Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome: A Chronic Stress Response
Chronic Stress Fatigue
Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome: A Chronic Stress Response
This article was originally posted on Therapy For Black Girls in January 2020 as Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome: What They Don’t Tell You About Stress; Updated 4/2025.
Are You Constantly Feeling Drained, Yet Nothing Seems to Work?
Struggling with exhaustion, irritability, and brain fog? It could be Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome. Let’s dive into the signs and how to start healing.
Stress is something we all face. Stress is a response to situations in life where our mind and body are in high demand to prepare for dangers that may arise. If you're dealing with constant fatigue, brain fog, or anxiety, you're not alone. This response is so common that various media, including magazines and blogs, suggest steps towards stress relief. But what happens when you have been stressed for an extensive period of time? Those migraines you feel prior to entering your place of employment, the change in your menstrual cycle, mind fogginess, difficulty concentrating, irritability, difficulty with sleep, or gaining weight despite the exercise and nutritional considerations you’ve taken into account, are often results of a condition called Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome.
So, why isn’t anyone talking about it?
Rather listen!
Click on the image to listen to the complete video on Youtube.
If you were to enter into a mental health office and state some of the aforementioned symptoms, you may be diagnosed with anxiety and/or depression. Alternatively, a medical physician would complete blood work indicative of a hormonal imbalance, thus treating you for early-onset menopause. The condition, Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome, often mimics mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression, and other medical conditions, which is why Adrenal Fatigue is often misdiagnosed
Feeling overwhelmed and not sure where to begin?
Start with these three things today:
Take five quiet minutes just for yourself,
Swap one processed snack for a whole food,
Try a gentle walk or light stretching.
What is Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome?.
Adrenal Fatigue is a condition where the body has been in a state of high stress and the result of this leads to the body adapting in ways to maintain the stress hormone- cortisol. Cortisol is a stress hormone that helps your body respond to danger. In order for the cortisol levels to stay consistently high in preparation for dangers in our environment, important hormones such as estrogen and progesterone must decrease. This creates a toxic environment within our body and brain and it manifests by physical changes within our body and mental state.
Why It’s Often Misdiagnosed
Adrenal Fatigue shares many symptoms with conditions like anxiety, depression, or hormonal imbalances, which is why it often flies under the radar. If you visit your doctor, you might leave with a diagnosis for something else—anxiety, or perhaps an imbalance that looks like early menopause. Understanding the root cause is key to treating it correctly.
How Can You Tell If It’s Adrenal Fatigue?
If you've experienced any of the following, it might be time to consider Adrenal Fatigue:
Migraines or tension headaches that seem to appear out of nowhere
Brain fog or trouble focusing
Irritability or feeling like you’re on edge more often than not
Weight gain despite exercising and eating right
Irregular menstrual cycles
These symptoms may seem like part of life, but they could signal that your body has been in constant fight-or-flight mode.
Finding Out If Adrenal Fatigue Is the Culprit
Start with these steps:
Primary Physician:
Communicate with your primary care physician your concerns about Adrenal Fatigue. Ask your doctor to complete any lab work and examine beyond the basics to find the diagnosis.Holistic physicians:
Holistic physicians tend to diagnose Adrenal Fatigue more quickly than traditional medical physicians. They are able to differentiate symptoms such as anxiety and adrenal fatigue. In some states, holistic physicians do not operate under the insurance umbrella so they are able to administer tests (non-harmful of course) that can easily identify adrenal fatigue.
"I am worthy of wellness."
Let this affirmation guide your journey—whether you say it aloud during your morning routine or keep it in view as a daily reminder.
How to treat Adrenal Fatigue
Depending on the severity of stress and high anxiety in your life, Adrenal Fatigue can range from mild, modern to severe. Thus, it can lead to 3 months to a year to establish mind and body balance. Staying consistent is the most effective key to addressing this.
Self-care:
Caring for yourself does not have to be expensive or consume a great deal of time. Painting your own nails can be considered a form of self-care and it’s inexpensive. It’s incumbent for your health to be intentional and purposeful in carving out a minimum of five minutes of your time to your needs.Therapy:
Attending therapy is a form of self-care and can be a benefit in this area as it helps to explore the various stressors in your life. You and your therapist can come up with ways to manage your response to toxic situations and develop coping skills which you can apply to reduce your stress more efficiently. Learn 4 helpful tips to make the most out of therapy.Physical exercise:
We are often instructed to exercise for 30 minutes or more at a time, however, this could actually be detrimental to someone experiencing high levels of stress as it begins to overuse the adrenal glands. Therefore, 20 minutes of lower impact physical exercise, such as yoga, tai chi, walking, water aerobics, and others can be sufficient for your body and mental clarity.Nutrition:
When we are stressed, we tend to gravitate toward unhealthy foods including sugars and caffeinated beverages. This is because our body may be lacking in certain nutrition and our mind and body tend to supplement unhealthy substitutions for the nutrition it is actually craving. For instance, if you crave chocolate or sweets, it may be likely that your body is magnesium deficient. It may be time to review your food intake and add more whole foods. An article that can help you to start this process goes into more about processed foods and the impact it has on your overall health.Stressed bodies often signal their needs through cravings and gut changes.
Curious how your gut and emotions are connected? Related Article—>Gut-Brain-Heart Axis- What Your Body’s Really Telling You
Tools for Your Wellness Journey
I’ve designed a few resources to help support your healing journey—whether alongside therapy or as part of your solo inner work. Check out my Journal Prompts for Inner Work or grab a calming Affirmation Pillow to bring some peace into your space. I’m always here to help you find tools that work for you!
Want simple ways to prioritize yourself without guilt or overwhelm?
You Are the Expert of Your Body
You know your body more than anyone. If you experience the symptoms above, communicate them to your providers. There is hope! Adrenal Fatigue can be treated. However, the work toward your health will be led by you—with support and tools along the way.
Even if Adrenal Fatigue is not an ailment that you are dealing with, it won’t hurt to apply some of the techniques mentioned above to continue to promote well-balanced living.
Let's Connect
Are you a woman entrepreneur or leader in Michigan, New Jersey, or Vermont struggling with chronic stress? Let’s talk. I offer therapy and additional wellness support to help you find balance and thrive in your work and life. If you have any questions or need personalized guidance, reach out today.
Your Turn: How Do You Manage Stress?
I’d love to hear from you! What are some steps or tools you’ve used to reduce your stress levels? Share with me in the comments below!
Written By: Reynelda Jones, LMSW-C, ADS, CIMHP
CEO and Lead Therapist of A Solution B
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