“Why do I need to learn how to relax! There is something seriously wrong with me. I need to find out how to fix that!”
This was my internal dialogue as I sat in a group of misfit lost causes, at a hospital-led course on stress-management. The misfit group consisted people with a hodgepodge of those troublesome symptoms of unclear origin: severe anxiety, digestion issues, chronic pain, migraines. I figured the doctors didn’t know what to do with us so they prescribed us this course to learn to cope with the symptoms. I was in for chronic pain, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, major depression, and dystonia.
A soft voiced young counsellor earnestly presented relaxation and mindfulness techniques: Progressive Relaxation, thought awareness, and Heart Coherence. I did the practices with my habitual “please the teacher and be the best in class” zest hoping that the techniques would help my body heal. I was an eager student, but I didn’t really believe that these techniques could make a difference and I was stuck on finding out what was going on. I ended up being an inconsistent practitioner.
The research is now very strong on the relationship between stress and the body and that certain specific techniques that counteract the stress response and change the internal state of the body can result in significant health improvements. Rest, repair, and healing can not occur when the body is under continual stress.
You have heard of it right? The Fight, Flight, or Freeze (FFF) Response: A response emerging from the “primitive” part of the brain that prepares the body for a physical fight or a flee.
The Fight, Flight or Freeze Response in the Body:
Respiration rate increases;
Blood is pumped to the big muscles;
Blood is pumped out of the fingers leaving them numb, cold, and tingly;
Pupils dilate to allow in more light (this may result in visual effects like things seeming brighter or fuzzier, and seeing black spots);
Muscles tense up so they are ready to strike out;
Body temperature increases;
Heart rate increases;
Sweating may increase;
Focus is narrowed;
The rocket fuel-like adrenaline is manufactured at rapid speed and pumped through the body;
Unnecessary functions like digestion, reasoning, and reproduction are shut down; and
The brain starts scanning for negative memories to scan for danger.
You are like Rocky Balboa all pumped up and ready to for the big fight.
Why has every person who has ever taught me about the stress FFF response used the example of fighting a sabre toothed tiger? Surely there were other threats in the unspecified primitive time period when this response was developed and needed in the human brain. Why not venomous snakes? or herds of bison?
Certainly there were no printer jams, traffic jams, staff meetings, snarky co-workers, or airport security line-ups. But that little primitive brain of ours is still revving up for a fight in response to these modern stressful experiences. As if wining a fight with a sabre-toothed tiger would earn you a place at the front of the line at the airport. People would probably do it.
Modern stressors include constant worry and fear about:
the economy,
debt and finances,
pandemics,
political climate,
environmental concerns,
what other people think,
looking good and having it all together,
job loss,
poor health,
child-rearing,
marital problems
personal achievement,
rushing around to various commitments
comparing oneself to others, and
the constant dinging from that stupid device in your pocket
Even though there is no physical fight to be had, the primitive little brain identifies each fear or stimulus as a real physical threat. The stress response takes off in the body and adrenaline starts flowing like a champagne tower on New Year’s Eve.
With our connection to technology, we never get a break. There are televisions in dentist’s offices and taxi cabs so we don’t miss a minute of news. Each news story alerting us to a potential threat. Those devices in our pockets and purses are constantly dinging, alerting us to something that needs our attention.
The bad thing is the constant stimulus on a continual basis has an impact on the body. Chronic stress can cause disease states in the body. See Dr. Joe explain it here in his video “Stress is Killing You!” He’s not kidding.
Luckily, there are things we can do to prevent stress and counteract it’s effects. I have compiled my favourite techniques coming up in separate post. Let’s face it no one’s attention span is this long.
This is the first of a series of posts on stress. Please sign up to my newsletter to receive my Sunday Newsletter below to ensure you get the other posts.
LOVE AND PEACE
I have been living with chronic illness and exploring the healing journey for over 20 years. I offer what I have learned from that journey to you in the form of aslowerkindoflife.com.
