Bonus:

We all know gripping anxiety, worrisome emotions and inner panic are horrible feelings to manage on a daily basis, but what if anxiety is not a meaningless mistake?

What if anxiety is a biological response to trapped and unresolved stress in our bodymind (mind, body and spirit)?

If we only focus on the symptoms, we will be stuck trying to sedate and control our inner panic, but if we focus on the cause, we can address the heart of the matter.

People struggling with anxiety, burnout or adrenal fatigue who have had enough of coping with these exhausting symptoms can reflect on these powerful questions:

Scan your childhood and adult history and ask: Have you experienced a dramatic event that was unexpected or highly stressful?

For example: Parents getting divorced, moving, changing schools, being bullied, witnessing intense fighting, unexpectedly losing your job, being in a car accident, losing a loved one, finding out your partner was cheating on you, having an unplanned pregnancy, etc.?

Highly stressful events can create a habitual track pattern of worrisome thoughts, beliefs and emotions that an individual’s psyche get stuck on.

Did you grow up in a household where there was alcoholism, drug abuse or a volatile parent? Did you grow up in an unpredictable environment, not knowing if one day you would feel safe and the next day not?

Years of being in an unpredictable environment can effect our biology and habitual thought patterns. We can constantly be on guard or anxious as a way of protecting and preparing from unexpected threats. This fear can last well into adulthood as an unconscious pattern.

Did you grow up with a perfectionist? Did you ever feel a lot of pressure to excel or even be “perfect” in everything? Did you feel pressure to get exceptional grades, have a perfect weight and outer appearance or excel as an athlete, performer, etc.?

Do you now find yourself trying to manage five million things run by the internal pressure of having to do everything perfectly?

If you said yes to any of the questions above, you might be interested to know how this stress could impact you on a biological level.

The International Association of Meta-Medicine is a research organization made up of doctors and health professionals from around the world. It looks at disease not as a mistake of the body, but a bio-logical response to stress with the goal of adaptation, evolution, self-healing and survival of an organism.

Any of the stresses listed above could trigger an organ response in the adrenal medulla.

The adrenal medulla

Underlying emotions and thoughts:

“I can’t bear it anymore.”
“I am at the end of my rope.”
“This is too much to handle.”
“I am at my wit’s end.”
“I am so overwhelmed!”

Organ Bio-logical Response

The adrenal medulla gives the body more energy to deal with the stress of overwhelm. It will increase organ function and produce the stress hormones of norepinephrine, dopamine, and epinephrine to trigger the sympathetic fight or flight response. This gives us a huge spike in energy to achieve tasks.

When the stress has passed, the adrenal medulla will decrease organ function and go into heal and repair mode. This dramatically lowers energy levels and causes extreme fatigue. If the core conflict and achilles-heel stress patterns are left unresolved, this active-brain relay can lead to chronic symptoms of adrenal fatigue.

Anxiety’s Bio-logical Purpose

Adrenal fatigue is not a random mistake of the body. 24 hours a day, the body is adapting to meet the demands of our perceptions to challenges. It is doing its best to help us. At the same time, it is wise to understand that the body cannot lie. Its chronic symptoms are a direct form of communication that we have unresolved, limiting stress patterns holding us back in life. The body is one of our greatest teachers and tells us exactly what requires the light of our power and awareness.

When we resolve the stress associated with symptoms, we have the chance to clear ourselves from the inside out; the opportunity to change our lives in deep and meaningful ways.

Many times, when we experience a trauma we only see it from an all-or-nothing perspective. To resolve stress from the inside out, and bring equilibrium to the body, is to rise to an empowered soul level perspective. It’s looking at our journey from 360 degrees of wisdom and purpose, rather than just one degree of pain.

As the saying goes…the truth shall set you free.

Relephant read:

8 Natural Tips for Coping with Anxiety.

Bonus for those who are anxious and stressed::

Mindful Offering:

Natural Bath Salts \ 8OZ \ Blair’s Natural Reiki-Infused Spa-Grade

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Apprentice Editor: Guenevere Neufeld / Editor: Travis May

Photo: Eric Ward/Unsplash