"Your nervous system doesn't lie. When it remains in a chronic state of sympathetic activation-what we call "fight-or-flight"-your body experiences measurable changes: Chronic tension and muscle pain, especially in the neck, shoulders, and jaw. Sleep problems like difficulty falling asleep due to racing thoughts or waking with anxiety already coursing through your system. Digestive issues that medical tests can't fully explain. Frequent minor illnesses as your immune system struggles to keep up. Exhaustion masked by caffeine dependence."
"Our bodies reveal the truth about busyness-as-avoidance through chronic tension and other symptoms. Using busyness as protection eventually creates disconnection from ourselves, loved ones, and genuine joy. Finding safety beyond busyness requires permission to slow down and separate worth from productivity. In Part 1 of this two-part series, we explored how driven women use busyness as emotional armor and the uncomfortable feelings often hiding beneath packed calendars."
Chronic busyness used as emotional armor triggers sympathetic nervous system activation and produces physical warnings. Symptoms include tension in the neck, shoulders, and jaw; sleep disturbances; unexplained digestive problems; frequent minor illnesses; and exhaustion masked by caffeine. Persistent busyness fosters disconnection from internal experience, loved ones, and authentic joy. Recovery requires permission to slow, cultivate safety that is not contingent on productivity, and reshape beliefs about worth. Practical steps include attending to bodily signals, prioritizing restorative rest, setting boundaries, reducing reliance on stimulants, and seeking support to practice slowing and reconnecting with needs and relationships.
Read at Psychology Today
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