i genuinely thought something was wrong with me.

like mentally wrong with me.

i’d wake up at 2am with my heart racing and no idea why. i’d be having a completely normal day, sun shining, nothing bad happening, and just feel this heavy dread i couldn’t shake.

i cried in my car more times than i can count and couldn’t even tell you why.

my doctor said i was fine. my labs were “normal.” i was told it was just stress. just my personality. just my 30s.

but i wasn’t fine. i was exhausted, inflamed, holding weight i couldn’t lose, and my nervous system was completely fried.

when i finally started supporting my cortisol instead of just pushing through, the 2am wake ups stopped. the random anxiety lifted. i started feeling like myself again for the first time in years.

you are not broken. you are not just anxious. your body is trying to tell you something.

follow me. this is exactly what i talk about every single day.

comment CORTISOL and i’ll share what finally helped me 🤍 for the fastest response. Please message me on Instagram. (TheCortisolCode)

#cortisol #hormonehealth #anxietyrelief #cortisolcode #adrenalhealth

5/27 Edited to

... Read moreFor years, I struggled with unexplained symptoms that made me question my mental health—waking up in the middle of the night with my heart pounding, feeling sudden waves of anxiety on peaceful days, and uncontrollably gaining weight despite doing everything right. Although doctors told me my labs were normal and attributed my feelings to stress or personality, I knew I wasn’t simply overworked or anxious. What I learned later was eye-opening: my symptoms were linked to a cortisol imbalance. Cortisol, often called the stress hormone, plays a critical role in regulating our energy, inflammation, and how we respond to stress. When cortisol levels remain chronically high or become dysregulated, it can wreak havoc on our nervous system—causing the exhaustion, anxiety, and weight struggles I faced. Supporting my body’s cortisol regulation involved more than just "pushing through" the fatigue. I incorporated lifestyle changes that included improving my sleep hygiene, managing stress through mindfulness and gentle exercise, and focusing on nutrient-dense foods to support adrenal health. These steps gradually brought balance to my cortisol levels and profoundly reduced my symptoms. If you’re experiencing similar unexplained anxiety, nighttime wake-ups, or feelings of being 'mentally off,' it’s worth considering how your hormones might be influencing your wellbeing. Our bodies often send signals that something is out of balance, and tuning into those signals can lead to more targeted and effective healing. Remember, feeling anxious or exhausted does not mean you are broken—you are not just "overly stressed" or "aging." Your body might be trying to communicate that it needs support at a deeper hormonal level. Connecting with knowledgeable health professionals and exploring cortisol-friendly habits can be a key step toward reclaiming your health and peace of mind.

Related posts

I spent YEARS thinking I was the problem.
For YEARS I thought these were red flags about me. 🚩 Struggling to keep friendships because I’d forget to text back 🚩 Getting super excited about a new hobby, business idea, or life plan. Then only to lose steam weeks later 🚩 Getting bored of things SO fast I genuinely thought something
SoftGirlSurvival

SoftGirlSurvival

5 likes

🤯 Thought I’d find a creative outlet, instead I ju
They said to find a creative outlet to de-stress. So I grabbed a basic black pen to try some intricate mindful doodling to calm my racing mind. ✍️💨 #summerbod #travelwithme2024 #beautyfinds #erasablepens #outdoorfun
shands.us

shands.us

6 likes

🦋🌸 Get To Know Me: Pt 3 🌿💚
• 🦋 • 🌸 #lemon8diarychallenge 🌿• 💚 • ________ Hehe, ;> so far, I am on Part 3 of my : “Get To Know Me” series 🦋🌸💚🌿 ______________ I’d like to say that no matter how much info you give others on the innanet, it’s truly up to you what you continue to share to people!
Dee 🔮🎥🥀

Dee 🔮🎥🥀

26 likes

i genuinely thought something was wrong with me.
like mentally wrong with me. i’d wake up at 2am with my heart racing and no idea why. i’d be having a completely normal day, sun shining, nothing bad happening, and just feel this heavy dread i couldn’t shake. i cried in my car more times than i can count and couldn’t even tell you why. my
BreeAhna Swade

BreeAhna Swade

4 likes

maybe i was scared people would leave
i genuinely thought constantly putting everyone else first made me a “good person.” but really… i was scared people would leave if i disappointed them. so i: * said yes when i meant no * over explained myself * ignored my own feelings * kept the peace at my own expense this series i
BraveMomma

BraveMomma

80 likes

A woman stands between two palm trees by the water, with text overlay "Anxiety Was Quietly Controlling My Life — Until I Noticed 🥲". She wears a floral top and shorts, looking at the camera under a blue sky.
A woman stands between two palm trees by the water, with text overlay explaining her realization about anxiety: "I wasn't losing it. I wasn't dramatic. I wasn't broken."
A woman stands between two palm trees by the water, raising her hands, with text overlay listing tools that help with anxiety, such as breathing exercises and journaling.
How I Realized I Was Anxious—Not Broken 📌🥲
📌 Girl Talk: I Thought I Was Losing It… Until I Learned This Was Just Anxiety For the longest time, I didn’t have the words to explain what I was feeling. The racing thoughts. The tight chest. The way my mind would spiral from one tiny moment into a worst-case scenario. I genuinely thought
I’M COMING FOR YOU! QNS

I’M COMING FOR YOU! QNS

170 likes

A grand hallway with a black and white checkered floor, arched doorways, and two classical busts, featuring the text overlay: "POV: You can feel something is off about the connection..."
A book titled "THE REAL GLOW UP" by Chelsey Armfield, with a dark red cover, resting on a light wooden stool against a gray wall, with the text overlay: "But you are unsure why..."
An open book page with several lines of text highlighted in yellow, discussing trusting gut instinct, feeling off about a connection, and protecting one's precious energy.
POV: You can feel something is off…
📖: The Real Glow Up✨ The real glow up is setting boundaries, healing your trauma, implementing radical self-care, and finally putting yourself first so you can glow from within. The real glow up is realizing that you deserve your own love too—and this book shows you just how to do that. 🕊️☁️
ChelseyArmfield

ChelseyArmfield

98 likes

✨🩸 I Felt The Pain In My Butt… 🍑✨
✨ Okay… why did no one tell us from the jump that period pain could hit our butts too?! 😭 I remember the first time it happened, I was curled up thinking, “This cannot be normal”. It literally felt like someone was pulling a string from my lower back down through my body. I genuinely thought someth
Margarita

Margarita

189 likes

Things I Thought Were Normal ✨
I genuinely thought being “easy to love” meant staying quiet, over explaining, apologizing too much, and never asking for anything from anyone. 😭 Now I’m realizing a lot of those habits were survival habits, not personality traits. 🤍 Healing has been unlearning the version of me that thought
Bree | Faithfully Yours 🤍

Bree | Faithfully Yours 🤍

97 likes

A close-up of a person with dark hair and nose piercings applying lip product. The image features text overlays "STORY TIME" and "HOW I GOT DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM IN MY 20S," along with decorative butterflies, bubbles, and sparkles. A Lemon8 logo with the username is in the bottom left.
STORY TIME: How I got diagnosed with Autism
skip to 🎀 if you don’t want to read the backstory ! Preface! Up until about 5ish years ago it was not common for women to be diagnosed with autism later in life or in general. Boys tend to get diagnosed waaaay earlier in life than woman are. Mainly because high functioning or low needs au
liv

liv

44 likes

A bowl of creamy Cajun chicken meatballs with carrots, spinach, and tomato, made with coconut cream and corn starch. This gluten and dairy-free dish is presented as a must-try for menstrual health, aligning with an anti-inflammatory diet.
Two corn tortilla tacos filled with chicken, roasted cauliflower, and turmeric sauerkraut. These tacos represent a gluten and dairy-free meal option, part of a dietary change for improved menstrual health and overall well-being.
A glass jar filled with quick pickled carrots, seasoned with garlic, peppercorns, and salt. This homemade preparation is part of a dietary change adopted for improved health and to manage conditions like ovarian cysts and endometriosis.
I almost had emergency surgery…
Back in May I had to be rushed to the hospital because I thought there was something wrong with my kidneys…turns out I had a 9cm ovarian cyst that more than likely was causing torsion on my fallopian tubes. I genuinely was eating like trash and didn’t take the ER doctors warning….I had another
Cass Elizabeth

Cass Elizabeth

47 likes

i never thought i’d post something like this but
hi my name is skyler, i’ve been down a rough patch the last year or two bc i used to be 160 about and lost weight unhealthy. kept going to doctors after doctors for the past 2 years trying to figure out what was wrong and they never have but my one mayo doctor said i have a type of ED which the typ
skyler

skyler

370 likes

A restaurant interior with comic-strip wall art and booths, featuring overlay text "He asked to split the bill ON THE FIRST DATE," setting the scene for the story.
A close-up of a meal with grilled salmon, salad, and lemon, accompanied by text describing the date as "perfect" with good conversation, suggesting potential for a future relationship.
A restaurant interior with comic-decorated walls and tables, overlaid with text detailing the moment the date suggested splitting the bill, which felt automatic and unexpected.
Am I Wrong for Feeling This Way?
The date was great… until the check came. When he asked to split, I paid—but the vibe changed instantly. Not because of the money, but because something felt off. Now I’m stuck wondering… was that a red flag, or am I just overthinking? Be real with me does splitting on the first date give you t
Nikki🍋

Nikki🍋

30 likes

I thought I’d find nothing 😩
I genuinely thought I’d leave Long Beach empty-handed. Instead, I found a 1950s white gown that I’m still thinking about, a beautiful 1920s dress covered in delicate details, and a 1950s wool swimsuit that was somehow labeled a size 10 but wouldn’t even go over my knees. I didn’t bring enough
Ryn

Ryn

338 likes

Things I thought were “normal” but were actually a
From someone who genuinely thought constant spiraling was just my personality—here are the sneaky signs I missed (and what helped). #anxiety #anxietysigns #overthinking #spiraling #mentalhealth
Olivia

Olivia

8 likes

I Thought Pistachio Ice Cream Would Be Gross
I’m not even going to lie I judged this Haagen Dazs pistachio ice cream before I even tried it. I kept thinking, Why are they putting pistachio in ice cream? because it just didn’t sound like a flavor I would actually enjoy. But after trying it yeah, I completely understand the hype now. The ice
Beauty

Beauty

37 likes

5 Things That Genuinely Changed My Life 🌿
I’ve realized that the biggest shifts in my life didn’t come from finding the “perfect” routine. They came from learning to listen to myself instead of constantly looking outside of myself. Here are a few things that have genuinely helped me: ✨ Regulating my nervous system before trying to solv
withlovefromchelle

withlovefromchelle

344 likes

Prompts That Will Genuinely Make You Think
Some questions don't have easy answers — and that's exactly the point. These prompts aren't here to comfort you; ✨What story about yourself have you been repeating for so long you forgot to question it? ✨If comfort disappeared tomorrow, what in your life would you actually miss? ✨W
🫧Alisha

🫧Alisha

555 likes

Some days it genuinely feels like my ADHD
and my kids’ ADHD have formed a strategic alliance. Not against me — just… not with me either. It’s giving WWE tag‑team energy and the referee left early. #homeschooling #secularhomeschool #blackhomeschoolmom #adhdinwomen #adhdmoms
Kim Goffney M.Ed

Kim Goffney M.Ed

27 likes

Should You See 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘎𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘞𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 in NYC? 👀
𝐈𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐆𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐖𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠? 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐀𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫: 𝐘𝐄𝐒.    I just saw 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘎𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘞𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 off-Broadway at 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬, and I genuinely cannot remember the last time I laughed 𝘛𝘏𝘐𝘚 hard in a theater. From the first moment to the final bow, it’s nonstop chaos, impeccable timing,
Brendan McLaughlin

Brendan McLaughlin

2 likes

I know this because I lived it…
🇮🇹 ✈️ 🇺🇸 I moved from Italy to the United States, and I chose to stay home with my children. And I’m genuinely grateful for that decision. I didn’t want a traditional, steady job that would pull me away from them. But over time… something inside me started to feel heavy. Since I was lit
Gaia• Mindset & Digital Biz

Gaia• Mindset & Digital Biz

3 likes

A family of four walks with luggage towards a beach resort, with an airplane flying overhead. The text promotes affordable family vacations that feel more expensive, encouraging viewers to look at these options before spending $5,000.
This image highlights Gatlinburg, Tennessee, as an affordable family vacation. It features a family enjoying mountain views and a cozy cabin, detailing reasons families love it, average costs, must-see attractions like Clingmans Dome, and recommended places to stay.
This image showcases Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, as a top family vacation spot. It features a family on a water slide and a boat tour, detailing why families love its water parks, average costs, attractions like Noah's Ark, and accommodation options.
😳 I Thought These Family Vacations Cost More
Then I Checked The Prices ✈️ I genuinely thought some of these family vacation destinations would cost double what they actually do. If you’re searching for affordable family vacations, budget-friendly travel destinations, or family vacation ideas that won’t break the bank, these five destina
Rae

Rae

129 likes

Am I Using This Yarn Wrong?
I genuinely love this yarn—like, had to have it love—even though I know it’s not everyone’s taste. The colors are so beautiful to me, but now that I’ve started working it up into a sweater/shawl situation, I can’t tell if I’m actually showcasing it well… or if I accidentally made it look kind of ug
Sylvia Lustre

Sylvia Lustre

30 likes

A person with dark hair holds a camera to their face, taking a mirror selfie. The image is overlaid with the title 'FILMS I MADE as a film student IN COLLEGE' in gold and orange text.
A collage featuring scenes from 'Vignettes of Madison,' a documentary filmed in February 2022. It includes a YouTube thumbnail, a person in bed, and text describing the film as a 'cinema verité' documentary about life with a toxic boyfriend.
A collage showcasing 'The Modern American Transformation Film,' a sci-fi/dystopian short from May 2021. It features a YouTube thumbnail, a woman speaking, and text explaining it's about not conforming to society's expectations.
films i made as a film student 🎬
these are just some of my favorite projects i made in the three years that i was a media studies student at uwsp :) i made several other projects that didn’t make the cut, but i just wanted to share some of my favorites here and also let y’all know that if you want to watch them, most of them are a
lili <3

lili <3

614 likes

A close-up of a hand wearing a sparkling engagement ring with light purple and white nails, gently held by another hand, symbolizing commitment.
A hand with an engagement ring and blue nails resting on a steering wheel, with text about prioritizing health and mentally preparing to be a wife.
A hand with an engagement ring and multi-colored nails against a floral background, with text about gaining independence and confidence as qualities for a wife.
How I knew I was ready to be a wife
“A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.” — Proverbs 31:10 💎 I used to be one of those people who thought marriage wasn’t a big deal—just a piece of paper. I genuinely believed it was normal for couples to stay together forever without needing to get married.
Anjilia G

Anjilia G

18 likes

A man in a white shirt and dark pants sits in an armchair, looking at his phone, in a living room setting. The text overlay asks, 'HOW DO YOU BREAK UP WITH THE NICEST GUY?'
He’s done nothing wrong
I’ve been seeing this guy for a little over a month. He’s honestly the sweetest man I’ve ever dated. Kind, respectful, emotionally mature green flag all around. We’ve known each other for years, lost touch, then reconnected a few months ago. At first there was a spark… but now I feel nothing. It
Mae

Mae

16 likes

“I’ll go to HELL if you don’t!” She said.
First and foremost, I’m retelling this story as part of my own healing process and knowing others would benefit from learning from it. I do not, under any circumstances, want anyone to “pray for me to find my way back” or to “pray for me to find Jesus.” You will find this BLOCK BUTTON. 😊 I find it
Jalloh⚡️

Jalloh⚡️

9 likes

A person in a bathroom, wearing a black shirt, black leggings, and blue shoe covers, stands facing a bathtub. Overlay text asks, 'What about your childhood did you think was normal until you grew up and realized it wasn't?' The bathroom has a toilet, vanity, and tiled walls.
I thought “no affection” was normal for marriages
Growing up, I never saw my parents kiss, hug, or even hold hands. Not once. I genuinely thought that’s just how marriages worked. When I saw couples in movies or on TV being affectionate, I’d roll my eyes like “Ugh, that’s so Hollywood, real life isn’t like that.” Now they’re in their 50s and fi
Millie✨

Millie✨

21 likes

How to allow yourself to be GENUINELY HAPPY💫
🦋Girl let me tell you something… LET GO of what you can’t control. I’m finally in a place where I allow God to do WHATEVER he needs to do in my life. Even if it’s painful in the moment. 💎Understand that EVERYTHING happens for reasons you may not be able to explain, but it’s ALWAYS for the better
Ce

Ce

58 likes

See more