Page 17 - WholeLifeWoman

WHY AM I ALWAYS HUNGRY? REASON # 1 HIGH CORTISOL 21

Let’s say someone’s been awful to you—rude or uncaring, dismissive or
condemning, gossipy or cruel, cold or furious. They hate something you said

or did or didn’t do. Cortisol kicks in. If you’re afraid, you might feel:

s Sad
s Depressed
s Defensive

s Lonely
s Self-conscious
s Full of self-doubt

s Sorry for yourself
s Guilty
s Obsessed with what you did or didn’t do
s Obsessed with all the scenarios that could happen next
s Like you’ll never be loved again

s Like it’s all your fault
s Like you hate yourself
s Like you want to beg them to forgive you

s Like you want to run and hide

It’s all part of one thing: fear. Fear and cortisol work together. You’re afraid
because that attack is coming at you. Cortisol starts to flow.

All those feelings start flowing. Fear is a normal instinctual response when you’re
attacked. You want to escape, protect yourself, get out of trouble. Anger is the
other extreme, or hate. You want to fight. Instead of being scared, you’re furious.

s You want to hurt them back. They deserve it.

s You’re on fire, judgmental, vindictive, RIGHT.

s You’re going to prove who is wrong. And it’s NOT YOU. They’ll be

sorry.

Anger and hate and fury are just as natural as fear. But most of the time, either
reaction means the same thing. You lose, because your cortisol goes up.