are more challenging to learn to relax in. I find there are places in my house where I suffered the worst of the anxiety and that memory is there so that it's a harder aspect to challenge in changing it.

There is even a form of therapy that aims to change the response to something more relaxed. NICE approve of it for GAD over here. It's called Applied Relaxation.

Have you tried to introduce exercises in those places? And have they been more than sitting with say a breathing meditation? (e.g. more tactile or even movement work)

[Carnation]

I agree about the coffee. Pushed my symptoms sky high!
Maybe you could consider a substitute like a herbal tea?
After all, you don't need that perk now you are relieved of your job. It's worth looking at.
I kicked coffee altogether, but have an occasional latte as a treat. I've also gone on to decaf tea. It's made a hell of a difference. Decaf also available in coffee. Also fizzy drinks have gone.
I know, I can hear you saying, "I shouldn't have to", but it's worth doing to get through this 'blip'. That's what it is Sue.
You've come to a point in your life where you have stopped in life's treadmill and your body is readjusting and your mind is subconsciously panicking.
Treat this time like a detox. x

[ankietyjoe]

. . . and here I sit, TRYING to enjoy a morning cup of coffee with my laptop and TV shows, smiling at the birds at my window bird feeder, and there is so much ... SOMETHING (adrenaline? cortisol?) running through my body that I can't sit still. My body tics and OCD are through the roof, and it's making me angry. I am totally relaxed and happy..... why is something in my body causing me to not be able to sit still and stop the repetitive movements!?!?!?
Sue

Coffee and anger, not a great combo.

I think that you could try and cut back on coffee for a start, or even do a 50/50 decaf mix. That's what I did.

Also, anger is a counter productive waste of time. It's a self destructive and self indulgent emotion.

By far the best thing you can do is just accept the sensations and feelings. Getting angry about them is going to keep the fire fuelled. Again, this is where meditation helps. Instead of 'getting angry' at something you have no control of right now, it trains your brain to just say 'ok fair enough, I'll just sit here with it until it passes'.

[DustingMyselfOff]

Thanks, everyone.... loving this thread and hoping some others are getting as much benefit from it as I am!

Regarding the coffee, I have cut WAY DOWN on caffeine. As you know, if you've been pumping it into yourself for decades, you can't just quit or even cut back drastically without side affects, but I am now down to 3 cups of caffeinated a day. And those three do consist of half caffeine, half-decaf. I have never found coffee to make my anxiety better or worse, but as was said, I don't "need" it much anymore so I will continue to decrease.

Yes, my body and mind are de-toxing from so many things. Maybe even past life issues that I've never had the time or energy to resolve but now have time to re-live and re-hash. And I guess a sudden lifestyle change, even a good one, takes it's toll on us.

I don't know if I will ever totally "accept" and go with the physical feelings of anxiety because I truly believe there is a physical cause for most of them, and if that's true, that means there should also be a "cure" for them. I changed my Synthroid dose again 7 weeks ago and that always causes physical and mental side affects, so maybe this will pass soon. I will have blood drawn in another few weeks to see if it put my TSH in a good place.

I'm a "fixer". I see a problem, I find the solution, and I enforce it. I've been very good at it my entire life, except, of course, when it comes to "fixing" me. So I get frustrated when I can't be a perfectly, well-oiled machine who can predict every feeling or thought and have a reason and a fix.

But.... I'm a work in progress, and I will probably spend the rest of my days trying to do better at this "life" stuff, and with this group of people helping, the journey should be very successful and rewarding. :)
Sue

[Carnation]

That's a more uplifting post :)

[Beckybecks]

I've just posted about this. I'm having horrible adrenaline surges every day at the moment. I too need to find the cause and find it difficult to just accept that it's part of the whole anxiety thing.
I don't do caffeine or anything that might stimulate me.

So how to deal with these surges; should I walk to try and work the adrenaline off? Or will exercise cause more of the same? If I sit still it gets worse!

I had bloodtests done and was told that my stress hormone level was out of balance. (I couldn’t understand the results myself)Doctor gave me Pantothenic Acid to take. Apparently that helps to normalise things. But it hasn’t had any effect yet.
I find these adrenaline rushes exhausting but I’mtrying so hard not to react to them as that obviously makes it much worse

[DustingMyselfOff]

What kind health practitioner told you your stress hormone levels are out of balance? I'm curious because most medical doctors dismiss the theory of cortisol levels and adrenal fatigue issues. And you peaked my curiosity when you mentioned pantothenic acid because it triggered the memory that a nutritionist had given that to my 4 year old son when he was suffering terribly with mood and emotional disorders and it DID help a lot! I'll have to read up on that - it was so very long ago.

Yes, sitting quietly makes you notice the adrenaline surges more, yet getting up and doing exercise seems to give me MORE nervous energy, so I'm not sure what the answer is. I'm going to try going to the gym much more often and hope my body adjust to the new level of physical exertion and maybe I'll see less adrenaline surges.

By the way, I'm down to 2 cups of caffeine a day - an amount I never thought possible!
Sue

[pulisa]

Personally I don't believe there is a medical condition such as adrenal fatigue. I have no answers re agitation-sitting with it is impossible and exercise/trying to keep busy to counteract adrenaline is pretty useless for me. I recommend a general anaesthetic though..wonderful!:D

I do think this is something we need to accept, no matter how uncomfortable and distressing it is. Some people can find ways to lessen their anxiety and others have to lump it and not get angry and frustrated. I'm certainly in the latter camp!

[ankietyjoe]

Personally I don't believe there is a medical condition such as adrenal fatigue.

There is no medical condition such as adrenal fatigue because it's very, very difficult to test for and has no marketable cure. It absolutely, 100% exists. It has been described and observed since the dawn of time. I've had it a couple of times, including now. The second time I observed it happening and was able to predict how I would feel over the following weeks, which I'm experiencing now. What I'm NOT experiencing now are psychosomatic symptoms because I saw it coming. It's a combination of 'always on' adrenaline rushes and absolute fatigue.

[DustingMyselfOff]

General anesthetic, LOL. I guess that could work but would get very expensive!

I don't know whether adrenal fatigue is a real thing or not, I'm still torn 50/50. No, there are no tests for it so the doctors dismiss it, but it certainly makes sense that our adrenals would get tired and start to fail..... they are an integral part of our bodies and things wear out.

Good for you for now seeing the signs of an upcoming crash. And good for you for having the strength to just accept it and let it pass. That seems to be key in all anxiety issues. But that's really, REALLY hard to do when you have a busy, chaotic, stressful life. Now that I've been away from my job for almost 5 months, accepting and listening to my body is so much easier. It simply was not possible to do when I was keeping up the pace I was.

Meditation for those who don't have the luxury of leaving their jobs? I'm still practicing, and I understand it takes a LOT of practice, but I think it's going to be worth it. And even for those who don't have any extra time in a day, I'm sure they can find 15 minutes somewhere, somehow.
Sue

[pulisa]

There is no medical condition such as adrenal fatigue because it's very, very difficult to test for and has no marketable cure. It absolutely, 100% exists. It has been described and observed since the dawn of time. I've had it a couple of times, including now. The second time I observed it happening and was able to predict how I would feel over the following weeks, which I'm experiencing now. What I'm NOT experiencing now are psychosomatic symptoms because I saw it coming. It's a combination of 'always on' adrenaline rushes and absolute fatigue.

I have that but my lifestyle is challenging as a carer.

[Beckybecks]

The doctor I saw is a GP but he also practices accupuncture and tries to treat his patients with natural supplements, vitamins and good diet wherever possible.
I went to him because I hate taking medication and also because I find accupuncture can relax me for up to 48-hours afterwards.

He sent me for blood tests because he knows my history of chronic anxiety and when he saw the results he confirmed that my stress hormones were out if balance.
He explained that when a person has chronic anxiety and panic attacks this does happen. And it's understandable when you think about it. Our bodies aren't designed to release or deal with that much cortisol or adrenaline. (Where does it all go if we don't use it?)

Im going to continue with the Pantothenic Acid. I must admit I haven't really given it a chance as I stopped taking it after two weeks because I had surgery and had too much other medication to take.
You say you remember it helping your son which is interesting.

As far as the adrenaline surges go, I feel it must be due to an imbalance caused by chronic anxiety.
In my case I had six months of constant anxiety and panic due to health issues. This has been resolved now and I'm no longer anxious at all. These surges are definitely a result of my body being flooded with those stress hormones.

I'm going to continue exercising because for me it definitely helps more than trying to sit still when I can feel the adrenaline rushing through me.
Also, keeping my mind occupied at those times is a big plus. Focusing on the rush makes it ten times worse.

[Beckybecks]

I could accept it if I had an explanation for it. More research should be done regarding the release of excess stress hormones into the body and what the after effects are.
It may not be adrenal fatigue but there is definitely some damage done. A doctor I saw explained that the adrenaline, if not used up, causes inflammation in the body. I agree with that and it makes sense to me.

Throughout my long anxiety journey I've had periods where I've felt unwell. I wouldn't call it fatigue at all. But my head will feel fuzzy as though I'm coming down with flu, except it never gets worse. I just feel unwell, but the Doctors can never find anything wrong.
Eventually I found a doctor who also uses accupuncture and treats patients with natural supplements and vitamins wherever possible. He explained about the inflammation caused by the body being flooded with adrenaline and the imbalance of stress hormones after periods of chronic anxiety. It makes sense to me especially after years of experiencing it first hand.
He's given me Pantothenic Acid to take.

[Aquilega]

Hello Beckybecks I also get these adrenaline surges each and every day my friend for about 3 months now but have had GAD for 40 years,I just carry on regardless but I am also light headed most of the time,I could go on but I don't want this to be a negative post,but trust me it is anxiety,have a good day my friend.

[Beckybecks]

Hello Beckybecks I also get these adrenaline surges each and every day my friend for about 3 months now but have had GAD for 40 years,I just carry on regardless but I am also light headed most of the time,I could go on but I don't want this to be a negative post,but trust me it is anxiety,have a good day my friend.

Thank you for your reply. It's reassuring to know that others go through the same. I find it hard to just accept it and still hope for some answers as to what causes this.
I understand what you say, there are so many symptoms from anxiety, too many to list! I too have had periods where I'm light headed or dizzy. I found that if I pushed through and carried on life as normally as possible this symptom would leave in time. I hope it's the same for you.

[pulisa]

I'd be interested to know which blood tests showed that your stress hormones were out of balance, Becky?

[ankietyjoe]

I have that but my lifestyle is challenging as a carer.

So am I. My partner has DID, an extreme form of PTSD and related to schizophrenia. It's completely unpredictable, and is so severe I have had funding granted for 5 years of secondary therapy while she is being treated. I had to (chose to) look after here AND move house, which involved wrapping up a 5 year/£100k legal battle. Stress was.....significant. That's what I'm in recovery from now.

Oh, and two kids and a business to run.... :blink:

[Beckybecks]

The bloodtest was to check my cortisol levels. The doctor told me my cortisol level waslow and my adrenal glands weren’t working efficiently. He diagnosed me with “AdrenalineInsufficiency”.
I don’t quiteunderstand what the difference is between cortisol and adrenaline. I would have thought that if I wasn’tproducing cortisol I would have less anxiety? But I’m not a doctor.
I’ve beengiven Pantothenic Acid which apparently helps with adrenal gland exhaustion.

[ankietyjoe]

The bloodtest was to check my cortisol levels. The doctor told me my cortisol level waslow and my adrenal glands weren’t working efficiently. He diagnosed me with “AdrenalineInsufficiency”.
I don’t quiteunderstand what the difference is between cortisol and adrenaline. I would have thought that if I wasn’tproducing cortisol I would have less anxiety? But I’m not a doctor.
I’ve beengiven Pantothenic Acid which apparently helps with adrenal gland exhaustion.


To put it simply, every hormone in the body has a specific task and works in balance (or not) with other systems. Cortisol is a long term stress hormone, adrenaline is the short term 'turbo' stress hormone. Any test for cortisol or adrenaline is only a snapshot of what's happening at that particular moment which is why it's hard to diagnose adrenal issues. Adrenal insufficiency is often diagnosed as Addisons Disease, although there's plenty of speculation around that adrenal fatigue is part of the same thing. The idea that your adrenals can become fatigued and underperform makes sense right?

In terms of this causing anxiety, my experience is that anxiety is caused by a change in hormonal levels as much as a shortage/excess of them. Your stress hormones aren't working properly, therefore anxiety.

[pulisa]

So am I. My partner has DID, an extreme form of PTSD and related to schizophrenia. It's completely unpredictable, and is so severe I have had funding granted for 5 years of secondary therapy while she is being treated. I had to (chose to) look after here AND move house, which involved wrapping up a 5 year/£100k legal battle. Stress was.....significant. That's what I'm in recovery from now.

Oh, and two kids and a business to run.... :blink:

I'm very impressed about the funding. I presume that is Berkshire CC?

Can you be in recovery from chronic stress or is it just a question of managing ongoing stress and having good and bad periods?

[ankietyjoe]

I'm very impressed about the funding. I presume that is Berkshire CC?

Can you be in recovery from chronic stress or is it just a question of managing ongoing stress and having good and bad periods?

We had a kickass care support worker for her, and it took her two years to accomplish. I'm pretty sure it's via Berkshire, but the actual therapy is provided by a private DID specialist. We are very, very lucky to have this. Furthermore, I managed to get her PIP without an interview. I have no idea how.

In terms of recovery, it's a mixed bag. Yes and no, kind of. For me at least, chronic stress is as much about your coping mechanism as the stress itself. My primary focus was on the elimination of panic for so long that I probably got into some bad habits with the management of stress, but some good ones as well. Funnily enough, a lot of it is about acceptance, just like with anxiety.

It's also very, very holistic. I can't eat crap and recover from stress. I can't drink alcohol and recover from stress, so I don't. I can't sit up all night and play video games just to be able to switch off at the end of the day. All those coping mechanisms that people think help, ultimately don't help at all.

I will snap at the kids some days, but I will always sit down and say sorry if I think the problem was me and not them. Some days I will reach critical mass if I'm sat in traffic for more than 30 seconds (no, really)....but the next day I'll take 5 before I start the journey. It's about catching your internal trigger and standing back from it a bit. Does any of this make sense?!?

Yesterday my youngest (who is 4) sat down at the table and just drew his family, all four of us. In his mind we were all smiling and holding hands, and I just though 'fvck, this is all that matters really'.

And as a last little side note that's actually related to this thread (sorry Sue!)....I can't exercise too much when stress is high, the adrenaline kills me for days afterwards!!

[DustingMyselfOff]

You amaze and impress me, Joe. So much on your plate, so many hard-learned lessons and experiences, and yet you continue to care for your family with such love and devotion. AND.... you take the time to come on this forum and help others! There's a place for you in heaven, for sure.

And the drawing by your 4-year old? Yup, that says it all: you're doing a great job!
Sue

[ankietyjoe]

I'm not a believer in religion, a deity or the afterlife. I do believe that the human brain is capable of a spiritual connection with all other things, and nature itself. I also believe that the idea of Karma is based on some truth that I haven't quite put my finger on yet.

It took me a long time to get to the place I am now, lots of mistakes along the way and I'm sure I was a complete a55hole at times. If I've painted a picture of competence and perfection I need to adjust that, because I am heavily flawed. But, saying that, the biggest lesson I learned in all that time was one of compassion. This idea was instilled by some of the people I watched talk about recovery. I studied meditation and mindfulness from multiple sources, but was drawn most to the Buddhist way of teaching, although I've never wanted to embrace Buddhism at all. I don't think it's necessary. But compassion is core to their way of living.

Society is not set up to deal with the fallout of the problems it creates. We are spitting out thousands of people who cannot cope with the unnatural pressures of modern life and then offering them a pill that 'might' work in a year, but will probably make them feel like absolute sh1t in the short term. The worst part of this is that the people it's spitting out tend to have no idea of how they got there. All those pressures they accepted, and sometimes even pursued, nobody told them what damage it causes. It stole ten years of my life, and took me the best part of that ten years to become mostly functional again, and i'm drawn to helping people who I see on the start of the journey I'm (hopefully) coming to the end of.

I genuinely believe that the compassion and passing on of what I've learned is an important part of my own recovery too.

[pulisa]

What does "compassion" mean to you, Joe?

[ankietyjoe]

What does "compassion" mean to you, Joe?

Feeling other people's pain and wanting/needing to do something about it.

[pulisa]

Feeling other people's pain and wanting/needing to do something about it.

But don't most decent people do this anyway?

I do feel that"compassion" has just become another buzzword in today's extensive vocabulary of buzzwords. What about just being kind?

[ankietyjoe]

But don't most decent people do this anyway?

I do feel that"compassion" has just become another buzzword in today's extensive vocabulary of buzzwords. What about just being kind?

I think that a lot of people still do, but I'm saying that my feeling of compassion has increased dramatically since I had anxiety. I also think the basic human instinct for compassion is being eroded by self centred, right wing thinking these days.

But it's not just about feeling it, it's doing something about it as well.

[pulisa]

I think most people are very self-centred these days. It's not until you get a taste of adversity/ mental health issues that you realise what really matters in life.

[DustingMyselfOff]

I think most people are very self-centred these days. It's not until you get a taste of adversity/ mental health issues that you realise what really matters in life.

So I guess, if you really want to put a positive spin on our anxiety issues, that WE are the lucky ones.
Sue

[pulisa]

I'd rather be anxious and empathetic than supposedly confident and self-centred but generally disliked. I think anxiety gives you more insight into life and life's challenges and I reckon that's a positive quality to have? We appear to view anxiety as a "bad" thing but is it really?

[ankietyjoe]

I think anxiety disorder is a bad thing, anything that impacts your life negatively is a bad thing, but as something that happens to you in your life that's a wake up call which perhaps forces you to make changes for the better? Possibly.

There was that picture that did the rounds a couple of years ago, the toddler lying face down dead on the beach. I struggled with that image for a while as I had a child exactly the same age at the time. However, I read lots of dismissive comments where people were blaming the parents of the child etc etc. I hate these people, I hate that we live in a world where any other reaction that devastated compassion is the normal response. These kind of people will see that image, scoff at the image with righteous opinion and then go an applaud the latest Apple key note speech without ever thinking about it again.

I appear to be ranting.

[DustingMyselfOff]

I have a recent example of "compassion versus dismissive": yesterday I was out running errands and saw an elderly man holding a homeless sign and he had a dog with him. I drove by as my heart broke a little because, as you know, I'm compassionate towards humans but VERY dedicated to saving animals. His image haunted me through my next errand and I turned my car around and went back to where he and the dog were standing. I don't normally give cash to the panhandlers since a lot of them are simply drug addicted and looking for quick cash, but on this day when it was almost 100 degrees outside and very humid, I felt badly for both of them and wanted to do something, besides money, to help if, in case, he truly were in desperate need. I always carry dog food, water, dog bowl, leash, blanket, etc. in my car since I rescue animals. I went up to the man and the dog and explained that I don't carry cash but that I did have supplies for the dog and plenty of water and protein bars for the man if it would help him. He was very grateful, very respectful and polite, and we chatted for a while about our love of dogs. After spending about 20 minutes with them I got in my car to leave and a woman came running over to me from across the street. She asked me why he doesn't put his dog in a shelter. I told her that he had said the only thing that gives him the will to keep living and trying was his dog. She scoffed, and told me that he was probably just another drug-addicted panhandler who was looking for easy money. She continued to berate me for helping him while I realized that arguing with her was senseless, so I thanked her for her insight and started to drive away. She then started yelling at the homeless man and as I pulled away I heard her screaming at him that she was going to call the police on him.

So: was he truly in desperate need of help or was he a drug addict looking for cash for his next fix? Who knows. But was there any harm done by my helping him with water and dog food and a blanket? No. Did it make he and I feel better about the world? Yes. And what about the screaming lady who was angry at me for helping and angry at him for panhandling? Did she feel better after her tirade? Did the man and his dog feel better after being humiliated and screamed at? I don't really care if the man walked down the street and got into an expensive vehicle and then drove to his mansion: I was concerned about other living things in this oppressive heat and I helped in a way that didn't support his drug habit, if he has one. Yes, I'd do it again, but it seems I have to worry more about the dismissive people and cynics hurting me than the people who are doing the panhandling. :lac:
Sue