Severe Adrenaline Or Cortisol Rush?

[cdg]

When I get the least bit worried about something.. I get this severe adrenaline or cortisol rush. As if there is no longer a threshold. I'm not sure which it is? Does anyone experience this? It is very painful and frightening. If so.. Does this symptom subside? Does your level of internal structure return? It comes straight from the adrenals and just gives and intense fear body reaction.

 

[snappy_turtle]

I completely know what you're referring to.

In my time with dealing with PTSD, I've come to know that feeling very well, but as far as I've been able to observe, it doesn't go away as quickly as we would like.

What you CAN do to help it, however, is to create that internal dialogue in your head - that voice of reason and mindfulness. It should help you realize what's going on faster, and as a result you can talk yourself down to a moderate level of normality.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

Can you clarify? I get what I call "mental" anxiety and "physical" anxiety. The mental anxiety can be dealt with by using my CBT skills. The physical anxiety, on the other hand, can't be dealt with in that manor.

I'm thinking that what you are referring to is what I call my physical anxiety. It's as if I can feel it surging through my veins. Sometimes I feel like running around the neighborhood just to burn it off...and one time I did in 100 degree heat. I hated running at the time, so that just shows how bad it was!

 

[franciemarnie]

If there is no real threat to safety, I will do a body scan and see if it needs me to run in place or for real so that my body can sense and "understand" it isn't trapped and immobilized like long ago. Sometimes I need to punch out or just walk around.

I also use my senses to feel the here and now. What do I see, smell, hear, etc.

And I might go to a safe place in my head and use the senses again to feel the safety.

Somehow the body is picking up danger signals and I need to let it know physically there isn't the old nightmare happening again.

 

[cdg]

It is super intense. Most people just experience a butterfly sensation and calm down. This is intense butterfly followed with a huge rush of either adrenaline or cortisol. As if there is no level to the worry. Just extreme fear reaction. Is this a trigger?

 

[quic]

I know what you are talking about. The physical response to fear or even the memory of fear can be intense and measurable.

I used to have severe high blood pressure (off the charts) as a side effect of dealing with my PTSD my blood pressure readings are now normal or even low normal. Heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, digestion, vision, hearing, all can be altered by a stress response. I spent years learning and teaching martial arts and meditation, turns out I was just getting better at repressing my symptoms and they would just keep getting stronger.

If you are dealing with your problem in the right way, the physical response will go away. You can't change the fact that the human body responds to stress in a physical way, but you can reduce the stress impact. Do some research on Mindfullness meditation, look for Jon Kabat zinn. It is used in many aspects of medicine, especially pain management.

 

[cdg]

It's completely abnormal. I get worried and bam. It's strikes before I can calm myself down. Like my cortisol or adrenaline is released all at once. I don't know what to do about it.

 

[quic]

Someone once described the human nervous system to me as a wild primitive animal trapped deep inside an intelligent mind. I often picture my subconscious mind as an alert animal constantly watching for a threat. All it takes is a slight sign of a threat and it goes into full alert.

The physical response to fear or stress was originally intended to keep us safe from predators. But, now we have become victims of our alarm system.

All animals have the instinct to fight or flee. Some people are more like gazelles and some of us are like rhinos. While gazelles live in constant fear of a predator, it takes something pretty frightening to get a rhino worked up. Sounds like you are more of a gazelle. Your “inner animal” is on high alert, ready to flee or fight at any time and that is a horrible feeling.

One approach to lowering this response is to listen to it, FLEE or FIGHT. Go for a walk, run, hike, or swim. Or you can fight it out by punching something in a safe controlled environment. There are boxing gyms opening up everywhere for this very reason. Sometimes we just need to let out the physical energy. While I love yoga and practice it regularly, I have worn out several punching bags and running shoes.

I am so sorry to hear you are experiencing this and I trust you are working with a medical professional. Don’t give up; there is a solution out there for you. It is my belief that we can train our mind, our body and even that inner beast to work together in a way that allows us to live happy and fulfilling lives. Blessing to you.

 

[cdg]

Thanks for the replies. They are greatly appreciated. I think I should have described this in a different way.. Its and extreme startle response.

 

[Bubblegirl]

I am so glad to hear that there is help for the physical adrenaline rush phenomenon. It does seem to be an extreme startle response, and is painful and frightening. I too feel it rushing through my veins. It can days anywhere from hours to days for my body to calm.

Thank you all for your comments, I am much encouraged.