“I’m ALWAYS tired” was a common statement Janine heard herself say throughout the day. Not only did she feel exhausted at the end of the day, but she woke up feeling unrested. Strangely, however, she felt both tired and “wired” once bedtime came.
As she moved through her day, she felt she was only checking the necessary boxes. She felt simply incapable of focusing on the future. It felt like too much to ask.
Any small inconvenience that deviated from her routine became unbearable. The grocery store selling out of her favorite coffee creamer, or receiving an unexpected email from a client, became another “to do” added to a schedule that already seemed to be overflowing. It all almost felt threatening. She felt like she couldn’t cope.
She forgot everything. This was the third time she forgot to sign her son’s permission slip for school. She felt embarrassed and ashamed. “I can’t get myself together. I’m a bad mom.” It was harder not to lose her temper at her kids, even when they behaved.
When it was time to go to bed at night, she couldn’t “turn off”. Her mind spiraled with endless guilt, shame, and self-judgment, evaluating all the things that had gone wrong in the day while simultaneously trying to get ahead for tomorrow. The only way to decompress was to pour herself a large glass of wine and pass out on the couch until it was time to go to bed, go to sleep and do it all again the next day. She felt like she was barely keeping her head above water.
What is “survival mode”?
Survival mode is another term for continuous, unresolved stress, also known as chronic stress. All human beings have experienced stress at one point or another, but in survival…
Imported from Accelerated Resolution Therapy Blog – Read More
