UNLOCK YOUR POTENTIAL! the nervous system update as the key to fulfillment!
Disclaimer: I am not a psychologist or medical professional. This is intended to educate, inspire and support you healing stress and embodying your highest self. Some content might be sensitive; I invite you to practice self-harmonizing.
There’s a physiological reason why you feel stuck, trapped in a cycle of perfectionism and feeling inadequate… no, it’s not your fault, thank goodness, it’s biology!
This physiological reason why you feel stuck was uncovered by Dr Stephen Porges.
It’s called Polyvagal Theory.
Poly meaning many
Vagal meaning Vagus Nerve
I highly recommend reading this book by Stephen Porges: Pocket Guide to Polyvagal Theory!
the vagus nerve
The vagus nerve is the primary influencer of the parasympthatic nervous system.
Likely it was taught to you that the parasympathetic nervous system was the rest/digest (heal) nervous system. We were also taught that it’s opposite, the sympathtic nervous system, was “fight/flight.”
Ringing any bells? I hope so.
If not, no worries, what you need to know is right here! You’re doing great! #ScienceIsCool
Turns out there’s more to the story!
It’s true, when we encounter a stressor, our body creates a physiological change to deal with the threat — first we MOBILIZE energy to deal with the threat (fight or run away).
If that doesn’t work, when we’ve tried to defend ourselves by fighting back or fleeing the scene but can’t, we do any means necessary to stay alive, which would mean shutdown, collapse, dissociation.
So there’s actually two very different stress reactions!
Plus the healthy, healing, joyful, calm, creative, confident, playful, joyful, abundant state; which Stephen Porges calls Social Engagement (the Ventral Vagal branch of the Vagus Nerve).
In Polyvagal Theory, Sympathetic state (fight/flight) keeps it’s name. And the Shutdown state is the Dorsal Vagal.
Social Engagement = Ventral Vagal
Shutdown = Dorsal Vagal
The two branches of the Vagus Nerve.
chronic freeze
What happens when your physiology keeps mounting a mobilizing response and you don’t discharge that energy (stores survival stress).
It piles on and on and on until you feel overwhelmed, incapable, and confused as all hell.
Your body starts to shutdown to protect itself because mobilizing sure isn’t doing the trick because the stress just keeps piling on!
Freeze is kind of a mix between sympathetic and shutdown.
In your body this might show up as racing thoughts, overanalyzing, and indecisive.
It might show up as reviewing your email response 30x before actually sending it.
It might show up as feeling helpless or hopeless, feeling like a victim, having depressive feelings.
It might show up as feeling chaotic, overwhelmed, confused, and full of doubt.
It might show up as having the plan to make the change, to eat better, get healthier, wake up earlier, start that side hustle… and can’t get the body and behavior to implement the plan!
And so… you feel stuck in your life circumstance…
Again, physiology, not you!
summary: why is Polyvagal Theory important?
So many reasons but I just want to share a couple here:
There’s scientific understanding that Shutdown/Freeze is a stress reaction coming from the body
We are capable of moving between states of Social Engagement (health, growth, restoration), Sympathetic (mobilizing energy) and Shutdown/Freeze
Stressful life events have pushed us down into Shutdown/Freeze, but we can pull ourselves out!
We can leverage Social Engagement to bring ourselves out of stress response (safety, connection, etc. with self and others)
Because 80% of the Vagus Nerve is body TO brain, we work with the BODY to support relieving stress and achieving success!
I hope this served you! Any questions?! Ask away in the comments!
infinite health & growth,
Stephanie
