unnatural exhaustion

we have episodes like this as well, thankfully not as often any more, maybe once or twice a year unless theres been some severe instability or crisis. I have no tips to suggest because it is so hard to get through them, but they do seem to fade away and energy gets restored again. In the meantime the sole focus becomes resting and shutting out the world, as trying to deal with the world makes the exhaustion worse. Sorry I cant help with advice, but I wanted to add to the post to say you are not alone with this kind of experience.

BeccaBee wrote:keep being patient. the inside is recalibrating so just trying to shut out external stimulation. it's like maintenance. when you clean your computer and reboot?

that's what it feels like for me. depression lay down and tune out is waaaay different than system shut down for internal maintenance and calibration. this doesn't sound like "i am so depressed I just want to hide until all my problems go away".

maybe this is a turning point? the session was a big deal. maybe there is some big processing going on?

i agree, depression feels different. way different.
Mike started laughing so hard when he saw the "keep being patient". waiting is not who i am. i want an action plan. i want things i can do to improve the situation. but its good advice, patience. you nailed it.

the session was a big deal. it was pretty intense work in the foundation of some of our core belief. Mike explains it like when a bone healed in a wrong angle you have to break it again to get it straight and let it heal again. only with alters who fight the straightening process a little cause its all they know and what they feel safe with...
its just so hard to tell what is going on inside cause the parts that were touched are not well connected to the core team.

i feel like it was still a good choice to dig deeper to find emotion. things are not as they usually develope after a trauma session. its like we got stuck in the process. almost like we were biting off big chunks, then wondering why they get stuck in our throat...

well... we do know why we keep a weeks worth of fast food in the freezer...
it seems like things are improving.

Hi Annett, Asti and Mike

When I first read your post, I also thought "depression", but you were clear that you weren't feeling at all depressed and I've seen enough of your postings to know that you are self-aware enough to make that call with some level of accuracy.

After deeper consideration, I give you: Adrenal Fatigue Crash and Recovery.

Everyone on the forum is suffering from some level of stress caused by their DID or reaction and response to it. Constant, all-pervading low-grade and medium-grade stress will trigger a generalized a sympathetic response, with an ongoing demand on the adrenals. Intersperse that with your recent, very traumatic therapeutic work and you have the conditions for a full-blown Adrenal Fatigue Crash episode. The adrenals become completely overwhelmed and systemic hormonal dysregulation occurs.

The state of dysregulation of these hormones results in unpleasant and abnormal physiological responses during an acute adrenal decompensation episode. It is the body's way of returning to a lower state of physiological function where conservation of energy becomes a primary focus for survival.

Adrenal crash is therefore the body's strategy of returning the body to a state of simple living; dominated by bed-rest. This would give your entire body the opportunity to reestablish homeostasis. If you were an animal you would go into hibernation. Sounds nice, right?

The Recovery Phase is marked by a gradual return to pre-crash level of adrenal function and energy level. Symptoms of adrenal crash will reduce and spontaneously resolve as recovery proceeds. Prescription medical intervention can assist with trying to reestablish the body's homeostasis, as can a number of the OTC nutraceuticals. Personally - and Annett may be very knowledgeable around this - I find that taking a powerful amino acid supplement works for me: Something with BCAA's, DHEA, GABA, L-Tyrosine, and serotonin building blocks, etc. helps tremendously. But - and this is important, for me at least - I take at least 10 times the prescribed daily dose for at least two days - flood the system. If I take the standard dose prescribed for general health, I get no benefit. Within two days, I can feel the crash stabilizing. If I repeat it then, I can feel the recovery phase starting.

Caution: I am not a physician, just a long-term student of physiology and optimal physical and emotional health, particularly under adverse conditions.

Let us know how it goes... Brett

thanks for adding some different perspective Brett! i have once met someone who had that happen. he said he was down with "depression and panic attacks" before they figured out what it was and he got proper help. reminds me to get blood tested soon. we always say we will do it regularly but then forget...

this also sounds like an accurate description of what I call my nervous breakdown and my doc called stress exhaustion. literally in bed shaking for days. followed by two months (more or less) of pajama time.

pretty much learned the value of rest the hard way.

can you dumb down the supplement thing for me? idk what you are talking about.

stress exhaustion. That is a term I/we have heard a few times before when relating to this kind of experience. And the lying in bed shaking definitely fits as well.

I would also like to have explained the supplement thing further, please?

Anything that may help shorten the period of time this kind of experience lasts would be good to know, as hospital stays really do not help.

Hi

For those of you that are interested in some information around supplements.
Disclaimer: I am not prescribing anything. I am just providing information. Please check all supplements for allergic reactions, or possible negative interactions with any prescription medications you may already be taking: SSRI's, especially. If you are concerned, please consult your physician.

• Vitamin B Complex/Mulivitamin. A Vitamin B complex/multivitamin supplement will provide support for adrenal function and repair as well as general support for metabolism and energy production.
• Free-Form Amino Acids. Protein is made up of amino acids. Poor adrenal function is often associated with poor ability to digest protein. Just as sugars and carbohydrates seem to weaken the adrenals, amino acids seem to strengthen them.
• Vitamin C. The vitamin C is known to help support adrenal function and is best taken with bioflavanoids which help recycle the vitamin C thus prolonging its functional life. You may take 1-3 grams of vitamin C daily in divided doses.
• 5-HTP. 5-Hydroxytryptophan, also known as oxitriptan, is a naturally occurring amino acid and chemical precursor as well as a metabolic intermediate in the biosynthesis of the neurotransmitters serotonin and melatonin from tryptophan. Should not be taken in conjunction with SSRI's and certain antidepressants.
• GABA: Gamma-aminobutyric acid stimulates GABA receptors. This is what Valium does. The typical effect is decreased anxiety. The typical dose is approximately 500 mg two to three times daily. Sometimes one pill in the morning and one before bedtime is sufficient.
• DHEA: DHEA is a basic adrenal hormone that the adrenals will convert into other hormones including sex hormones. If someone is very deficient in this hormone they may only be able to tolerate a small amount such as 5 mg. The average adult dose ranges between 10 and 25 mg. DHEA will also go on to become sex hormones (testosterone and estrogen). It might be best to avoid it if there is a history of sex organ cancers such as prostate, uterine or breast.

As Annett indicated, you can get a full blood workup done, and medically target specific abnormalities. This can be expensive, time-consuming and just too much effort.

Over the years, I've tried the identify-and-resolve with specific supplements approach. I've tried GABA, 5-HTP, L-Tryptophan, etc. on their own, at the recommended dosages. I haven't had much success with them that way. I had high hopes for 5-HTP and L-Tryptophan, but was disappointed. Nowadays, I go with a cocktail of free-form amino acids - essential and non-essential - BCAA's specifically included, as well as the neurotransmitter precursors, meuromodulators, Vitamin B, Vitamin C, and Choline. There are a lot of products on the market aimed at the sporting and fitness industries. I wouldn't recommend the tablets - they're huge and trying to take 12/day is almost impossible. The powders are great because you can mix them up with your favorite, low-fat, flavored water and sip throughout the day. Some of the ready-mixed ones taste awful, others are quite nice. We have a very good one here called Aminoliq. It may be available overseas, or you could find ones with similar - or better - ingredients.

I train a lot. I train hard. I overdo it often, and life throws a few curve balls at me. My adrenals are always getting hammered! The recommended dosage for Aminoliq is 60ml/day - for optimum health under normal circumstances. When I feel a crash coming on, I take about 400ml/day for a few days in a row. You may experience some increased gastrointestinal motility at that dosage but you can either treat it as a detox and support it with some probioitics, or take some Loperamide to reduce the effects. Within two days I can feel that the crash has stabilized. I give myself a few days and then I repeat to kick-start the recovery phase.

None of this is supported by medical, double-blind trials or some such, it's just what works for me.

Obviously, this is just a physical means of supporting the immediate, complex physiological responses that occur during an Adrenal Fatigue Crash and Recovery episode. The causes need to be addressed: that is a longer, on-going process that occurs at the emotional and intellectual level.

Be calm, be mindful, be happy... Brett

thank you brett

I'm a huge advocate of good nutrition because it's made a significant difference for us. So have the right nutritional supplements. A multivitamin, with minerals, from a reputable company is a good place to start each day.

I have to make sure I get enough protein every day and I've found having a breakfast with plenty protein (as eggs) as opposed to carbohydrates keeps me from getting sleep. I started this habit from my sister, who says she can't make it through the day without enough protein.

We're still in the middle of figuring out the following two alters but here's our best explanations. We know the behavior of both alters was originally protective.

Our alter Ulric seems to take over as host when one of us is badly, suddenly hurt by someone close to us. His primary role is detaching from the person and somewhat from the world. His natural state seems depressed. He may have fronted for long periods in the past when we thought it was simply clinical depression. He fronted for most of a week recently. He doesn't just exhibit one state, however, but a range of behavior. Still, compared to the rest of us, he's very shut down, slow, sad, rundown and lethargic.

Another one of us, Yanni, is associated with sleep. He can feign being asleep until he actually falls asleep, even if we had a good night's sleep. We think he can also bring overwhelming fatigue. Yesterday he was out, trying just to spend regular time in the body -- not sleeping -- for a change. Shortly after his visit, we kept flopping down on beds, anywhere, from utter fatigue in a way that emotionally felt rather juvenile, suggesting he was still in front or nearby. Only afterwards did we realize the exhaustion was probably associated with him. Interesting, we didn't particularly want or need to sleep, we were just hit with waves of fatigue.

Aside from alters who have been associated with sleep, fatigue, and slowdown of the physical body, we know that during periods of meeting new alters or doing a lot of processing, we need a considerable amount of extra sleep. A couple months after my adopted son, who has DID, first came to live with us, we took a vacation and eight new new alters came forward in about a week. He was absolutely exhausted, sleeping a majority of each day. I recalled a similar exhaustion myself shortly after we first started meeting new alters.

i have been reading thru this again because it is happening again.
and there seems to be no physical reason.
it is weird how this has knocked out the whole system again, except for the current main host.
the others are down. unconscious or too weak to front.
I barely get our routines done.
not sure if i am losing time.
back then we were working with D. she has been very upset. this, or the work with another part who is loyal to the abusers?

today, within a few seconds, the exhaustion lifted. i felt hyper awake (hypervigilant) for a while.
all this does not make sense with our current knowledge.
what the hell is going on in the system?
is there anyone who would know if this could be connected to MC?