Emotional stress
The question is how to deal with Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Stress is the actual cause of CFS, never mind the cause of many other illnesses. In CFS, the body’s nervous and endocrine systems are out of balance because of extreme inner and outer tension. The body no longer has any defence mechanisms and reacts with energy loss, pain, and depression. Emotional stress, whether a trauma or negative self-talk, is the most damaging for people with CFS.
Thoughts like this, for example:
- Nobody loves me
- I am a nobody
- I am alone
- I will never be happy
- I am a looser
- I am not good enough
If this takes place over a long period of time, the stress builds up. Even worse is the tumbleweed effect – people who are caught in a bad experience tend to repeat situations and life choices that mirror their root cause of stress. That is when the endocrine and nervous systems get severely out of balance, and the whole body shuts down.
Stress through circumstances
Our social and work life can also trigger the same damaging stress symptoms, for example:
- Difficult relationships
- Divorce / Break up
- Too much work
- Negative work environment
- Toxic living conditions
- Money problems
The science of the master gland
Here’s the science behind the hypothalamus, which links the endocrine to the nervous system. When it receives signals from the nervous system, the hypothalamus secretes neurohormones to the pituitary gland, known as the master gland. Then chemicals that are vital for your immune system, metabolism, growth, mineral balance, and your body’s response to stress are released. In other words, the endocrine system secretes hormones into the blood and other bodily fluids IF the nervous system gives the right signals. But under stress, the nervous system gives harmful signals that result in a hormonal imbalance, which can have a debilitating effect.
Meditation and therapy
Therapy is a good way of releasing traumatic experiences and freeing yourself from a negative belief system. Meditation, however, is necessary to calm down the mind and train the glands to deal with stress. It produces body-supporting hormones. Together, therapy and meditation will get you on the path how to deal with Chronic fatigue syndrome.
Different kinds of therapies are:
- Interpersonal therapy
- Mindfulness-based therapy
- Psychodynamic therapy
- Emotion-based therapy
- Family therapy
Change of circumstances
Since stress is the actual cause of CFS and your circumstances are usually the cause of stress, try to change your situation if possible. It isn’t always easy, but sometimes just addressing what you want to change can be an eye-opener for what is going wrong in your life.
Fazit, as we Germans say: Avoid stress!
