There are two types of anxious exhaustion

Do you feel constantly exhausted but you’re too on edge to really rest?
Or do you feel like no matter how much sleep you get, you still never feel rested? Anxious exhaustion is not one thing.

These apparent contradictions are a result of being stuck in chronic survival mode, and the different types of anxious exhaustion relate to different stages of the survival response.

It’s important to understand what type you’re dealing with because the way to one is completely different from the other.

Type 1: Adrenal fatigue

When you've been in "go mode" for years, your body goes into chronic fight or flight and your adrenals start working overtime. Eventually, they burn out and you start feeling like you've got no more juice

Some symptoms of adrenal fatigue include:

• Mental and physical exhaustion

• Rumination and anxious agitation

• Body aches

• Sleep disruptions

• Sugar cravings

• Lightheadedness

Type 2: Shutdown

If you experienced significant stress in the period from 0-5 years old, or if you experienced a major shock at any point in your life, your body may have learned to cope by going into a shutdown state

Shutdown is similar to how small mammals "play dead." It can look like:

• Tiredness that gets worse with rest

• Feelings of numbness or collapse

• Anxious, intrusive thoughts

• Sudden sleepiness

In extreme cases It can look like:

• Catatonia

• Temporary partial paralysis

• Fainting

Shutdown feels like exhaustion but your body isn't actually tired - it's in a defensive state. Shutdown is the opposite of fight/flight. You don't need rest, you need action - in the appropriate dose

Navigating shutdown can be tricky. It's not as straightforward as fixing adrenal fatigue, but it absolutely can be done

In resilience,
Caitlin