Are
You Addicted to Adrenaline?
"Fear less, hope more; Whine less, breathe more;
Talk less, say more; Hate less, love more;
And all good things are yours.
Swedish Proverb |
Do most days have a peaceful and centered quality to them?
Or are you often stressed, rushed and hurried?
Do you have trouble focusing?
Could be you are addicted to adrenaline and don’t know it. Adrenaline is that old “fight or flight” stimulus that has been around since the caveman days. The adrenal gland is part of your immune system and is suppose to keep you well and healthy. When we are stressed, it kicks into high gear with chemicals that help our bodies face the challenges and cope with difficult situations.
Many of us who live in achievement-focused, modern day America, are using adrenaline as the fuel to keep us going. And while, it’s a great resource to use some of the time, when it is used as your primary fuel, you are setting yourself up for some very nasty side effects.
|
| Side
Effects of Adrenaline Addiction... |
Using adrenaline as your fuel source will lead to eventual exhaustion and burnout. You’ll notice that you have trouble focusing and enjoying life. You will tend to get sick more often, since you are diverting immune system’s resources. While this usually won’t happen until, after the big push, it will happen.
John Wanamaker’s observation, "People who cannot find time for recreation are obliged sooner or later to find time for illness” is on target for those who use adrenaline as their energy source.
In the October 2000 issue Yoga Journal, Dr. Dharma Singh Khalsa says the stress response of “near-constant cortisol release (from the adrenal gland) can damage the memory center of the brain…..we lose our ability to concentrate, and recall.” He says as we get older, the brain becomes less adept at managing the chemical release. His studies are primarily with treating Alzheimer’s disease. I found this link quite scary. I do notice, though, when I am relying on the energy from rushing and last minute deadlines, my ability to focus is decreased. Dr Archibald Hart’s book,
Adrenaline and
Stress,
is an in depth look at the whole problem and links addiction to adrenaline as a leading indicator of future heart disease.
|
| Are
you an Adrenaline Addict? |
Here are some questions:
1.
Do you constantly check your messages on your phone all day long?
2. Do you drink 3 or more caffeinated coffee or drinks each day
to
keep going?
3. Does standing in line make you edgy and annoyed?
4. Do you tailgate, drive over the speed limit regularly and get
upset
with other drivers?
5. Do you react strongly to surprises?
6. Do you schedule your appointments so you just make it from
one
to another?
7. Do you spend time around others you are frantically working
as
hard or harder than you?
8. Do you take on more than you want to be nice and because
you can?
9. Do you attract more problems than you deserve?
10. Do you eat sugar to calm yourself?
11. Do you say, "I do my best work under pressure?"
12. Do you find a way to sabotage yourself or a project, yet pull
if off
at the last moment?
13. Do you get very upset when others let you down? Do you take
it personally?
14. Are you working very hard, yet clearly not winning?
15. Do you continue to talk after others have stopped listening?
16. Is it difficult to focus for more than 10 minutes on any one
thing?
17. Do you try to please everyone around you?
18. Do surprises or upsets continue to upset you for a day or
more?
19. Do you feel an edgyness or lack of stillness if you aren't
doing
something?
20. Do you feel disappointed in yourself or guilty for not doing
more?
|
If
you answered yes to 5 or more of the questions above, welcome to the
club! You aren’t alone.
|
| Breaking
the Addiction... |
The good news is that with awareness and some changes, you can bring more peace into your life and get off the adrenaline treadmill. Like any addiction, you must want to make the change and be willing to go through some discomfort.
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| Step
1 |
|
Your
awareness
is the first step. Notice when you are triggering the release:
Your heart rate goes up, your breathing becomes more rapid,
you experience a rush of energy, your hands get cold. |
|
| Step
2 |
|
For
a week, make a list of all things that trigger this physical
response. |
|
| Step
3 |
|
For
each trigger, identify a solution and start to change your
behavior |
|
| Some
Examples of Triggers |
|
and
Solutions |
| |
|
|
| Using
Caffeine Excessively |
|
Cut
out all Caffeinated Products |
| |
|
|
| Rushing,
Being Late |
|
Leave
so you can arrive 10 min early |
| |
|
|
| Involved
in many non-essential Projects |
|
Cut
out 50% of all projects & goals |
| |
|
|
Overpromising
results
|
|
Deliberately
underpromise EVERYTHING |
| |
|
|
| Doing
everything you should |
|
Re-examine
whose agenda you are living |
| |
|
|
| Driving
too fast |
|
Don't
pass another car for a whole week |
| |
|
|
| Dual
Tasking Constantly |
|
Focus
on one thing until complete |
| |
|
|
|
|
| Step
4 |
|
Start scheduling some time for contemplation and silence. DO nothing. This will be very hard at first but will get easier. Ideally, give yourself at least 15 minutes of silence each day.
|
|
The
discomfort of feeling like you “should” be doing something, of feeling
guilty because you aren’t pushing yourself to excel will rear their
ugly heads. You, however, will find that boredom is the gateway
to peacefulness and might decide that nothing and no one is worthy
of stealing your peace! You will also notice that it is easier to
accomplish more when your focus is increased and you will struggle
less. You’ll actually make more and do less. How does that sound?
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