By Bill Gaultiere © 2002
Do you rely on adrenaline to feel alive, important, and productive? Are you putting your body at risk of stress-related illness? Are your relationships suffering from your fast pace of life? Take this self-test to help you identify if you might be over-adrenalized.
1. Are you often in a hurry, rushing from one thing to the next?
2. During a typical day do you work with intensity on something that seems urgent?
3. Do you tend to do two or three things at once to be more efficient?
4. Are you productive, busy, or active almost all the time?
5. Do you regularly rely on caffeine to feel energetic and focused?
6. If you’re not working on something do you rely on stimulation from activity, entertainment, or noise?
7. When you’re resting do you feel fidgety, pace, drum your fingers, tap your feet, or chew fast?
8. If you’re idle do you feel guilty or restless?
9. When you’re waiting are you usually uncomfortably impatient (e.g., looking at your watch, getting upset, or counting items in the short order line)?
10. When you go to bed at night do you typically think about all the things that you didn’t get done and need to get done?
11. When you are not doing anything “productive” do you feel empty or bored?
12. Do you often have physical stress symptoms like gastric distress, rapid heartbeat, headaches, muscle pain, teeth grinding at night, and sleep problems?
Scoring: Yes answers to four or more items indicate that you may be depending on adrenaline and related hormones like cortisol to manage daily stresses. For diagnoses and treatment consult in person with a doctor or psychotherapist.
It’s people like you who support the ministry of Soul Shepherding, which includes articles like this. Perhaps you would like to invest in the renewal of pastors, missionaries, leaders, and care-givers? Even small donations given with prayer in Jesus’ name add up to make Soul Shepherding’s ministry possible.Thank you!
Bill & Kristi
William Gaultiere, Ph.D. & Kristi Gaultiere, Psy.D. ~ http://www.soulshepherding.org
