Whenever I acknowledge my CPTSD symptoms I get WIPED OUT TIRED.
If I stay in denial and focus on being busy I have plenty of energy.
If I see a therapist, write about it, or tune into the reality of it, I become incapacitated with exhaustion.
I've been diagnosed by two separate people, roughly four years apart. I haven't done much trauma therapy.
Does anyone know the biochemical reason for this difference in energy levels?
Adrenaline.
One state produces excess adrenaline to give you the energy, the other switches off the adrenaline.
One state denies the trauma and healing that is required, the other says "enough, I need to look after me".
Oh.
Makes perfect sense.
Thank you Boy22 :)
Yep, I am there with you on that. Therapy and daily life are taking me down :fallingbricks: Do you see the smile after the bricks fall, that is where I am headed. Nice explanation Boy22, I can work with that. S&F hope you are finding your way with the energy shifting. :)
Thanks guys.
I'm learning to balance my energy. To do limited amounts and then retreat into my quiet dark space. To not push myself to the state that I need adrenaline to continue to function because that has a huge cost to me.
Fortunately I can structure my world to make this achievable.
I have noticed this too. Also, after very intense therapy sessions, I feel wiped out even if I went in feeling full of energy. Another thing, immediately after my mother died, I remember feeling just completely exhausted and fatigued like I never had before. The fatigue I feel after therapy feels similar to that, but not as intense and overwhelming.
Boy22, it is so fascinating to me that there is a physical cause for the exhaustion.
I also notice that during the work week, I feel fine and can manage to do the things that need to get done but on weekends can barely manage to get out of bed.