I wanted to talk about cortisol surges, basically the chemical surge of terror, shock, and alarm that can course through your body in psych med withdrawal.
I want to talk about this symptom because it is a really terrifying one. It scared me. It did go away on its own, and I want to share how you might experience it and what might help or encourage you along the way.
I’m now offering coaching sessions for those going through withdrawal. If you’d like someone to walk with you through this season, I would love to meet with you. My withdrawal was brutal. I know how dark it can get. I also know how real healing is. I’m now in a place of joy, health, and full life, and I want to support you on your way there.
👉 Go here to see my calendar and schedule a session
How it showed up for me
It woke me up in the morning during the early days of my withdrawal. I felt terror. I could not tell if it was physical or mental because it felt like both. My body felt shaken awake, like an alarm throughout my body. I felt high alert and terror, and right away the mental symptoms would start.
I woke up earlier than I used to. Sometimes it happened in the night, which made sleeping harder. It also got me up in the early morning. There was a time I could not sleep in because of the cortisol surges first thing in the morning.
I tried different things to see if they would help, but nothing completely took it away. I will share what I did because it might help you get through the time while your body recovers from that symptom.
What helped me
- I sometimes walked first thing in the morning because my mind was in such distress. Walking gave me a way to expend the sharp surge of energy. It gave me something to do with my body when that spike hit.
- I sometimes listened to something encouraging, read a short devotion, and prayed.
- I tried distraction. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't.
- I talked myself down and reminded myself that this was a body alarm, not an actual emergency.
Avoiding triggers
In the early days I avoided caffeine and sugar. When I had them, the surges seemed worse, including at night. Everyone is different, so test gently for your own body, but those two made it harder for me. My body could not handle the combination of withdrawal and extra stimulation.
Cutting caffeine and sugar took it down a notch. It did not fix everything, but it was enough that I could sometimes get a little more sleep or not wake up as terrified.
How it felt in the moment
The surges felt like the alarm level of having a burglar in the house or a near-accident. It triggered my alert system first thing, almost like something terrible was about to happen or was happening, even though it was just morning and another day of withdrawal. It was an over-alert body system.
Over time
The walking helped.
The grounding practices helped.
The stimulants were worth avoiding.
And then, in time, the surges went away. Not all symptoms disappeared at once. They dropped off little by little. I remember the relief of sleeping in and waking up calmer. That mattered because sleep helps healing.
This symptom is terrible, but it goes away. Keep making the healing choices you can. Reduce triggers, move your body when you can, use simple supports to calm your system, and give it time. You will feel better, clearer, and calmer.
Your body is repairing. It is easy to lose perspective during the worst symptoms. There is good on the other side. It is okay to take a step back, to rest more, and to make the choices you need in order to heal. You are going to get there.