The Post Holiday Wave Syndrome
Just as I expected, my inbox has blown up with people asking why they suddenly feel terrible after having had some better days under their belt. My reply is that chances are good that they are experiencing the “Post Holiday Wave Syndrome.” I certainly experienced it back when I was symptomatic. It happens, in part, because we are under more stress during the holidays, even if we don’t perceive that stress.
Unconscious Perceptions
There is a lot going on during the holidays. People coming and going, parties, shopping, and high expectations to have a “perfect” holiday. For many of us, the holidays pack a big emotional punch, whether we are happy, sad, or excited. Everything is amplified. It’s a stressful time, whether that stress is good stress (eustress) or bad stress (distress). (And of course, there is all that holiday food that can rev us up!)
Our brains pick up on all the stress— the activities, expectations, etc., even if we aren’t aware of that happening. That “under the radar perception” is called neuroception, and it can operate totally outside of our consciousness. Our brains will signal our autonomic nervous system when an encounter (or thought) feels overwhelming (or threatening) and our nervous system will react accordingly.
The Holiday “Workout”
WIth all the unconscious and conscious input over the holidays, you can see why it would be easy for the nervous system to get quite a workout. And, remember, our nervous systems are fragile in benzo withdrawal. They can’t regulate themselves very well. When we get hyperaroused, it can take quite some time for our nervous system to “chill out.” It makes sense, then, that the holidays can bring on a wave of withdrawal symptoms (especially if you also ate a lot of treats or other foods that are known to ramp up benzo withdrawal symptoms.).
A Tsunami
Even if you’ve been fairly stable, the holidays can rev things up, putting you back into a wave. That wave can even feel like a tsunami. It can be one of the worst waves you’ve felt, with a return of benzo withdrawal symptoms you thought were long gone. Or, you may even experience new benzo withdrawal symptoms. If this is your experience, you are in good company. It happens to quite a few people. Of course, seek medical attention if you are worried about a symptom(s). But know that even a tsunami type wave is normal for the healing process. Oftentimes, after a very bad wave, your baseline will be much better. A benzo veteran once told me that bad waves are an indication of our nervous system doing deep healing. If you think of your symptoms as evidence you are doing deep healing, you may be more able to cope with them.
How To Cope
Just like at any other time of the year, we need to follow the “rules” for coping with benzo withdrawal. Eat a clean diet. Avoid meds, vitamins or supplements that can rev us up or hinder our healing, avoid stress as much as possible (both eustress and distress) get plenty of rest, do some gentle exercise, practice patience, acceptance, gratitude, and a lot of soothing, positive self-talk. Know that your wave, like every other wave, will settle down. Do your best to not let it throw you into hopelessness or despair. Do your best to remain hopeful and positive.
Give Amy Some Love And Then Get Busy
I call my right amygdala (the region of our brain that is part of the fear reaction) Amy. Amy likes to tell me all kinds of scary stories, because, well, that’s her job. But I don’t take her too seriously. I usually pat her on the head, give her a hug, (love conquers fear) and get my hands and mind busy with something. As I’ve healed more and more, I see the enormous need for us to become “adrenal ninjas” always at the ready to choose to not buy into the fear our brain/nervous system wants us to believe. I hope that you’ll learn to deflect your mind’s dire messages of doom and gloom to the best of your ability as you heal.
Last Call For The Healing With Love Workshop
The Healing With Love workshop starts today. If you are interested in learning more about the healing power of love and its effects on our wellbeing, along with information about the brain and nervous system, please join us. I won’t be accepting any new students after Wednesday, so if think you want to join, please do so soon.
Where can I find information on the workshop please
Thanks Jennifer
It is posted on the front page of the website and on the workshop page found in the menu bar. Would love to have you joinn!
Hi Jennifer
I have tried cbd olie for a couple of months, and i cant find out if it help my, or not !
Some times i fil relaxed, and some times i dont
Can cbd olie prevent healing ?
Kind regard
Bo
Dear Bo, many people say it helps. Others say it makes them worse. (I raise my hand with that one.) CBD works on GABA so we all have to decide if it’s worth the risk to try. I avoid all meds, vitamins, supplements. But, that’s just me. 🙂
Following your conversation with Bo … How long do you avoid vitamins & supplements, Jennifer? I have a digestive medical issue & I am supposed to take vitamins & supplements. However when I do, my symptoms rev up.
Everyone is different. If you are experiencing problems with vitamins, you may have to either avoid them for a bit longer or titrate onto the dose your doctor suggests. Some people have been able to tolerate them when they slowly build up to a recommended dose. You may want to ask the doctor that is prescribing them what the best way to taper onto them would be.
Hi Jennifer
I have found that CBD is one thing that keeps me sane. I take it on a schedule thru out the day at timed intervals. I am currently using about 210mg a day. I am currently micro tapering off of Klonopin (1.095mg currently) and I take no other psychotropic drugs. It works wonders for my anxiety, which was never a problem until I began to taper. I personally have found that the most important thing about CBD oil is using a reputable brand. Most of your local vape shops don’t carry the more high end CBD brands. Third party testing and extraction methods are important and shouldn’t be ignored. Also, some are better for daytime use and others for sleep. So I read many reviews and ended up only purchasing online from companies with solid reviews. I found one CBD oil that works well for me and i probably would not be functional without it. Thank you for your blog, it always gives me hope!
Many people have tried CBD oil. The responses are mixed. Some think it helps, others think that it makes them feel worse. As with everything in benzo withdrawal, we have to use caution and do what works for us. The potential problem with CBD is that it works on GABA. The general rule of thumb in benzo withdrawal is to avoid hitting the GABA receptors. But again, everyone has to find their own way, do their own research, and face the consequences of whatever decision they make to either take something or not. Monday’s post is about supplements in benzo withdrawal, so your comment is timely.