Stressed – Anxious – Overwhelmed – Sad – Can’t make a decision? – “I feel alone and I feel like I’m going mad”
I wanted to share with you how a lot of my patients who I have been seeing over the past few weeks have been feeling. If you are feeling any of the above and more, than please know that you are not alone.
Feeling overwhelmed and struggling to be around lots of other people? Does you head feel like it is going to ‘blow up’? Do you feel a foreboding in your stomach, like something bad is about to happen? This is STRESS, this is ANXIETY!
Why are you feeling so tired, nauseous, angry and sad?
Severe stress and trauma influence all aspects of the body – through a physical embodiment that impacts not just the brain, but our muscles, nervous system and perceptions of the world. It can also contribute to stress-induced immune dysfunction with significant implications for health, that emerges when environmental demands exceed the individual’s ability to cope. Even if a person does not appear to have a trauma-related disorder, it is important to recognize that compassion fatigue, STS or severe stress, impacts one’s life in significant ways. There are both physical and emotional symptoms such as arthritis, headaches, chronic pain, sleep disorders, heightened anxiety, depression and substance abuse. You might also see signs of impaired cognitive performance, suppressed thyroid function, blood sugar imbalances, decreased bone density, decrease in muscle tissue, a weakened immune function, increased abdominal fat, and increased risk of heart disease.
From the perspective of Eastern Medicine, the two primary systems that are impacted by severe stress and trauma are the Heart and the Kidney. The Secondary systems are the Liver and the Spleen. (I believe most of my patients will have heard me talk of these).
The heart is the root of life. When the heart is out of balance we may see lack of enthusiasm and vitality, mental restlessness, depression, insomnia, despair, confusion, anxiety, fidgeting, being easily startled, loss of vitality and spirit. Symptoms of an imbalance in this organ might present as insomnia, heart palpitations, irregular heartbeat, flashbacks, excessive dreaming, poor memory or concentration difficulties, dizziness, spontaneous sweating, flashbacks.
The Kidney relates to our drive, energy, will and purpose that guides our life and destiny so that we are able to move with fluidity and grace. When we experience severe stress secondary traumatic stress or trauma there may be feelings of fear, and insecurity, helplessness or horror as well as a lack of willpower, becoming withdrawn or isolated.
The secondary systems include the Liver and Spleen. The Liver stores the blood and is responsible for smooth flow of Blood and Qi. The emotion associated with the Liver is anger, and there may be resentment, frustration, irritability and moodiness. The emotion associated with the Spleen is worry and overthinking, and pensiveness. Ringing any bells?
YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
Why don’t you book in and together we can balance your body, mind & spirit. By using either Acupuncture or Tuning Forks alongside Essential Oils I can help you feel yourself once more.