How we use polyvagal theory to understand trauma
Trauma is a life-altering experience. Without effective treatment, it can trap you into reliving painful moments over and over. Trauma treatment became significantly more effective in recent decades with therapies like EMDR, there was a piece missing in the treatment of trauma.
In 2011, the polyvagal theory added a missing piece to the puzzle. Instead of long-term pain and pathology, there is more hope for recovery and healing. Take a closer look at how we use polyvagal theory to understand trauma now.
What is the polyvagal theory
In 2011, Dr. Stephen Porges’s groundbreaking book, The Polyvagal Theory, introduced a new way of understanding trauma. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) controls your body’s unconscious reactions to everything around you. The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) is in charge of firing up your fight-or-flight response. The parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) helps your body rest and wind down after being stimulated.
The polyvagal theory puts a spotlight on the vagus nerve. This nerve runs from the base of the brain down to the small intestines. Porges explains how the vagus nerve regulates the body within the PNS.
The upper body connection supports what Porges calls the “social engagement system.” This part of the vagus nerve affects facial expressions, vocal cords, and ears. These organs help you communicate and socialize with others. The lower part connects directly with the heart, lungs, and digestive organs. Porges calls this the “passive defense” system.
The Vagus Nerve – Putting on the Brakes
Your brain processes everything you sense in your surroundings, keeping tabs on how safe you are. This activity runs in the background without your conscious awareness. Of course, you can actively notice how safe you feel at a given moment. But your body senses it before your mind consciously knows it. In other words, you have no control over the way your body reacts to signals of safety or danger.
The vagus nerve acts as a brake pedal, slowing down the responses in your body. It works within the PNS and puts a damper on your fight-or-flight response. This braking action can happen in one of two ways: social engagement or passive defense.
Social engagement system
When life is good, the social engagement system allows you to feel safe, healthy, and social. You feel free to enjoy your surroundings and connect with others. Stimulation feels like excitement and fun, not tension or danger. Your interactions with people help your brain understand what safety feels like. When others around you are playful or relaxed, you react in a similar way. You gently move between arousal and relaxation.
Passive defense system
When something sparks fear or looks like a threat, your SNS preps your body for action. This fight-or-flight response is one of your body’s ancient methods of protection. But if your SNS gets overloaded, your vagus nerve can trigger your passive defense system. Your mind and body might feel stuck while things happen around you, or you might pass out. The shutdown response is common among people who have been through trauma.
Sensing Threat – Responding to Trauma
Your body reacts the split second after it detects a threat, and you have no control over what happens. Your conscious mind is part of the newer evolutionary part of the human body. Because of its primal nature, the older, more reactive part of your nervous system usually takes over. That’s why you can’t think when something shocking happens. Your brain goes numb, and your body reacts in the blink of an eye.
Understanding trauma response
The polyvagal theory helps us understand the trauma response with new eyes. Reactions that were a paradox or seemed unexplained finally make sense. Until this theory emerged, many people saw the trauma response as unhealthy and pathological. The polyvagal theory shows the trauma response as protective and adaptive. A person’s mind and body shut down to prevent overstimulation, which could be too difficult to cope with.
Many people with a trauma history are angry with themselves for the way they reacted. They often wonder why they didn’t fight or run away during the trauma. Because of the shutdown response, others may assume a person allowed or wanted the trauma to happen.
These misunderstandings are based on the faulty idea that a person has a choice when reacting to trauma. They don’t. Nobody does. When the body shuts down, it is protecting itself to fight or flee another day. This is the message people with trauma history need to hear as they restore their lives. When everything became terrible, their mind and body adapted to save them.
Healing from Trauma
You can feel trapped by disturbing memories of your traumatic experience. Without effective treatment, you may feel stuck in an emotional prison. With the help of the polyvagal theory, it’s easier to understand trauma in more hopeful ways. And understand it is not your “fault” for the way you are reacting.
Kelly Burris, LMFT (CA 86688) helps clients overcome trauma with a fresh outlook and uses Polyvagal Theory informed treatment. Kelly sees clients in her office in San Clemente CA or online for telehealth for clients located in California. Kelly is EMDR certified and helps clinicians become more confident with their EMDR skills with consulting as an EMDRIA Consultant in Training (as of 2020). An appointment can be made online here.
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