‘Bodied’ – How the Nervous System Responds to Cues of Stress & Ways to Attend to it

By Adanna Anucha, MSW RSW

“There is more wisdom in your body than in your deepest philosophy.” – Friedrich Nietzsche 

When Socrates exclaimed his now famous words, “know thyself”, I’ll venture a guess that he probably was not referring to knowing the body’s autonomic nervous system! Nonetheless, the invitation to “know thyself” (typically used in association for understanding one’s character) can also be significantly useful when extended to matters of the nervous system. Indeed, knowing our body’s nervous system, ways it responds to cues of threat and how that response impacts our emotions – can increase our overall self-awareness and understanding in deeply transformative ways. 

When discussing the autonomic nervous system (ANS), most people might be more familiar with the terms fight, flight and freeze – which are typically used when referring to the ANS. Another way the autonomic nervous system can perhaps be described is as a surveillance system in the body, scanning a laser beam in our environment for cues of danger and at the sight of a threat, sounding a loud siren that releases the metaphorical hounds in our body to manage the risk. This management of threat is processed via two main branches – the sympathetic and the parasympathetic. 

These branches respond to cues, signals and sensations through three distinct pathways that ultimately lead to the arousal of emotions within us that often drive us to react. Let’s take a closer look at the three ways the nervous system responds to threat and stress. 

Three nervous system states

Dorsal Vagal: The parasympathetic branch has two pathways found in a nerve called the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is divided into two parts one of which is the dorsal vagal. This pathway responds to cues of threat by putting us into a state of collapse. This is commonly experienced as a feeling of being numb. 

Sympathetic: The sympathetic branch responds to cues of threat by triggering the release of adrenaline which in turn fuels our “fight and flight” response. During situations of stress or threat, we are more likely to engage in confrontation or avoidance while in the sympathetic state. 

Ventral Vagal State: The other pathway of the vagus nerve is known as a ventral vagal state. It is a state of safety and homeostasis. It is that last bowl of porridge that’s neither hot or cold, but just right. In this state, we are able to experience a range of emotions that allow us to be socially engaged with ourselves and others.  

The Autonomic Ladder: 

These three states can be organized into a ladder, and our experience, emotions as well as body sensations change as we move up and down the ladder. At the top of the ladder is the ventral vagal state where we feel a sense of hopefulness and calmness; though this is not a perfect place where problems do not exist, it is a place where we feel a sense of safety and connection. Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Deb Dana, describes some of the daily living experiences of this state as “being organized, following through with plans, having a general feeling of regulation and a sense of management.” 

We might move down the ladder if something triggers a cue of perceived threat that activates the sympathetic branch of the ANS. For example, this cue could be in the form of a family member or a friend that snaps at you, resulting in you retaliating in response (fight) or withdrawing from the individual (flight). The encounter might then further result in you crawling into bed, dissociating from everyone and further moving down the ladder to a dorsal vagus state of shutdown. This state is often marked by a sense of hopelessness. 

Attending to your Nervous System: 

Dana (2018) proposes that we can learn to harness the power of our nervous system so it not just serves a function of protection, but also a function of healing. We can achieve this through reshaping our systems and rewriting our stories. Here are two tips to help you begin this journey: 

Identifying landmark moments: the role of a landmark for your autonomic state is to serve as a reference point to help you understand how you experience each of the states. Think back to a time you were in each of the three states, and identify a landmark (in the form of a descriptive name, a physiological feeling etc.) that you can associate with each of the states. Some questions to reflect on: what situations tend to activate these states for you? What emotions, thoughts and behaviours do you exhibit when you move up and down the ladder into the various states? 

Exploring your anchors: an anchor can be described as something that serves to hold an object firmly in place. In situations of high arousal and activation, what can you use as an anchor to bring you into a ventral vagal (safety) and regulation state? An anchor could be in the form of an object that has deep meaning, a person that allows you to feel safe, or an activity that helps to ground you such as deep breathing or mindfulness. Create a list of these anchors and have them easily accessible. 

These are two ways that you can begin attending to your nervous system. With continued awareness of your response patterns, you can regulate these responses and navigate to a state of safety. 

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