It’s Not You, It’s Your Wiring: Understanding the Autonomic Nervous System

September 25, 2024

It’s Not You, It’s Your Wiring
Every human has an Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)! Understanding the basics of your nervous system and honoring its regulation & restoration is essential in the trauma recovery process.

What You Want

When you are regulated, resourced, and not under too much stress—you are relaxed, residing within the “window of stress tolerance” and experiencing the “ventral vagal” state. This is our goal state.

But when we experience too much stress, fear, and/or trauma, it can push you into arousal states of activation & protection.

Arousal States or Activation

When you are under-resourced and have more stress than you can handle, you can find yourself physiologically OUT of your window of stress tolerance. This manifests as:

  • HYPER aroused or “mobilized” – your body feels energized and ready to run, fight, or act.
  • HYPO aroused or “immobilized” – your energy shuts down to keep you safe, preventing action.
  • Experiencing BOTH states of arousal simultaneously.
    When both HYPER and HYPO arousal states are active, it’s like driving a car with one foot on the accelerator and the other on the brake. Just like your car won’t know what to do, you’ll similarly feel “out of whack” and might even feel like you’re “losing it” or “going crazy.” This is a common sensation for trauma survivors and can feel like a body flashback.

6 Fs of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)

To better understand your own nervous system, consider the 6 Fs:

  1. Fight: Physically fighting, pushing back, struggling, & resisting.
  2. Flight: Putting distance between yourself and danger through actions like running, hiding, or backing away.
  3. Freeze: Going tense, still, and silent. This is a common reaction to traumatic events, such as rape and sexual violence, where freezing is a survival instinct.
  4. Flop/Fatigue: Similar to freezing, except your muscles become loose, and your body goes limp. This automatic reaction can help reduce physical pain, with your mind shutting down to protect itself.
  5. Fawn/Friend: Seeking help from a bystander or befriending the danger by placating or negotiating. This instinctive survival mechanism does not indicate consent.
  6. Flooding: Becoming overwhelmed with emotions in response to perceived threats.

These responses are instinctive, autonomic, protective, and primal mechanisms for safety when you are under stress. There is NO SHAME in experiencing these responses. You may naturally gravitate toward one or more of these responses based on your conditioning and past experiences.

ANS Recovery

  • Once safety is re-established, you can make choices that allow you to return to your window of stress tolerance in a gentle, attuned way.
  • After safety is stabilized, it’s helpful to learn and implement self-care practices that widen your window of stress tolerance. I like to think of this as “saving for a rainy day” — putting deposits in your system for when you need a speedy withdrawal.

A wider window of stress tolerance allows you to be more responsive and empowered in your life and relationships. Left unchecked, these instinctual responses can become habitual reactions to minor stresses, coloring your perception of others and the world through a trauma-tinted lens.

Complete the Cycle

Here are some common truths of trauma for CPTSD survivors:

  • You may not have had a choice about the trauma or stress you experienced.
  • You may not have had the support you needed, leaving you with the burdens of helplessness, hopelessness, and feeling stuck.
  • You may not have been able to allow your body to complete the natural stress response cycle, resulting in symptoms of stuck arousal and activation.

Healing from trauma involves reconnecting with your Self, others, and the world. Finding a way to safely reconnect with your body, move energy, and release burdened beliefs will alleviate symptoms & set the stage for post-traumatic growth.

Invitation

  • Are you ready to bring courage, curiosity, and compassion to your inner system?
  • Would you like to experience more peace and balance?
  • Do you wish to feel less victimized and more empowered?
  • Are you prepared to experience some discomfort in the pursuit of healing, recovery, and growth?

If so, I invite you to schedule your next RESET session.

Resources

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