You may have come across the Polyvagal Theory. But what does it entail? And why is it so indispensable to understand? If you suffer from persistent stress and tension. Or when you find it difficult to connect with yourself and others.
Polyvagal theory, coined by Dr. Stephen Porges, offers comprehensive insights into the responses of our autonomic nervous system. These responses are fight, flight, freeze or retreat. These insights allow you to better recognize and understand them. By recognizing these reactions, you can switch to a more conscious state. Allowing you to reconnect without panicking or defending yourself.
Although Polyvagal theory is quite complicated, we will take you step by step through the fundamental concepts of this theory.
Why we react this way
The concept of Polyvagal Theory delves into the intricacies of the autonomic nervous system. And how it regulates our responses to different stimuli. This theory, coined by Dr. Stephen Porges, shows why we tend to react in certain ways to stress or other situations. By understanding how the autonomic nervous system works, we can recognize automatic responses. And then learn to move to a state of connection, rather than fight or flight.
Human nervous system
The nervous system is a complex network that helps us perceive and respond to external stimuli. It consists of several organs. Including the senses, the brain and the spinal cord. Which work together to regulate the functions of our body. Humans have one of the most highly developed nervous systems among vertebrates. Due to which it functions both extensively and complexly.
The nervous system consists of two parts
The nervous system has two main components, the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system. The somatic nervous system is the part of the nervous system that we control with our thoughts and free will. This system allows us to move our muscles and control our senses. On the other side is the Autonomic Nervous System. This is the automatic part of the nervous system. This controls the automatic functions of our body, such as digestion, heart rate and sweating.
Breathe
Breathing is one of the functions controlled by the Autonomic Nervous System. Although we breathe automatically, we can also consciously control our breathing, which can affect our body's functions. For example, a long, deep exhalation can slow our heart rate. This principle is applied in breathing exercises, in order to achieve relaxation.
Survive or connect with others
The task of the Autonomic Nervous System is to ensure our survival in times of danger and to promote social engagement in times of safety. To accomplish this, the Autonomic Nervous System has two modes - the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system regulates mobilization and is responsible for getting moving and taking action, as well as fight or flight responses. The parasympathetic nervous system, on the other hand, promotes immobilization and helps us calm down and recover, as well as respond with freezing or stiffening.
Learning to recognize automatic responses
Polyvagal Theory explains how our autonomic nervous system responds to different stimuli. And how it can influence our behavior. By recognizing our automatic responses, we can learn to move toward a state of connection. Instead of fight-or-flight reactions.
Understanding how the autonomic nervous system works can be particularly helpful for people who suffer from recurring stress or tension or those who have difficulty connecting with others.
From automatism to awareness
In summary, Polyvagal Theory addresses how the autonomic nervous system works and how it affects our behavior. By understanding the different modes of the autonomic nervous system. And how it responds to different stimuli, we can learn to recognize our automatic responses. And return to a state of connection. This knowledge can be invaluable for people dealing with stress, burnout or depression.
The Nervus Vagus
The Polyvagal Theory is the result of Dr. Stephen Porges' extensive research on the Nervus Vagus. This is one of twelve nerves that originate in the brain stem. The Latin word "vagus" means "wandering." And the Nervus Vagus certainly lives up to its name: it branches from the brain stem, to all the organs in the body and to the facial muscles.
As the most crucial bundle of nerves in the parasympathetic nervous system, the vagus nerve has a significant impact on the body's ability to slow down, shut down and connect with others. To understand how a single nerve can perform such different functions. We must look at the two different bundles, which evolved at different times. The older, more primitive bundle is the Dorsal Vagus, while the newer, smarter bundle is the Ventral Vagus. Hence the term Polyvagal, meaning multiple nerves.
Dorsal branch and ventral branch
Both bundles are differently structured and have different functions. The Dorsal Vagus branches mainly to the lower organs. While the Ventral Vagus goes to the organs in the face and upper trunk. The ventral vagus is surrounded by a signal amplifying layer around the nerves, while the dorsal vagus is not. The development of this layer depends on interaction between baby and parents, indicating that this nerve pathway develops through social interaction.
Everything is about safety
The Autonomic Nervous System is organized around safety. Its sole purpose is to maximize an individual's safety, using a hierarchical system to do so. When a person is safe, he can connect with others and engage in activities such as play. This state activates the ventral vagus, the evolutionarily youngest part of the vagus nerve.
However, when something happens that the nervous system perceives as alarming, the ventral vagus goes offline and the sympathetic nervous system takes over, prioritizing movement and action. If the situation is alarming enough, adrenaline and cortisol are automatically released, allowing the individual to fight or flee.
False alarm
The primitive alarm system often mistakes non-life-threatening situations for life-threatening situations. This causes stress reactions in the body and often eventually leads to overwork and burnout. Understanding the workings of the Nervus Vagus and Polyvagal Theory provides insight into how the body processes different stimuli. And how it responds to them. And it emphasizes the importance of safety and social interaction in human physiology.
State of freezing
The human nervous system is a complex and fascinating system that responds in different ways to different stimuli. When the body faces a threat, the sympathetic nervous system responds to prepare for action. However, if the threat is too severe, the vagus nerve takes over. This then causes a total shutdown known as "freezing," which often happens in traumatic events. This reaction can also occur in smaller ways, such as when someone passes out before a presentation. Or when something exciting or painful is touched during therapy.
Neuroception
The nervous system always wonders if it is in danger and reacts immediately. Remarkably, the alarm sensor in the brain is not controlled by the analytic parts of the brain, but rather by the brainstem and limbic brain. This is known as neuroception, in which the nervous system responds to stimuli before the neocortex has a chance to analyze them. In fact, the neocortex begins to understand a situation only after the autonomic nervous system has already initiated a survival response.
Safety is the basis of successful therapy
Many therapies focus on telling clients to change or behave differently. Which can then trigger defensive states and feelings of insecurity. Polyvagal theory suggests that people must first feel safe. Before they can make positive changes, and that therapy can otherwise trigger defensive reactions. Or can cause withdrawal and disconnection.
Social contact can be healing
However, polyvagal theory also shows that the nervous system can respond positively to the nervous system of others. This is often seen in the bond between mother and child, where the mother's nervous system can regulate that of the child and create a calming effect.
Overall, the nervous system is a powerful and often overlooked aspect of our being that influences our thoughts, emotions and behavior. Understanding how it functions and responds to stimuli can be a crucial step. In promoting positive change and creating a sense of safety and security in our daily lives.
Coregulate, positively connect with others
Co-regulation is the ability to experience or regain safety in the presence of another safe person. This occurs not only in children but also between adults. The development of the ventral vagus nerve, responsible for self-regulation, occurs through interaction with a parent who possesses a well-developed circuit. This is crucial for children who are unable to comfort themselves. Growing up in safe conditions with predictable parents who experience peace and security also promotes the development of the ventral nerve. Which allows people to fall back on it in difficult times later in life. However, people who lack this experience as children may develop a less developed ventral nerve. This results in increased stress reactions to events that others do not perceive as stressful.
Automatic response to danger
Dr. Stephen Porges explains that recognizing a person as safe or dangerous provokes neurobiologically determined pro-social or defensive behavior. This automatic response to danger is crucial for adaptive defense behaviors such as fighting, fleeing or freezing. Understanding this automatic process can help in your recovery process.
Co-regulation
The process of co-regulation is very important for both children and adults. A listening ear, an arm around someone or the watching eyes of a caring person can all signal co-regulation. Despite the automatic nature of these processes, it is not a hopeless situation. The brain is a flexible system that can adapt to changing circumstances, and this ability, called neuroplasticity, continues into old age.
Automatic responses to social contact
When it comes to our interactions with others, there are a lot of automatic responses that come to mind. We seek out others, but doubt whether we should seek contact. We may withdraw into ourselves or instead grow closer. It can be difficult to seek contact but exciting to strike up a conversation at a party. We enjoy phone calls from curious friends and blossom on receiving hugs. All of these reactions are directly linked to our autonomic nervous system.
The importance of connecting with others
The state of our relationships can have a major impact on our feelings of safety, growth, resilience and optimism. If we do not experience trust, insecurity or trauma, we are more likely to respond with survival responses such as fight, flight and freeze. Each new relationship teaches us something about how this works. And healthy, positive relationships can change old patterns. Unsafe experiences can cause us to continue using survival methods.
Survival responses
Our past experiences and the composition of our brain and nervous systems can have a great impact on our feelings and experiences in life. If we find that we cannot settle down, that we are constantly alert or that we are stuck in one mode of our autonomic nervous system. Then that is a sign that a survival action has been "switched on" and is trying to protect us. To escape this, we need to engage in activities, such as moving, connecting with ourselves and others. And thus connect with our bodies and experiences.
Safe and Sound Protocol
Another way to help your nervous system get back to safety. And to get it out of a survival state, it's Safe and Sound Protocol.
The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) is a music therapy and listening training program. Designed by Dr. Stephen Porges, based on his research into how our nervous system works. The SSP was originally developed to help people with autism. It was later found that the SSP is also great for helping people who have experienced trauma or long-term stress. It consists of five hours of listening to coded and filtered music. The five hours are listened to according to a listening schedule, where you listen to the SSP over an average of 20 days with a maximum of 20 minutes per day.
From unconscious to conscious
Despite the fact that some of our perceptions and reactions are therefore unconscious. And without attention, we have no influence on this. However, we can become increasingly aware of this. Beautiful examples we see daily in our practice.
To help you become aware of your bodily reactions and impulses, you will receive a free course based on Polyvagal theory from us in addition to the Safe and Sound Protocol.
The benefits of the Safe and Sound Protocol in brief:
- You are less likely to be triggered, by people and situations.
- You are on less often and you can relax better.
- You can feel safe again, when there is no reason for insecurity.
- It can help you break free from a survival state again.
- Helps your nervous system refocus on signals of safety.
It becomes easier to look at your emotions with distance and therefore make a different choice. This creates a difference between reacting and responding. You do the former from an emotion and the latter from your consciousness.
