The Stress Cycle And Burnout

"Emotions are tunnels. If you go all the way through them, you get to the light at the end. Burnout happens when we get stuck in an emotion."

Burnout: The Secret To Unlocking The Stress Cycle by Emily and Amelia Nagoski

Last week I started radiation therapy. I go off my island by ferry every week day. The trip over is an hour and the trip back is an hour. I am actually at the center for only 45 minutes. I have done it for a week and I sense burnout is coming. Burnout is common to all of us, especially during Covid-19. 

 Treatment burnout is a real thing.  I define burnout as an accumulation of stress and the emotions resulting from that stress, which then accumulates until everyday feels overwhelming. 

"To deal with stress you have to complete the cycle."

Burnout: The Secret To Unlocking The Stress Cycle by Emily and Amelia Nagoski

There is a beginning, middle, and an end in a stress cycle.

So why doesn't the stress cycle end when the stressor is gone? 

Why don't I feel relieved and relaxed when I walk out of the radiation center? When your body has been primed to protect you by adding adrenaline and hyper vigilance to the stress experience it needs physical movement to come back to a place of emotional safety. You can't just talk to yourself and tell yourself to calm down.

You must complete the cycle with a physical experience. 

"Physical activity is the single most efficient strategy for completing the stress response cycle."

Burnout: The Secret To Unlocking The Stress Cycle by Emily and Amelia Nagoski

What physical activities complete the stress cycle?

1. Walking 
2. Breathing
3. Positive Social Interaction
4. Laughter
5. Affection, like a 20 second hug 
6. A Big Cry
7. Creative Expression 

So, as soon as I get home from radiation I walk. Some days my daughter or a friend drives me to radiation and I get a really positive talk, laughter, and affection. Other days I write or paint if time opens up for me. This understanding will hopefully get me through the thirty-three days of treatment. 

Could it help you cope with some of your accumulating stress?

This post is part of an ongoing series about my walk with cancer.

Click here to see other posts in this series.