Answer Summary

Members strongly related to the experience of living in a constant state of fight-or-flight, with many describing decades of chronic tension... Read more

Members strongly related to the experience of living in a constant state of fight-or-flight, with many describing decades of chronic tension including jaw clenching, shoulder scrunching, breath holding, and startling easily at sudden noises. Several members shared strategies they use to manage this tension, such as pelvic breathing exercises, having a partner help notice and remind them when they're clenched, and medications like Cymbalta (though one noted difficult withdrawal symptoms after it stopped working). A recurring theme was the exhausting reality of living with an overactive sympathetic nervous system, where even small daily decisions feel overwhelming, and the comfort of knowing others truly understand what it's like to feel braced against pain every single day.