Controlling Adrenaline Rush

[briarrose]

How many of you guys have learned to control your Adrenaline rushes so well that you are accused or it is assumed that you don't have emotion anymore?

When I first was ill with Dysautonomia, any little thing would set off my symptoms. If I got mad, upset, excited, etc. I remember once going to watch something like Indiana Jones in the movie theatre and in one of those edge of your seat type moments I was so excited that my heart took off flying and skipping, after the movie I tried to leave the theatre but didn't even make it to the exit before I dropped to the floor.

I had a boyfriend that use to infuriate me so much so that towards the end of our relationship I just started controlling my emotion. Now a new friend of mine who isn't familiar with this illness accuses me of not caring because I don't show emotion, so it has got me thinking, am I the only one who controls their emotion so well that it would seem like we are emotionless?

Hope you guys understand what I'm saying here

[Roselover]

Wow Briarrose - what an interesting question! And BTW - nice to see ya! I'm around Dinet off and on... often just reading, but today my little brain is awake and I feel like talking so I thought I'd answer some posts! And there you were!!!

I think you've posed a very interesting question and I wonder what others think. You know, I am a person of faith in God and before illness... my emotions would often try to take over, but I learned a lot about "leading my heart" rather than "my heart leading me" and about how my faith and spiritual beliefs could help me balance that. And, I have the family training and genetics to obsees and worry - though it's pretty mild in me ... at least compared to family members LOL! And I had times that I had to process worry, and I learned how NOT to let little things affect me. Like I watch family members (I'm talking extended family) get upset about things... and I think - it's just not worth it! I don't need the stress of worrying about that.... so in that way I might be viewed by my family as "not feeling" as much as they do.

BUT... that's all BEFORE illness...

This year my adrenaline rushes have increased in severity. They don't happen often, but when they do it's wild! I had one night that I laid in bed for hours... with adrenaline rushing for no reason. My heart pounded... I was in a cold sweat...I had butterflies in my stomach like something was wrong or I was worried or anxious about something. And I'd start to try to evaluate the worry as if it was a real worry - but then I kept remembering... I wasn't worried! I wasn't scared! I wasn't anxious about anything! I just had the physcial symptoms as if I was! I find that very wierd!

And for me... I still haven't been able to apply any kind of emotional or thinking control over it because it's purely physical and hits unexpectedly. I do now take one small dose of Zanax when it is purely physical because it seems to stop whatever is happening in my body.

Just this past weekend though... I had some serious emotional events - and the physical symptoms went crazy!!! It was several days of several events througout the day. Most of them, as I applied my "worry control" I'd learned before illness... my body would follow.... very slowly... but if I was paitent it would slow down. But one time it hit so hard - even controlling the emotions and worry didn't stop the physical. I finally got to a point where my heart and mind were calm and peaceful - but my body was acting just the opposite. That time I used a Zanax to slow the body down to match my true mindset.

That's my experience. You seem to be saying that if you allow a situation to lead you into adrenaline release - then it takes over. (like I expereinced once this weekend) So you have learned to control the situation so that you don't enter that extra-adrenaline stage.

I suppose, the important thing is that you answer your own question. Have you shut off all your emotions so that you can control your physcial body? If you have, you have to weight the benefits with the costs, and make sure you're not losing out on other things that you may actually need in life. (for example, I could emotionally shut out my kids and not have a weekend like last weekend! But then I'd lose out on those relationships. But there are other things I do choose to cut out cause, to be honest, the physcial price is just not worth it)

It's a very strange balancing act I think. Other people can not understand what the emotions cost us physcially!!!! And yet... there are times we need to choose to connect emotionally and pay the physical consequences.

Hope this helps a little. I'm so wordy because I just went through a hard weekend and I could relate to your question. I think a year ago I wouldn't have even understood what you were asking.

Luv ya!!!!

Melanie

[pat57]

you sound like a good canidate for bio feed back. And they would have a good answer for you too. Doing this without guideance you may make an important mistake.

Beats me!

I have lots of practice controling anxiety. Cognitive therapy. I think this also would be a good thing for you. "We" do not suppress emotions "we" let them come and let them go. It most certainly does reduce the physilogical response. It does not appear as suppression of emotions either. Its a very simply process works magnificintly but takes daily practice and months of teaching.

Either would probably take a good block of time, but I believe would be well worth it.

[Tammy]

So true! I sometimes feel like a robot as all the simple pleasures in my life I have to control,like how much I laugh sometimes causes skipped beats/lightheaded, and cry - that's really asking for a adrenaline surge, can't get angry or I'll likely puke on the person I'm arguing with... and excitement from anything can about put me out for the count. Ah, the wonderful world of Pots!!!

[briarrose]

Some very interesting responses, thx guys

Mel it's good to see you again. I know I haven't been around much this past 6 months as my daughter has been really sick, ontop of everything else.

Not sure if I need biofeedback but not closing my mind to it. Just saying that to avoid the POTS roller-coaster I choose to control the emotion that might set off the symptoms, that isn't saying that I don't ever experience them. I would say that days I have to work, I definitely try to control my work atmosphere so I don't struggle as much. Where as when I'm home it's a safe place to let loose.

[mom4cem]

I try to controll them also, though not so well. I try to distance myself from things that potentially will set me off. Just watching my kids play their sports, I have to control myself from yelling, cheering whatever, otherwise, boom! it sets off.

I also find that when I seem emotionless, it's not always so. What others may not see on the outside, may be going on in the inside.

[scarfgirl]

Good question.

My demeanor is such that my hubby has nicknamed me "Mr. Spock", an epithet he particularly likes to throw at me during arguments. However I'm not sure how much of that I can attribute to my illness and how much of it is just my natural mien. I can remember all the way back to elementary school feeling a bit like an odd duck b/c I couldn't seem to giggle and scream like other girls loved to do.

If being sick hasn't changed how I feel emotion, it has changed how I express it. I don't cry anymore, for instance. While nothing is more cathartic than bawling your eyes out during a nice hot shower, I know that any tears shed will only result in a sinus headache that will have me bed-ridden for the next two days as well as a puffy face and red eyes that'll take forever to go away. And no matter how excited I get, I'm not gonna jump up and down with joy b/c I'm too likely to pass out. I still feel the same amount of happiness or sadness as before, I just express it differently.

Do a lot of people find their adrenaline rushes tied to their emotions? Mine just always seem to happen at random, or are triggered by a sudden change in my environment. I've never noticed an emotional connection.

[Tanzanite]

My nickname is Darth Vada because I'm so emotionally cold. I have to be. Mostly with anger, sadness, all negative emotions. I end up with horrendous stomach upsets, heart rate all over the place, I could go on. The adrenaline thing then means I can't get much sleep so the next day I'm paralysed for an hour or so, also feel the most incredible weakness, can't talk and feel so ill.