⁉️ Myths and Facts about Cushing’s: YOU are the problem and the reason…

Myth: YOU are the problem and the reason for your cortisol levels. Having issues with too much or too little cortisol, the stress hormone, means that YOU are stressing too much or are too anxious. “YOU could control your levels if you would JUST calm down!”
myth-busted
Fact: YOU are NOT the problem! The dysfunction in your body is the problem. It is true that cortisol is your stress hormone or fight or flight hormone. This hormone helps your body compensate for and deal with trauma or stress, both physical and emotional. So, yes, your body does have a reaction to stress.
However, for people with Cushing’s, that hormone goes haywire. Too much cortisol leads to Cushing’s symptoms and having too little cortisol leads to Adrenal Insufficiency. Normally, our bodies’ response to stress is to pump out 10X the amount of your baseline cortisol to cope. If it is not able to do this, it will go into shock and can lead to death unless the emergency protocol is followed with an emergency injection of steroid. No amount of coping skills can “control” one’s physiological response to stress.

📅 Webinar: Coping With the Ups and Downs of Pituitary Disorders

Presented by

Linda M. Rio, M.A., MFT

After registering you will receive a confirmation email with details about joining the webinar.

Contact us at webinar@pituitary.org with any questions or suggestions.

DATE:  July 17, 2017
TIME:  10:00 AM – 11:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time/1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

 

Webinar Learning Objectives:

By attending this webinar participants will:

  1. Be able to identify at least 3 mental health symptoms that are common to those diagnosed with a pituitary disorder.
  2. Understand basics of “trauma” and its potential role in the etiology of some pituitary disorders.
  3. Know how the medical/physiological aspects of pituitary tumors and other pituitary disorders can interact and affect the mental health of patients.
  4. Recognize the potential impact on the family for those with a member with a pituitary disorder.
  5. Learn some positive coping skills for both pituitary patients and their family members.

Presenter Bio:

Linda has been a Marriage & Family Therapist (MFT) for over thirty years. She is also the editor/author of The Hormone Factor in Mental Health: Bridging the Mind-body Gap (2014), which includes contributions from some of the world’s top experts in endocrinology, medical family therapy, nutrition, patient advocacy as well as real accounts from patients and their family members. Linda was on the editorial team for Pituitary Disorders Diagnosis and Management (2013), and co-author with her daughter, Tara, of a book about eating disorders. She has authored dozens of articles for professionals as well as the general public on a variety of topics, appeared on radio and T.V. Linda and her husband, Lou, just celebrated their 48th anniversary. They have two children and 3 granddaughters who are now in college.

Myth: YOU are the problem and the reason…

Myth: YOU are the problem and the reason for your cortisol levels. Having issues with too much or too little cortisol, the stress hormone, means that YOU are stressing too much or are too anxious. “YOU could control your levels if you would JUST calm down!”
myth-busted
Fact: YOU are NOT the problem! The dysfunction in your body is the problem. It is true that cortisol is your stress hormone or fight or flight hormone. This hormone helps your body compensate for and deal with trauma or stress, both physical and emotional. So, yes, your body does have a reaction to stress.
However, for people with Cushing’s, that hormone goes haywire. Too much cortisol leads to Cushing’s symptoms and having too little cortisol leads to Adrenal Insufficiency. Normally, our bodies’ response to stress is to pump out 10X the amount of your baseline cortisol to cope. If it is not able to do this, it will go into shock and can lead to death unless the emergency protocol is followed with an emergency injection of steroid. No amount of coping skills can “control” one’s physiological response to stress.