Sensitization/Claire Weekes

[Fablegirl67]

So I've been reading Hope and Help For Your Nerves. It's been great, but I'm contemplating 'sensitization' and wondering how I became sensitized. Honestly? It's sort of creating more anxiety because I cannot pinpoint what exactly reduced me to this condition. For the most part though, everything else in the book makes sense and actually helps my anxiety. I just wish I could figure out my sensitization trigger.

[Fablegirl67]

Wow! That was an awesome response and very helpful. Thank you for taking the time to give such a detailed experience.

[Fablegirl67 in reply to Fablegirl67]

Explanation NOT experience.

[Calm_mama in reply to Fablegirl67]

You will get the hang of this It's stuff that should be taught in school IMO, as amazing anxiety is SO common!!

Since it is strange material/concepts to us at first, I think it's good to get many different ways of thinking about it all. I know that's what it took for me- to have it explained to me in several different ways. This is why I like the various resources I have on my profile. They all support/promote Dr. Weekes' approach, but explain things in their own way. For eg, Paul David (the book, "At Last a Life") thinks of sensitization as similar to a broken bone. It will heal, but it takes time and we have to treat it properly (cast, rest, physical therapy). If we leave it uncasted, it is sure not to heal. He also describes how with extreme sensitization, the nerves are kind of "vibrating". This is of course not true- but it's a good way to think about it. Temporarily vibrating. No big

So getting those 2 concepts down- what anxiety is doing and what the nerves are doing- is hugely helpful in terms of recovery.

I think of my anxiety center in my mind as a little red baron. Kind of like Snoopy with his goggles and scarf on, surveying the scene at all times. I have several anxiety avatars for my anxiety that all fit the story- whichever one I use, my anxiety is always loving, fiercely protective of me, and simply does his job too well. It helps to think of it this way because I don't fight back when it "does its thing". I accept it. Why would I fight a normal physiological response? We cannot accept something we don't understand. Find a way to understand your anxiety that works for you!

If I have anxiety symptoms, or become sensitized, I think of my sympathetic nervous system as red and warm. The vibrating thing doesn't "click" as well for me. Red and warm. Like a low grade fever because I have a little cold or something. When those nerves- which innervate so many systems of the body- are red and warm with a little fever, all kinds of bizarre things so easily happen! All normal, all expected, all temporary. The body is just waiting for us to have the correct reaction to it all- to accept it all, give it a big "whatever". Carry on with life, placing no importance whatsoever on what is happening. It is then that the red, warm sympathetic nervous system starts to settle down back to it's normal blue color (again, my conceptualization- it doesn't really turn blue Nerves are actually whitish-grey).

This imagery has helped me tremendously. If it helps you at all, I'm so happy for that!

Combine this new understanding with exposure to those things we fear, all the while practicing the correct response to the panic/anxiety that ensues, and that is a recipe for total recovery.

All along the way, we learn new things about ourselves. This is a journey. For example, it may become clear that we need to make a change in life. This is part of the, "what, if anything, triggered this?" Because sometimes there is something that is really stressing us out that we actually can change. A job, relationship, path that isn't working for us.

Check out the resources on my profile. And read lots of folks' input on this site because there are so MANY pearls of wisdom. Be patient as you learn about how our amazing, anxious minds work. Little things will start to click - little "ah ha's!" here and there. They all add up to recovery.

[Beevee in reply to Calm_mama]

Brilliant reply. As usual. ♥️

[Hidden in reply to Calm_mama]

Calm_mama....this is such an amazing description. As I was reading it I was able to visualize exactly how it was working in my own body. Thank you so much for these responses!!

[TriggerPoint]

My PTSD Therapist Explained Trigger Points Well... He Also Told Me If There's No Trigger Point You Can Identify ? That Is Called "Spillover"... If You Have An Anxiety Disorder A Little "Spillover" Is To Be Expected... Well ? If Ya Kinda Think About It. Look At Nicotine. When You Smoke Your Body Needs A Certain Level Of Nicotine That It Expects. That's Why Some People Smoke Far More After They Wake Up From A Nights Sleep Until "That" Level Is Satisfied. [ addiction ] Then Slow Down During The Rest Of Their Waking Hours..So, If You Think About A Anxiety Disorder [ Being Highly Sensitive In The Brain To Using Adrenalin ], Makes You Wonder If Over Time The Body May Have Developed An Addiction To A Certain Level Of Adrenalin. [ kinda makes ya wonder don't it ].

As A Smoker. [ wish i could just stop ], Sometimes I Find Myself Thinking, " How & Why Did I Smoke That Many Cigarettes This Morning ?" [ then i found out about the levels the body expect from nicotine, the levels go way down during 8 or so hours sleeping and when you wake it's using the tobacco to get that level back up ]

So, With That In Mind. It Makes Me Wonder If We Who Have "Anxiety Disorders & Panic Attacks" Have Developed A Higher Expectation Of A "Adrenaline Level" Without Realizing It.

Maybe That Could Explain "Spillover". Plus The Outa Nowhere "Panic Attacks" [ which is a "adrenaline dump"] & Feeling Higher Anxiety In Situations Not Being Able To Recognize A Trigger Point.... Mmmm, Something To Ponder Isn't it ?

Thanks & Prayers~*

[Fablegirl67 in reply to TriggerPoint]

Indeed...Fascinating thoughts to ponder. Thank you.

[Autumn822 in reply to TriggerPoint]

Do you think if we where to say jump out of an airplane or even just ride a roller coaster we could come back to normal afterwards? Lol just wondering..I was riding coasters up to a couple of years ago..had no anxiety afterwards. Desperate for answers.

[TriggerPoint in reply to Autumn822]

Lol... I See What You Mean. & Your Question ? My Thought ? NO. Not If It "Scared You" When They Said It. The "Fear" Is Already Setting You Up For The Dump. I Think We Come Back From A "Adrenaline Dump" Having [ being diagnosed with the disorder ] A Generalized GAD Condition. GAD & A Panic Attack Are Two Totally Different Things. The Other No Anxiety Situation You Had ? Heck, I've Had Procedures That I Had Anxiety About Only To Realize It Wasn't Really That Bad [ no anxiety after the initial fear of having it ], But It Still Didn't Stop or/ Heal My Anxiety Disorder.

LOL...I Am Just Always Wanting To Think Too Deep I Guess... Just Kinda Thinking That The "Everyday" GAD Symptoms [ not the anxiety/panic attack ] Could Be That We With GAD Have Higher Adrenaline Levels In Our Bloodstream. [?]

[ it could explain allot of our physical tense and stress symptoms ]

LOL... There I Go !*

Thanks

[Beevee in reply to Autumn822]

Yes. It’s just adrenalin that causes all the sensation you dislike so much. You get the same sensation riding a roller coaster because it makes you produce adrenalin. The ONLY difference between the two is that you dislike anxiety but love riding roller coasters. So, you don’t pay too much attention to the roller coaster feelings because you are enjoying the experience, and focussed on the ride, not how you might be feeling. If you also paid little attention to your symptoms of anxiety , they would die down too because our natural default setting is always peacefulness. its all just adrenalin but because you fear it, you keep producing more adrenalin and the symptoms you hate. Lose the fear of the feelings of fear and you’ve nailed it. It’s then just a matter of time to allow the mind and body settle back to the default setting. In the same way as a roller coaster, recovery is very much an up and down affair with setbacks but sooner or later, the ride will stop and you can get off. Permanently.

[Beevee]

Don’t waste time and energy trying to figure out what caused it. In all likelihood it was due to prolonged worrying or stressing about something or lots of little things. I’m still not sure how my anxiety developed but don’t give a toss because I learned that I couldn’t change what happened in the past. I just focussed on getting better which happened when I learned to truly accept the symptoms and lose my respect for them. I learned to stop caring how I felt and took my anxiety with me. Sure enough, it got bored and left me. I lost my fear of it.

Too much stress over a period of time sensitises the nerves that control your emotions. A mild example of this may be coming home after a stressful day at work and bursting into tears for no apparent reason or feeling a little irritated. Severe sensitisation magnifies those emotions ten fold so little things that you didn’t think too much about become huge issues.

These feelings can be alarming to those who don’t understand sensitisation and they become frightened. Fear then enters into the equation and the sufferer gets stuck in a cycle because their fear of the symptoms creates more symptoms...which they fear.

Keep practicing acceptance and you will recover.

[Xena13 in reply to Beevee]

Awesome

[Autumn822 in reply to Xena13]

I love your answer to this..perhaps you can offer some advice to me as i am making some headway in this area, my problem is that i have 24/7 hyperawareness to my heartbeat..mainly when lying down. Its constant in my head ears throat chest..like Palpatating tinnitis.

Its not just when i am anxious..it is 97% of the time..Its great to know i have a heartbeat, but is a constant trigger to health anxiety. I do have MVP with regurgitation.

But according to the Cardiologist not to a extent beyond normal in which most people have. Echo and stress test otherwise good.

These where due to an abnormal ECG. That they originally said looked like a small heart attack...and now after all these test..they say that this sort of ECG is not unusual to come back as abnormal for women. Because of my heartbeat being as it is..I am convinced something is wrong..I am waiting on results of a 30 day Heart monitor period that i just finished to see about symptoms of Palps skipped beats and racing heart. Most of which seam to ease significantly with 1/2 of an Ativan..which my doctor refuses to refill. All these symptoms started 3 years ago..went away until a very stressful event 5 months ago.

Now they are back with a vengence.

[Autumn822 in reply to Xena13]

Hi i posted my reply on your comment it was meant for another poster please forgive tbe oversight.

[Fablegirl67 in reply to Beevee]

Awesome reply. Thank you.

[Autumn822 in reply to Beevee]

I love your answer to this..perhaps you can offer some advice to me as i am making some headway in this area, my problem is that i have 24/7 hyperawareness to my heartbeat..mainly when lying down. Its constant in my head ears throat chest..like Palpatating tinnitis.

Its not just when i am anxious..it is 97% of the time..Its great to know i have a heartbeat, but is a constant trigger to health anxiety. I do have MVP with regurgitation.

But according to the Cardiologist not to a extent beyond normal in which most people have. Echo and stress test otherwise good.

These where due to an abnormal ECG. That they originally said looked like a small heart attack...and now after all these test..they say that this sort of ECG is not unusual to come back as abnormal for women. Because of my heartbeat being as it is..I am convinced something is wrong..I am waiting on results of a 30 day Heart monitor period that i just finished to see about symptoms of Palps skipped beats and racing heart. Most of which seam to ease significantly with 1/2 of an Ativan..which my doctor refuses to refill. All these symptoms started 3 years ago..went away until a very stressful event 5 months ago.

Now they are back with a vengence.

[Beevee in reply to Autumn822]

Wait to see the results and take it from there. Hyper awareness of the heartbeat is probably the most common symptom of anxiety because those not familiar with panic attacks (I prefer to call them energy surges because that is all they are) think they are having a heart attack and fear their return. When fear makes an appearance, it leaves the door open to further energy surges because the person fears having another, which they probably will! So they avoid going places in case it happens which is how agoraphobia develops. All because they fear a natural sensation which is designed to protect them from danger. It is only doing what you are telling it to do because you fear the symptoms. Learn to accept all symptoms and they will go. Easier said than done but it is entirely possible. I’m sure you have done many things in your life which you feared but with practice, overcame those fears. This is no different. It just takes practice and then allowing time for the mind and body to calm down and nerves to de-sensitise.

Like Calm Mama said, this stuff should be taught in schools, especially as kids seem to be under more pressure than ever. What with their 24/7 social media spotlight! Howver, it only becomes a problem when they fear the symptoms of stress. Can you see how easy it is to fall into the trap laid by sensitisation?

[Calm_mama in reply to Autumn822]

Autumn 822 I recommend u read all of Beevee's posts then follow him magnificent

[Autumn822]

Thank u..I will.

[Beevee in reply to Autumn822]

Wish my kids were as compliant 🤣