If I am not taking care of myself, and start doing things the non-sensitive way I will be the one who will be suffering. Even if I am at a place that I am enjoying myself, if my body is suffering because of stress or it is overwhelmed I am not going to enjoy that time.
Overarousal is our Kripdinite or is it Cortisol? (From Elaine's Workbook), so we need to do what we can to take care that we do not get overwhelmed with the world around us. From what I have read cortisol stays in our body for a very long time. It has a lot of side effects that were not even mentioned in Elaine's book for it is not just HSP type of issues but those who tend to have anxiety and are building up this cortisol maybe the information I copied off Wikipedia will be of use.
Even a short state of being overwhelmed can lead to feeling stressed and anxious, tight muscles such as the neck and jaw, (my biting my tongue at night) sweating, memory issues, poor coordination and concentration, feeling anxious about getting things done, (so me) tired going to bed and just as tired or more so when you get up in the morning. (me also) The list goes on and if you have the workbook it is on page 74.
So how can you cope with situations that will have us stressing and building that high level of cortisol? Well we are all different and in different situations so what works with one, may not work with another. My daughter is in a very high level of anxiety and even talking about HSP with her is not going to help even though it is part of the issue. She needs help with the anxiety first.
The overwhelming feelings and the stress is the downside of being HSP and we all need ways to deal with it.
Here is my list of how I deal with being overwhelmed:
* When I feel overaroused I take time in my "dark room" the bedroom with the curtains closed and light off, no noise and a cat or three to pet as I rest.
* Learning to say NO when I need to, cutting down doing too much.
* Taking time off 'work'
* I meditate daily, first thing in the morning so that I do not feel rushed.
* I give myself permission to leave a situation if I feel overwhelmed.
* I bring the scent of lavender where ever I go to use when I need to breath in deeply.
" Cortisol
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not to be confused with cortisone, a similar compound with a similar name, genesis, and function.
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Cortisol, known more formally as hydrocortisone (INN, USAN, BAN), is a steroid hormone, more specifically a glucocorticoid, produced by the zona fasciculata of theadrenal cortex.[1] It is released in response to stress and a low level of bloodglucocorticoids. Its primary functions are to increase blood sugar through gluconeogenesis; suppress the immune system; and aid in fat, protein and carbohydrate metabolism.[2] It also decreases bone formation. Various synthetic forms of cortisol are used to treat a variety of diseases....
Other effects[edit]
See also: Glucocorticoid#Therapeutic use
Cortisol is released in response to stress, sparing available glucose for the brain, generating new energy from stored reserves, and diverting energy from low-priority activities (such as the immune system) in order to survive immediate threats or prepare for the exertion of rising to a new day. However, prolonged cortisol secretion (which may be due to chronic stress or the excessive secretion seen inCushing's syndrome) results in significant physiological changes.[1]
- Insulin
Cortisol counteracts insulin, contributes to hyperglycemia-causing hepatic gluconeogenesis[14] and inhibits the peripheral utilization of glucose (insulin resistance)[14] by decreasing the translocation of glucose transporters (especially GLUT4) to the cell membrane.[15][16]However, cortisol increases glycogen synthesis (glycogenesis) in the liver.[17] The permissive effect of cortisol on insulin action in liver glycogenesis is observed in hepatocyte culture in the laboratory, although the mechanism for this is unknown.
- Collagen
In laboratory rats, cortisol-induced collagen loss in the skin is ten times greater than in any other tissue.[18]
- Amino acids
Cortisol raises the free amino acids in the serum. It does this by inhibiting collagen formation, decreasing amino acid uptake by muscle, and inhibiting protein synthesis.[19] Cortisol (as opticortinol) may inversely inhibit IgA precursor cells in the intestines of calves.[20]Cortisol also inhibits IgA in serum, as it does IgM; however, it is not shown to inhibit IgE.[21]
- Gastric and renal secretion
Cortisol stimulates gastric-acid secretion.[22] Cortisol's only direct effect on the hydrogen ion excretion of the kidneys is to stimulate the excretion of ammonium ions by deactivating the renal glutaminase enzyme.[23] Net chloride secretion in the intestines is inversely decreased by cortisol in vitro (methylprednisolone).[24]
- Sodium
Cortisol inhibits sodium loss through the small intestine of mammals.[25] Sodium depletion, however, does not affect cortisol levels[26]so cortisol cannot be used to regulate serum sodium. Cortisol's original purpose may have been sodium transport. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that freshwater fish utilize cortisol to stimulate sodium inward, while saltwater fish have a cortisol-based system for expelling excess sodium.[27]
- Potassium
A sodium load augments the intense potassium excretion by cortisol; corticosterone is comparable to cortisol in this case.[17] For potassium to move out of the cell, cortisol moves an equal number of sodium ions into the cell.[28] This should make pH regulation much easier (unlike the normal potassium-deficiency situation, in which two sodium ions move in for each three potassium ions that move out—closer to the deoxycorticosterone effect). Nevertheless, cortisol consistently causes serum alkalosis; in a deficiency, serum pH does not change. The purpose of this may be to reduce serum pH to an optimum value for some immune enzymes during infection, when cortisol declines. Potassium is also blocked from loss in the kidneys by a decline in cortisol (9 alpha fluorohydrocortisone).[29]
- Water
Cortisol acts as anti- diuretic hormone, controlling one-half of intestinal diuresis;[25] it has also been shown to control kidney diuresis in dogs. The decline in water excretion following a decline in cortisol (dexamethasone) in dogs is probably due to inverse stimulation ofantidiuretic hormone (ADH or arginine vasopressin), which is not overridden by water loading.[30] Humans and other animals also use this mechanism.[31]
- Copper
Cortisol stimulates many copper enzymes (often to 50% of their total potential), probably to increase copper availability for immune purposes.[32]:337 This includes lysyl oxidase, an enzyme that cross-links collagen and elastin.[32]:334 Especially valuable for immune response is cortisol's stimulation of the superoxide dismutase,[33] since this copper enzyme is almost certainly used by the body to permit superoxides to poison bacteria. Cortisol causes an inverse four- or fivefold decrease of metallothionein (a copper storage protein) in mice;[34] however, rodents do not synthesize cortisol themselves. This may be to furnish more copper for ceruloplasmin synthesis or to release free copper. Cortisol has an opposite effect on aminoisobuteric acid than on the other amino acids.[35] If alpha-aminoisobuteric acid is used to transport copper through the cell wall, this anomaly might be explained.
- Immune system
Cortisol can weaken the activity of the immune system. Cortisol prevents proliferation of T-cells by rendering the interleukin-2 producerT-cells unresponsive to interleukin-1 (IL-1), and unable to produce the T-cell growth factor.[36] Cortisol also has a negative-feedback effect on interleukin-1.[37] IL-1 must be especially useful in combating some diseases; however, endotoxic bacteria have gained an advantage by forcing the hypothalamus to increase cortisol levels (forcing the secretion of CRH hormone, thus antagonizing IL-1). The suppressor cells are not affected by glucosteroid response-modifying factor (GRMF),[38] so the effective setpoint for the immune cells may be even higher than the setpoint for physiological processes (reflecting leukocyte redistribution to lymph nodes, bone marrow, andskin). Rapid administration of corticosterone (the endogenous Type I and Type II receptor agonist) or RU28362 (a specific Type II receptor agonist) to adrenalectomized animals induced changes in leukocyte distribution. Natural killer cells are not affected by cortisol.[39]
- Bone metabolism
Cortisol reduces bone formation, favoring long-term development of osteoporosis. It transports potassium out of cells in exchange for an equal number of sodium ions (see above).[28] This can trigger the hyperkalemia of metabolic shock from surgery. Cortisol also reducescalcium absorption in the intestine.[40]
- Memory
Cortisol works with epinephrine (adrenaline) to create memories of short-term emotional events; this is the proposed mechanism for storage of flash bulb memories, and may originate as a means to remember what to avoid in the future.[41] However, long-term exposure to cortisol damages cells in the hippocampus;[42] this damage results in impaired learning. Furthermore, it has been shown that cortisol inhibits memory retrieval of already stored information.[43][44]
- Additional effects
- Increases blood pressure by increasing the sensitivity of the vasculature to epinephrine and norepinephrine; in the absence of cortisol, widespread vasodilation occurs[41]
- Inhibits secretion of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), resulting in feedback inhibition of ACTH (Adrenocorticotropic hormone or corticotropin) secretion. Some researchers believe that this normal feedback system may become dysregulated when animals are exposed to chronic stress[45]
- Shuts down the reproductive system, resulting in an increased chance of miscarriage and (in some cases) temporary infertility. Fertility returns after cortisol levels return to normal.[46]
- Has anti-inflammatory properties, reducing histamine secretion and stabilizing lysosomal membranes. Stabilization of lysosomal membranes prevents their rupture, preventing damage to healthy tissues[47]
- Stimulates hepatic detoxification by inducing tryptophan oxygenase (reducing serotonin levels in the brain), glutamine synthase (reducing glutamate and ammonia levels in the brain), cytochrome P-450 hemoprotein (mobilizing arachidonic acid), andmetallothionein (reducing heavy metals in the body)[48]
- In addition to cortisol's effects in binding to the glucocorticoid receptor, because of its molecular similarity to aldosterone it also binds to the mineralocorticoid receptor. Aldosterone and cortisol have a similar affinity for the mineralocorticoid receptor; however, glucocorticoids circulate at roughly 100 times the level of mineralocorticoids. An enzyme exists in mineralocorticoid target tissues to prevent overstimulation by glucocorticoids and allow selective mineralocorticoid action. This enzyme—11-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type II (Protein:HSD11B2)—catalyzes the deactivation of glucocorticoids to 11-dehydro metabolites[48]
- There are potential links between cortisol, appetite and obesity.[49] "
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