ADRENAL FATIGUE * BURN OUT * COMPASSION FATIGUE

PROLONGED STRESS

Adrenal fatigue is a term that has grown in popularity as researchers learn more about the mind/body connection. Adrenal fatigue is used to describe a collection of non-specific symptoms that occur as a result of ongoing, high levels of stress.

Living in a chronic state of stress, without allowing for sufficient periods of recovery, precipitates a cascade of events depleting the body’s resources. We used to call it “burn out”, but as practitioners tease out more connections and relate them to causes, the conversation is expanding.  What’s important to know is how it connects to you and your life, and what you can do to improve your quality of life.

First, let’s talk about what is taking place in your body when it is under stress.

THE EFFECTS OF STRESS

Have you ever felt exhausted for a day or more after a stressful event?  During the event, energy was plentiful.  You danced at your son’s wedding or handled a crisis with ease and grace. That night, sleep came easily.  The next morning, however, you awoke tired and foggy headed.  Days later your body still felt limp with fatigue and your mind sluggish. You had that “I can’t get out of this chair” feeling in spades.

What you likely experienced was an adrenaline hangover. In stressful situations, good or bad, our body goes on high alert. Adrenaline gives us that boost of energy we need to take care of business. Once the event is over, however, our body takes time to return to its normal state of equilibrium.

ADRENAL FATIGUE or Chronic Stress

Many of us live with high levels of stress on an on-going basis, and we think there’s something wrong with us when we are unable to do so. Chronic stress has become a way of life for men and women in the 21st century. This is especially true during the midlife years for women as they try to cope with external demands while their bodies are coping with all the physical changes of menopause. Everything hits at once.

For a decade or more we navigating other pivotal life-changes.  Our parents are aging and becoming increasingly dependent on us for support. Children are in their temperamental teens, navigating major life choices, or venturing out into the world for the first time.  We are mid-career, mid-marriages, post divorce, facing health issues, and starting to wonder about retirement. No wonder our body is giving us signals that say, “Hey! Wait a minute!”

Chronic stress can do serious damage, not only to our enjoyment of life, but to our long-term health.  The longer we live, the more likely we are to have experienced prolonged periods of unabated stress. This can and does eventually lead to adrenal burnout for many. Caregivers are particularly vulnerable to this condition, as day after day, week after week, month after month, they put the needs of their loved ones ahead of their own. Those with chronic illnesses or unhealthy lifestyles are also more susceptible to burnout.

UNDERSTANDING THE PROCESS

Our adrenal glands produce hormones that mobilize our body to deal quickly and aggressively with unexpected danger. In today’s world, the dangers we encounter are emotional and psychological, as well as physical.  We may no longer need to run away from wild animals, but we sure might want to run away from our job or home life. Job stress, family dynamics, a poor diet or lack of sleep and exercise take their toll on our adrenal system.

The fact that we no longer fight or flee in the physical sense, actually leaves our body without a means of dissipating the chemicals released into them during a stress response.  We rarely get into a fist fight with our neighbor when she makes us angry, or sprint ten miles down the road to get away from her.  (This is a good argument for running for exercise!)

To complicate matters, stress has become a chronic way of life for our entire culture.  Even as our adrenal glands are working overtime trying to keep up, we are telling ourselves that we are lazy or emotionally weak.  When we’re young we carry on, ignoring our body’s objections. Then one day, often midlife, we realize we have a serious problem.  Our adrenal glands are in a state of fatigue. We are now experiencing “burn out”, not only a psychological phenomenon, but a physical one. Bouncing back becomes increasingly difficult and we become less and less resilient.

FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO ADRENAL BURNOUT

Many factors contribute to, and exacerbate adrenal burnout.  A poor diet, lack of sufficient sleep for extended periods of time, a history of substance abuse, repeated infections, chronic medical conditions, emotional problems, such as depression or anxiety, financial difficulties, a stressful work environment, are all likely culprits. When we’re very busy we tend to pay less attention to what we eat and how much we sleep. We grab a muffin on the way out of the door and shorten our nights as we try to get everything done. It’s possible to do this for a short time, but if it goes on too long we’re apt to end up with additional problems such as an illness, infection or emotional duress.

Reversing this situation is almost always possible, and the sooner the recovery process is begun the sooner it is possible to get back to feeling good. Recovery takes not only significant life style changes, but time. Remember, it has taken years to get into this situation. It may take months, if not years, to repair the damage. The good news is that as we make changes we will begin to feel better and better as time goes on.

SIGNS OF ADRENAL FATIGUE

 

STEPS TO RECOVERY

ADRENAL RECOVERY SOUP