Think You are “Not Cut Out to Be a Mom?”: How Adrenal Fatigue Can Ruin Your Mothering Mojo

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If I had a quarter for every time a mom said, “I’m just not cut out to be a mom.” I think I’d be rich!  Really, really rich.

If I had a dollar for every time I’ve said it myself I think I’d be able to pay off my house!

So, if you have ever uttered the words, “I am just not cut out to be a mom”, you are not alone.  And truth be told, you most likely are cut out to be a mom, but you may not have the tools that you need to feel like it.

The most common cause of “crazy mom syndrome” (that’s what I call it) is adrenal fatigue.  How do I know?  I’ve had it, I’ve studied it, I’ve read lots about it and we covered it in my Nutritional Therapy training since diet can be a huge factor in both influencing and aiding one in recovery from adrenal fatigue .

Unfortunately, most moms literally think they are going crazy because they feel like they are”losing it”.  And, I’m convinced that this feeling is what many times leads to prescription medications for anti-anxiety, uncontrolled stress, and at times depression.

Unless you visit a Holistic health professional your symptoms for a adrenal fatigue will most likely go un-diagnosed.  I find it heartbreaking that the medical profession gives little or no support for adrenal fatigue symptoms which often typically result in a referral to a therapist and a prescription for anti-anxiety medication if your feelings of going crazy are ruining your life.  In rare and very severe cases, adrenal fatigue is something diagnosed by the medical community as Addison’s disease, but this is not common.

Symptoms for adrenal fatigue can include: being tired all the time,  trouble getting up in the morning, the need for coffee or caffeine to keep you going, constantly feeling stressed , feeling like you can’t handle stress, feeling like you are losing it on a constant basis, craving sweet and/or salty, feeling overwhelmed, feeling apathetic,  irritable and a low libido. I don’t know about you, but I know lots of moms that experience these symptoms. And, most of them just assume that they are losing their mind. 

Adrenal fatigue can also manifest itself in just being quick to fly off the handle when your children scream or getting overwhelmed when the phone is ringing.  Sometimes you feel as though you just can’t handle the noise or that you might flip your lid if your child melts down.  This response is a check engine light for your body telling you that you need to rest and have reached burn out  It is not telling you that you are a horrible mother, but that it is time to get help.

 What causes adrenal fatigue? 

You adrenals are what help you cope with stress in the body.  Burn out happens when these glands are overworked.  Many things can cause this fatigue including,  getting up at night often with your littles, blood sugar handling issues and any big life stresses that don’t seem to let us, as well as simply trying to balance too many things at one time (I’m guilty).   Even pregnancy can be a significant pull on your adrenals as you are growing a little peanut inside you and you may have trouble keeping your blood sugar stable.  It is important to note that if ignored, these sugar handling issues can also be easily passed from mother to child.  The truth is that between most of our diets being a far reach from what our ancestors enjoyed and our overly stressful life adrenal fatigue is becoming quite common.

Your adrenals are designed to keep your blood sugar regular and steady.  Because of our modern diet the average American has  blood sugar handling problems, where it fluctuates at such a regular rates that the adrenals never get a rest.  This is a major problem when the adrenals are supposed to be reserved only for emergencies and not for everyday life.   We also have replaced the satiating fats in our diet with sugars and simple carbohydrates, which cause major blood sugar problems which tap into our already exhausted adrenals on a regular basis.  This has caused our blood sugar levels to lose control resulting in extra stress on the body and bringing our adrenals into total burn out. 

What can you do about it?

Adrenal fatigue is best addressed by balancing blood sugar, stress management, and temporary targeted supplementation .  I often work with clients to do these very things to help mamas feel like a sane person again.  Feel free to contact me for a free consultation or you can check out the references below for further reading.

Don’t give into the lie that you are a bad mama.  Figure out what is pulling you down and start taking steps to heal at a foundational level (not necessarily by targeting symptom relief) or contact a Nutritional Therapist to help you.

Ross, Julia. The Mood Cure. Penguin Books. 2003.

Wilson, James. Adrenal Fatigue.  Smart Publications. 2001.

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