Why Trauma and Stress Trigger Weight Gain and Diabetes (Hint, it's Cortisol)

[@TherapyinaNutshell]

Improve your mental health with the free course, courses.therapyinanutshell.com/grounding-skills-for-anxiety-stress-and-ptsd

[@elinope4745]

Being cold enough to have goosebumps is being cold enough to process cortisol in your skin. Dipping your face in ice water is the strongest instant destresser that I know. It is unpleasant but is over in a few seconds and you feel so much better right after.

[@plantyfan]

That's so interesting, thanks for sharing!

[@abigailandino6251]

I’m going to try this tomorrow morning.

[@donteague614]

I wonder if that is going on with me?? I wear shorts all year, unless it's like below zero,lol. I'm comfortable

[@drjerry5389]

*Becoming sane in an insane world is no small feat-it’s a monumental task. People need to understand that much of the mental instability we face isn’t just personal; it’s deeply rooted in the society we live in. Our culture is riddled with unrealistic expectations, relentless consumerism, social isolation, and a disconnection from nature and community-all of which contribute to the epidemic of depression and anxiety.* We’re often led to believe these struggles are purely individual issues, but in reality, they’re symptoms of a dysfunctional system. Recognizing this can empower us to seek change-not just within ourselves but also in the cultural norms and structures that perpetuate suffering

[@naturelover1284]

Well we only as women are allowed to have sex or eat for a bodies we were discouraged from dancing or doing yoga and shortly ago or wearing comfortable shoes. It is awful that you have to pay someone to be kind to you at a therapy session, or take school loans out to learn anything and be around respectful people. And you're seen as odd if you are in front of the TV all the time

[@beautifyNOW]

Well said @drjerry

[@Anotherhumanexisting]

This is so true.

[@MarleyLeMar]

Thank you! I'd like to know what you think one small do-able step might be. Recently I did a digital detox using a medical protocol to regulate my dopamine levels. I didn't realize it would reach into every part of my life and core values. I'm sustaining the changes, feeling well, and surviving some backlash.

[@drjerry5389]

@@MarleyLeMar I suffered from depression and anxiety since I was 14 and they used all kinds of medications on me. The best thing I ever tried is meditation or the guided frequency meditation videos on KZbin, They are conducting medical experiments with sound and frequency and the results have been amazing!

[@genielhowe260]

I’ve experienced weight problems all my life. I therapy my counselor made me aware that my fight flight freeze response was stuck on. I’ve working on resetting that and with it has come so weight loss finally. Thank you for sharing because the information you share has helped me make those changes.

[@Baker1-f3r]

You have a very aware, educated and patient focused clinician. I mentioned my weight gain to one seemingly very educated, highly confident, and assertive clinician a couple years back; her advice was to go to a doctor to assert if this was a medical condition or psychological. She knew I have some autoimmune issues, including a thyroid issue. I already was under a doctors care, visiting their office monthly. I actually had 2 doctors, one western medicine and one more holistically based. Never did this PhD mention the flight or fight system being set “on stuck” nor did she dig any deeper to ascertain if stress, trauma or something else happened or was currently happening, or asking questions. I feel her mind was elsewhere and/or she may not be a good or as knowledgeable as I thought or as she presents herself…maybe it’s a little of both. Thankful for this information.

[@tracys.6033]

😊

[@MNHS16]

My therapist suspects the same. She says you're breathing in a traumatic way.

[@Fatbum11]

You can have had hypothyroidism all your life, I did jaundice and a heart murmur at birth were the first indications of this, 14 and blood clots in my periods were another indication of thyroid and pituitary, these impact cortisol, the gap-1 hormone receptor that tells your stomach it’s full didn’t work, everything worked slower so pre diabetes was inevitable, because again the thyroid and whatever else is responsible for the digestion system works slower, I had sleeping problems a child so my melatonin hormone didn’t work properly (pineal). There’s always a root cause for what we have.

[@ann18o96]

That was incredibly helpful! I wasn't sure if my past experience would be considered trauma, but while watching this I realised - regardless of what you'd call it - I was in constant stress mode, which was also the time I started eating exessively and gained weight.

[@ArtOfShannonLee]

Yeah! “Trauma” isn’t about what happened to you, it’s about what happened inside your brain (when the stressful thing happened). There’s not a list of experiences out there, dictating which things are “objectively bad” enough to be given the title of “traumatic.” It’s not about the content of what you were exposed to, but how you experienced that, internally! Trauma is about what happens inside of YOU (in ur brain) in the situation. The same experience which is no-big-deal for one person, COULD be traumatic for another person, because that’s their experience of the thing. Trauma comes from how we process (or fail to process) a situation. Chronic stress can absolutely cause trauma. I have Complex-PTSD, which is basically regular PTSD but in a “death by a thousand cuts” kind of way, usually starting in childhood. I recommend looking into it if you haven’t already. ❤

[@leialuminous]

Seriously, can give yourself cancer and all sorts of chronic illnesses and as soon as you start to undo the trauma, so does your body. Life truly is what you make it. Break the cycle folks, could save your life and immune system. You'll also like yourself way more✌🏻

[@Shannyn777]

That's not the science behind trauma tho. It's about the neurological and brain wiring starting in childhood.

[@dirtyunclehubert]

its like constantly dousing a fire with gasoline, more and more. inflammation, LITERALLY.

[@selen-m2h]

Amazing video, subbed immediately. I was abused in childhood and it continued in adulthood. I gained weight rapidly few years ago. I work out which gets me out of fight flight freeze mode but there are a lot of times where I can't. My body's constantly tense even when I'm sleeping, have a rapid heartbeat, have headaches and awful digestive issues. However, my family keeps nagging me on how I can't lose weight fast and call me names when I'm really trying. I wish more people knew about this. I'm sorry if I sounded like trauma dumping, I was trying to share my experience. Anyone experiencing this, I wish you best of luck and I hope you get through it. Thank you for sharing your work for free, bless you.

[@perspective9291]

Love this lady she gives so much useful information that most people would charged a ton of money for . Acceptance is a huge one for me I used to think acceptance meant I had to be ok or like the situation which made it hard for me to do but now knowing that it means letting go of things I can’t control makes it easier and not fighting a battle I can’t win . And also allowing myself to be upset or sad for a little while but not staying that way

[@xanderterex2571]

I can relate so much to this, stuck in FFF since childhood. Very hard to relax, always feeling unsafe.

[@MNHS16]

Man, I didn't know this was even a thing. I get jumped from even small creaks. Everything stresses me. I need to change something. I don't know where to start.

[@abigailandino6251]

I’ve been eating my feelings…..needed this 😮❤

[@plantyfan]

Also -- THANK YOU Emma. It feels like the medical community doesn't know much of anything about Insulin Resistance/Metabolic Syndrome/Prediabetes (they're all the same thing) and I've been aware of it for myself since around 2012. I only learned about it at all because I couldn't produce enough breastmilk for my babies. The effects are horrible.

[@plantyfan]

I have PCOS and that makes the lactation consultants shrug and say, "well, I don't know how else to help, PCOS is tough"

[@misse2013]

I've been learning about the HPA Axis and HPG Axis and this all makes so much sense- why trauma and stress leads to obesity, diabetes, as well as chronic illnesses like autoimmune conditions! It's all linked!

[@moonbread2334]

I might be in the minority but I would also love to know the mechanism behind weight *loss* due to stress. That's always been my story - when I'm in periods of stress (which has been most of my life), I have zero appetite and end up underweight.

[@cathybonner7888]

Hi Emma, I'm from the UK and I've watched a lot of your videos in the past. This one has been particularly helpful re diabetes and trauma. I have suffered trauma in my life and I'm now wondering if this has helped me become diabetic. Looking back I maybe wasn’t eating healthily but am now. Cake and chocolate are my 2 weaknesses which I try to limit to once a week. Thank you for all your support in your channel😊

[@Phoenix250]

Yup! I can testify 🙌🏽 to this! Currently going through DBT to help cope with and thrive despite my traumas and it’s working! Hard work but worth it! 👏🏽

[@jonathon-x9p]

Thank you for these videos. It's great how you put these together in such an informative and professional manner :)

[@user-zh3ws3zb5f]

Thanks!

[@freebird60]

I had to learn how to regulate and it was an eye opener that we are just not aware of them and so helpful as it workers well. I had done many EmDR session due to several ACEs but I also learned tricks to keep my anxiety at bay for good (no meds ever) and how to regulate in a moment. Tapping, breathing (in sequence), making any sequence (music mostly), touching my body or to massage gun my muscles (to remind that I am in present moment and not in the past. Our body is the only thing that is here and now); meditations, some breathworks, not taking to people after 8 pm (no calls,no messaging), no phone use before bed, use of essential oils for breathing and calming. Also our animals react to when we are disregulated, so my cat (and the dog too) always coming in the moment of haywire and "forces" me the get out fo that state by purring, leaking, pushing against my body so I can feel her body and her heat. When I realy saw this as a tool it became a very helpful one.

[@QwinnieLu56]

Love your content and your delivery - calm and relatable. Thanks so much. Happy holidays ☺️

[@shopahoilc1]

"Weight is not a moral issue" thank you for that. 🙏 I have battled with obesity my entire life and had childhood trauma. Even during periods of exercise and healthy eating, it has been a struggle.

[@sunreindeerfog]

Glad to see you pop up in my feed. KZbin hasn’t been surfacing your videos.

[@elspethfougere9683]

Thank you so much emma❤ So much of dealing with this stuff is knowledge. It helps to gave empathy and care from trusted people to work it through, but without knowledge or context to learn skills with it, it isnt so much use. These things are overwhelming, thats what makes it truamatic. Im so glad yoive chosen to share your work for free, with so many people who really need it, and who might find it very hard to access or find out about it any other way. Bless you 🙏

[@lisacoleman9398]

Thank you so much for sharing this!!Very helpful!!😊

[@ErikaLaGrande]

I’ve had the opposite problem. At one point in my life, I ended up weighing 98 lbs (I’m 5’7”). When I have relationship stress from NA, my stomach gets a “rock” init and it just hurts all the time and I completely lose my appetite.

[@mantronixtube]

my abusive family had an obsession w food and anything i ate was announced . it was psycho .

[@chelseawachholz5142]

Wow, food and families are werid. I was the chubby kid. Literally since birth my mother was measuring and weighing me to make sure I was eating enough, and not to much. Dad and my sisters ate one meal and Mom and I were always on Weight Watchers throughout childhood. I feel extreme fat phobia in my family. Here I am in my 50's over 100 lbs over weight. Even when I am slimmer I feel I look this size... body dismorphia, too.

[@dunktheball]

For some reason, apparently my stress and anxiety are making me lose weight. Partly making me eat less sometimes, but even on days when I eat a lot I am having a hard time maintaining weight! And up until around 5 years ago I was uncontrollably gaining weight!

[@cathybonner7888]

Emma you are such an informative person to listen to. I'm now type 2 diabetic and have been recovering from trauma over the last 40yrs. Maybe this is what caused my recent diagnosis? Something I need to ask my GP or diabetic nurse. My levels are stable at the moment as I'm in a better place and being more aware of what I'm eating

[@riorisa6613]

Thank you very much for this video. It gave me answer to 45 years old question.

[@klvfu]

Emma you are a blessing, thank you for everything! Happy 2025 to you, your family, your team and followers!

[@dlight2669]

God bless you You are a gift to all.

[@IyanttaHowell]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge ❤

[@Ponkelina]

Thank you SO much for this. Cant thank you enough

[@hannazarowska5407]

Thank you Emma😁 I really like listening to your podcasts🖐️

[@TexasMadeAprilRenee]

THANK 💜😘YOU! EVERYTHING BEGINS IN THE 🧠 BRAIN. THERAPY HELP ME TO UNDERSTAND THIS.❤

[@y6cd3sdzHs1g]

The gear-shaped panels are a fantastic idea for presentations

[@sjohan7835]

Really helpful - thank you ❤

[@user-emiiii]

What about "weight loss" Because of stress? Can u explain it?

[@TherapyinaNutshell]

yes, in the initial stages of the danger response, when stress levels are very high, fight and flight actually turn down appetite and the desire to eat. When stress levels are low and chronic, it turns up the desire to eat.

[@Melaniejd902]

I always enjoy your videos, but this was very helpful. Thanks for all you do

[@user497-w4f]

Thank u Emma ❤

[@serenafowler5500]

Wow!thank you for sharing. I've gained tremendous insights 🙌

[@pippipants]

Thank you Emma for your work and sharing so many really helpful free resources ❤ Merry Christmas/ appropriate seasonal greetings

[@lololeanna]

I love your videos so much. They have helped me a ton. Do you have any videos on abandonment issues?

[@lionheart1717]

Thank you so much for another helpful, free video.

[@Christina_R0cks]

Great video! I am having such trouble with managing stress and gaining weight this year 😫

[@traceyrichardson9550]

A C E s have a profound effect on our bodies; obesity is only one of many diseases. We needed the adrenaline and cortisol as kids because that is what kept us safe, sadly that was also our normal everyday life. Counselling, positive meditations and daily movements are all extremely useful tools in the effort to reconcile our experiences. My ACE score is 8 btw.

[@Vincentorix]

Mental health is just as important as physical health because they are related. Hopefully the many medical systems catch up.

[@leanna2624]

Thank you for your videos!

[@avidschemer]

the bodys systems all unravel when severe stress is a part of everyday life

[@turnerturner3281]

This was so helpful, thank you! Just subscribed.

[@RobertRedman007]

Very interesting information

[@suzannepoffel2160]

Thank you

[@julieaskingforafriend]

My mother was a narcissistic sociopath who despised me because I didn't look like her. She was tall and skinny, I was short and curvy, and I was constantly being berated for my weight, even though my weight was normal if not slightly lower. Meal time was traumatic; she would make fun of the way I chew, or how much I was or was not eating. After my divorce, from a man who turned out to be just like her because of course, I put on 90 lb in 9 months. I have been completely unable to lose any of it, unless I flat out fast and it literally nothing for days at a time. Then the wait comes back on as soon as I eat anything, plus more. It's a cycle I cannot break, and I hate my body. It's all well and good that I know why it happened, but now, how do I fucking stop it and turn it around before I die of diabetes or heart disease or hypertension?!?!

[@AskIvy]

Thank you so much!

[@dee5356]

Great video!Thank you!

[@meherenow]

Yet the opposite is true for others..they lose weight in periods of stress or as a result of long term trauma. People with restrictive eating disorders such as anorexia have often had childhood trauma

[@Tantejuju65]

Very useful!

[@jozzz222]

My life 😞 trauma and T2D. But I’m gonna change this.

[@DonieG-y9f]

I’m the opposite I’ve lost 10 pounds in one month due to stress of caring for elderly mom and I also have trauma from childhood

[@ilovepickle]

Hey IT'S ME!!!!

[@sarahb.6475]

The childhood stress + trauma in my case led to a slightly different path, a path that ended with not only celiac disease but also many IgE food allergies to common daily foods like wheat, corn, barley, mushrooms, cabbage + avacado. I am sure I am also allergic to milk too as I get even worse breathing issues from it than I do to the corn. And corn is in almost everything. And yes I react to all corn derivitives! Basically living on a grass fed meat based diet. Pasture eggs. My BMI at the PCP was 19.1 very hard to gain weight. Plus I do a lot of walking! I actually have a gene that says I am "likely to be heavier than normal" but the celiac gene over rides it. Those IgE allergies take over. Want to lose weight? Go get some IgE allergies to wheat + corn! Tons of people are allergic to corn. Its a growing allergy.

[@babak-k6t]

Best video ever

[@ikeameltdown8012]

This makes sense to me.

[@Hoffenditty2081]

I wish my health care providers would understand yhis.

[@SacrosanctStories]

Dear Emma, I am seeking help in stopping skin picking. I have tried for years to stop, and still struggle with this- especially when I am stressed. Do you have any materials, or guidance? There are many different ideas out there, and it is hard to know what to trust. I believe this is a deeply multi layered behavior. I dream of a life where I can be kind to my body!

[@wolframokeefe6044]

Awesome ❤

[@sandylucas4279]

I don't buy it. Because of the trauma I experienced as a child, what I have come to understand is that once I had a strong reaction to something the ego strengthened itself. It created a false self-concept because of the trauma, it then wants to keep the power by sending thoughts it knows you will react to. If we believe it is us who are thinking these negative thought patterns, it strengthens the ego, the false self-concept, and the ego stays in control. It doesn't know or care that it is causing bad health or stress, all it wants is the power so it can stay alive. When I learned this I also noticed the ego will not respond to curiosity. Therefore, to break the habit of reacting to these negative thoughts (by yelling, crying, acting like a victim, continuing unhealthy habits, raging, complaining, blaming, shutting down, arguing with the thoughts, etc.), I am alert and aware and do NOT react when negative thoughts are active (triggered). Instead I look for sensations in my body. If I find something I take a deep breath and I follow it or watch it. When a sigh is released I know it is over and I have taken NO action. Or, I ask, "I wonder who those thoughts belong to?" Or, "Who am I?" Or, "I wonder what the next thought will be?" By not reacting to negativity I am confident I am shrinking the ego and moving it from the driver seat into the backseat. I also learned what foods cause the craving or wanting thoughts ( for me it is fruit, peanuts, nuts, and anything sweet tasting - including stevia and diet soda, all bread, all potatoes, coleslaw and anything fried at a restaurant) and eliminated them. Now I do not get those types of thoughts (eating this way ten years). When I quit smoking cigarettes and an urge would come, I'd say, "That's odd, why would I crave a smoke when I am a smoke-free woman?" I only did this a few times until it vanished completely (smoke-free 23 years). When we continue a habit, it isn't about the thing we're trying to quit, we are trying to release the tension the negative thoughts (ego) creates. Don't fall for it. Get curious and ask questions, look for inner sensations, and, most importantly, don't react. I ended the craziness the ego created and you can too!

[@Theoriginalgreenring]

Wow! Great advice! Thank you YT stranger!

[@AthenaGeorghiou]

If anybody has any book recommendations about this I would love some suggestions ❤

[@cds8249]

I read an excerpt from Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers by Robert Sapolsky and it talks a bit about this. he's a neuroscientist at Stanford who studies stress effects on the body as well as other things. The excerpt was fascinating, but I haven't had a chance to read the entire book. Hope this helps. I would like other book recommendations on this too. There should be more writing on this.

[@AthenaGeorghiou]

@cds8249 that's definitely helpful and I will check it out. Thanks so much for the reply. And yes, there should be way more writing on this 💕

[@cds8249]

@AthenaGeorghiou No problem! I hope you like the book.

[@LonelyTreeSunset]

Something to keep in mind is that acute stress causes immune enhancement while chronic atress causes immune suppression. My stress not only causes central adiposity but also a condition called eosinophilia. Stress is toxic to one's health and will likely wreck your immune system and metabolism. Take care, everyone.

[@LonelyTreeSunset]

A dysregulated and suppressed immune system, coupled with a dysfunctional metabolism, is why we see cancer becoming so prevalent in our modern society. Modifying diet and lifestyle is the solution.

[@freebird60]

The statement about overeating at 2 minutes 15 ish it is both incorrect and insensitive. People do not have to overeat or stress eat, or constatly eat carbs and sugars to gain weight and having issues with loosing it and having insulin issues due to the trauma. Healing from traum it is essential, learn how to bring your NS in hemostasis is too (bc we never learned that as children due to ACEs) and when emotional attachment to the trauma(s) gets released (ex. "YOU never have friends being xyz (aka yourself)) after causing stress/anxiety for years and years everything in our body starting to regulate, including insulin and we start loosing weight that we held onto both emotional (way of protecting) and physically (storing fat due to high glucose levels)

[@felishabrown4547]

In light of the high incidence of type 2 diabetes and obesity among African Americans, its possible generational racial trauma plays a role in the prevalence of pervasive poor health outcomes along with limited wholistic, culturally competent mental health intervention opportunities

[@zebroification]

Sooo trauma stress doesn't trigger weight gain but increases appetite, right? I see these two being interchanged freely but if I am to take theory into practice and try to improve something, this is very important distinction.

[@leanna2624]

Could you add another layer, ADHD? It's part of my equation.

[@JamieAndrick]

Craving fatty foods such as cakes, pies, donuts that contain seed oils, hydrogenated oils/vegetable oils.... healthy fats are necessary for optimal brain function and overall health.

[@valeriaramirez2586]

Well now what

[@caroleminke6116]

Cortisol Adrenaline Stress

[@Republiks]

I work in a high-paying job which comes with stress. How can I manage?

[@schonlingg.wunderbar2985]

By using some of your high payment to see a therapist.

[@elionrekoy4079]

What about Underweight, can you make a video for that also. When you are skinny and cant gain weight. ❤️💙🙏

[@plantyfan]

The WHO categorized obesity as a disease back in the 1940s, but the US does consider it a moral issue. It means that health insurance rarely covers treatment for weight loss, and things that truly work like GLP-1 drugs are restricted. That's why people are going through compounding pharmacies and dying. I hate the American healthcare system. I'm paying $400 a month for Zepbound until I bump to the next titration when it will be $550, for as long as I can afford and justify the expense. I'll just have to be grateful for whatever help I get from it. It's a complete game changer.

[@alexwelts2553]

This is real, predator hunting and not consuming prey dynamic. Done with Intent and you're ready for market or a bunker. Look into how they make turkeys into butterballs. It's not very nice.

[@yasminehaenflein9005]

😍❤️

[@Find-Your-Wellness-With-Me]

Who dislikes the video?

[@Brody.W]

Trauma, Stress, cortisol and diabetes is what I'm saved from through the death of God in Christ Jesus of Nazareth 😅🤣😂

[@slimelove3493]

oly chit

[@theexplorer5859]

Best to stick to therapy as someone who has experienced anorexia and orthorexia I recommend listening to experts like abbey sharpe on nutrition

[@coyotemoon722]

I like your blouse or dress

[@dirtyunclehubert]

thanks - the body keeps the score. you can run yourself to pieces in the gym, if youre constantly traumalooping in your brain, your body is in panic mode and says "OMG NO MUST STORE ENERGY", the cortisol helps greatly with that....then again, muscle growth isnt affected. so by getting ripped, you eventually WILL lose fat. but few trauma survivors say "oh guess what i start pro bodybuilding now!", the lot of people just wanna get dat summer body. also, especially childhood trauma will completely derail your discipline and persistence. WELL! IT IS WHAT IT IS!

[@godzillamanstreb524]

This happened to my late scapegoated husband….he ate to feel happy, got t2d and eventually had a fatal heart attack …..so sad & tragic….🩵✨♥️

[@kunserndsittizen2655]

Scapegoated?

[@ikeameltdown8012]

I'm so sorry.

[@Epic-so3ek]

​@@kunserndsittizen2655probably a typo

[@Noyb2020]

@@kunserndsittizen2655probably referring to the scapegoated child in a dysfunctional family. The one who is blamed for all the problems instead of the abuser.

[@godzillamanstreb524]

@@ikeameltdown8012thank you