Over-stimulating the Senses - Addiction to Adrenaline and Beta Endorphins?

[Just Sara]

Hi all;

I've been self assessing for a long time now, and have come across an habitual need to stimulate myself with dysfunctional thoughts that prop me up or give a perception I'm not small or insignificant at all; feeling powerful and a winner.

On the flip side, I've also had thoughts that bring me down (too big for my boots) causing a 'normal' feeling of being average or small/insignificant...safe from ridicule or punishment.

We've all had those fantasies of kicking the winning goal or standing on a podium with trophy in hand sucking up the acclaim and cheers from the crowd. But what if those fantasies turned into yelling at someone until they were on their knees leaving you feeling pumped and superior? Or maybe getting in between parents to fend off upcoming violence and be the hero?

Isolating myself has turned my world inward where I play out the day in my head. This is where I've been living and getting to be on top, or berate myself into submission.

The other noticeable factor is the adrenaline or beta endorphin rush I can have from this; undetected until recently due to the normality of 'feeling' this way.

Looking for a discussion peep's...your thoughts?

Sara

[Just Sara]

Doesn't matter Starburst!

All's well that end's well...

The link took me straight to where I needed to go...my link bypasses Google...many grateful thanks xo

[Starwolf]

But...but...but...that post was confiscated before I could finish writing it and reappeared looking like brain vomit after a magic mushroom hangover !

OK, try again. Have you come across Deepak Chopra's books ? (Creating Health, Return of the Rishi, Quantum Healing to name a few...). He's an Indian endocrinologist, practicing in the States, of course very much into the Mind/Body/Spirit connection. I have a feeling you'll find his work interesting.

[SourceShield]

Hello again lovelies!,

One of the greatest downfalls of being addicted to adrenaline is eventually it can just wipe us out!

Adrenal failure caused by overproduction of the chem, can then lead to psycho-motor retardation..that feeling of just having no energy to do ANYTHING.

I was raised in a domestically violent home.

When my Mum was being beaten she would call for me to help her.

I was still a child but the 'rush' that I would get made me feel like Superman...or at least Superboy!

I was able to pick her partner up off of her, and throw them across the room, or stand in between them until he backed down...apparently it was the look in my eyes that scared him.

I know the rush of adrenaline all too well.

Since then I have sought out experiences to give me that rush, some negative - getting into fights, just to feel alive, and some positive (positive for me anyway) - I love roller coasters and bungy jumping!!!

Its the chems that we're addicted to, as you know - and with the endocrine, for me, its also the rush of testosteronal brute force that comes...which started as a child protecting my mother, then maladapted.

I have learned that we can retrain the body-mind to become "addicted" to other neurotransmitters and hormones, others that wont cause any negative bio-effect like adrenal failure.

Oxytocin - the love chem, for example, can be produced through intentful creative visualisation and mindful meditation.

I realise that there is a need to understand the process, rather than just to discuss the healing qualities but I do feel that being addicted to these other chems, that can be produced without creating stress and cortisol, is far more sustainable...and actually feel better.

It's also interesting that you mentioned sugar earlier as well, sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup, are the MOST addictive chems.

A brain coming down off sugar, and coming down of heroine...pretty much looks like the same thing.

Understanding the way we are chemically, really can help us to better understand why we do what we do...and then theres understanding how we are on a subatomic level...now, thats cool!.

May your dopamine levels be plentiful and abundant!

PeaceOut

[V17]

WoW! I hear you Sara about the incredible strengths of all of you that have posted here - even those just reading - each of us has a story to tell but importantly, like so many have said (..and I so truly, deeply and irrevocably BELIEVE it) it's not what brings us down to our knees that defines us; it's how we get up. I see such determination, courage and tenacity here. Pure awesomeness in it's rawest form.
I reflected on your initial post and began to wonder, (and now begin to believe), the jobs I have taken since an attempt was made on life; were my adrenaline addiction. I was a firefighter, security officer, banquets manager - all put me under extreme pressure where I had to think fast, act fast and not second guess. The second guessing and doubt I feel is debilitating sometimes. I see now after the last job (manager in a pub environment) I held it was no wonder I burnt out. Also the fact that I was such a daredevil, driving way beyond the speed limit - stuff like that. I 'got off' on how people seemed to 'see' me.

SS your post gave me incredible insight. I was used as the neighborhood 'bike' I was only 11 - 13. I'm still coming to terms with allowing it to happen. Believing I asked for it; that I didn't try and stop it. But when you said feeling UNLOVABLE, UNWORTHY, UNSAFE & UNWANTED - it kinda broke me. It's like now every layer I peel off I see all what is rotten and decaying.
I'm not afraid now to see it; I'm ready to confront it.

So I wonder now if this explicit rage I feel is years of 'all of the above' of people pleasing and 'shelving'. I mean I still buy pizza off of the tosser who used and abused me - wth is THAT? Fool. Jeez, I feel such self loathing.. I got a long way to go huh? One day at a time. Dig deep and stay the cause; me, getting better and stronger.

V.

[Kazzl]

Hello lovelies - what a fabulous thread this is! I don't want to interrupt but thought I'd just throw in a plug for a book I found fascinating, if anyone wants to know more about neuroplasticity - it's called The Brain That Changes Itself, by Dr Norman Doidge. A very readable work on a complex subject.

That's all, I'll just sit and listen now. 😊

Cheers

Kaz

[SourceShield]

GREAT BOOK!.

One of the best reads about that topic.

Champion.

[1113]

Hi Sconnor, SS and all

SS: your brain is running on all cylinders. So much information and Im soaking it up like a sponge. Thankyou.

Some help/advice,



Ive had a real funky day. Not the groovy funky but that funk feeling. Before my last major episode i was running a half marathon with 6min kms. I was a healthy weight and fit but not mentally stable. I haven't been able to run for months and put on a huge 10kg. Now I feel reasonably stable and really want to run again. I am so afraid of adrenaline addiction. I just recently have the feeling of being normal/stable and I've had pretty rough time over the last 4 months. My biggest concern is becoming increasingly dependent on that feeling which is great btw. I love the outdoors, running until my head is clear. But stability........so funky.



Which way to go?



Peace and harmony

6 out

[SourceShield]

Hey Six!

The TRUTH truth is during exercise you're gonna produce a cocktail of 'stuff' - adrenaline, seratonin, dopamine, endrophs and possibly cortisol...dependent on the exertion.

So a type of Bodyful-intelligence is needed, to bring balance.

Exercise and movement is really important for countless reasons - it will help to produce the chems in the body that will keep the body healthy and well - so the fact that you WANT to get more active needs to be encouraged.

So, you're gonna release adrenaline when you exercise...its just gonna happen, as you know.

Its not about avoiding that fact but bringing balance to the body, and to your health.

We need to have other healthy habits in place as well, that compliment us on a holistic level - I know that the word HOLISTIC has been brutalised in the last few years and now we have holistic socks?!?!? WTF. But by holistic I just mean looking at 'the whole picture' - generally the mind, body, emotions...and for many of us, the spirit as well.

Giving us a broader spectrum to work within.

By healthy habits, I mean things that may be second nature to you!

Deep, slow intentional breathing for 15mins - 20mins after exercise - will produce oxytocin...which will level out your adrenaline and cortisol levels.

A test was held with people that had experienced clinical depression for many years.

They were invited to SMILE, just smile for 20mins - looking at themselves in the mirror, has to be a smile that meets the eyes...they did this for about a month, and NONE of the participants have experienced depression again.

Purposeful smiling - will bring on serotonin and all the other natural opiates as well.

I know in our society we are forever being warned about the dangers of addiction, and rightfully so in the case of many meds,chems and drugs, but lets face it, we're all addicted to these chems in our body...we just didn't know that 10 years ago, and now we do.

So, its a choice --- which chems are you choosing to be hooked to?

The natural feel-goods or the others?

Because its not just the adrenaline that you're hooked too but most likely the dopamine as well, which is released when we complete a task - so when you decide to run and then do it, you release dopamine.

Eating good wholefoods, will keep the chems in the gut working efficiently, meaning that less acid will be produced, meaning less cortisol being produced...its all inter-related.

Its magic really!

[1113]

Thankyou ss

So cool and very understandable. Im going to let that sink in.

Cheers

6

[SourceShield]

I hope your evening gets a lot better for you!.

May your serotonin levels flourish and be ever funky, in a groovy way...of course!.