The Health Impacts of Living in a Dysregulated State

We often hear the term fight flight freeze when talking about people who have experienced trauma. Simply put if you grew up in an environment where you experienced trauma:

• Parents who fought a lot/ divorce/separation
• Physical abuse or neglect
• Addiction, illnesses, homelessness, or economic insecurity
• Sudden death or accidents

Then you may unconsciously be living in a traumatized state and not realize it.

All the things listed above and many more can cause trauma.  If it was not processed in a loving, supportive and validating manner chances are very high you’re living in an undiagnosed dysregulated state.:

What are the symptoms of dysregulation?

• Oversensitivity to stimuli
• Being easily overwhelmed
• Persistent worry or fearfulness
• Chronic stress
• Vigilant to your surroundings living in a heightened state of awareness
• Difficulty relaxing – constant need to keep busy, productive, doing something
• Constant planners and controllers – need to be in charge of their environment
• Memory problems
• Restless leg syndrome
• Anxiety, depression, mood swings, self-harm
• Social and relationship problems
• Difficulty resolving conflict

We know medically living in a dysregulated state is also the cause of many medical conditions.

• Medical Conditions Caused by Dysregulation:
• IBS, Digestive issues
• Weakened Immune System
• High Blood Pressure
• Asthma
• High blood pressure
• Insomnia
• Chronic Pain – especially head, neck and shoulder
• Headaches

I treat patents daily who are living unconsciously in dysregulated states. They are high performing, high achieving individuals who cannot sit still. Movement helps regulate them – long distance running, hiking, biking, training for marathons, triathlons. But ask them to lie still for a yoga savasana pose and they would rather climb the wall.

What is interesting to note with these patients is once the acupuncture needles are in, they often fall asleep immediately. Their bodies are just so exhausted that once their vagus nerve is reset or they switch from their autonomic nervous system (ANS) into their parasympathetic system they immediately feel exhausted.  When people are living in their ANS they cannot feel how tired they really are. They have difficulty feeling a lot of their basic emotions because their nervous systems are so amped up.

Left untreated over time chronic illness start to appear. This is usually when they seek treatment from Western medicine. The challenge is they are treated for their symptoms not the root of their illness – trauma.

This past week I received an energy healing session from Rune. She used sound bowls and within 5 minutes of laying my head on the table I was fast asleep. I woke up 45 minutes later feeling utterly exhausted. I knew I was amped up, but I had no idea how amped I was.

Apparently, the sound and vibrations from singing bowls interacted with my body’s energy centers. I remember feeling this vibration when she placed the bowl on the ball of my left foot.  The vibration balanced and aligned my chakras. The calming effect of the sound induced a state of deep relaxation.  It’s no wonder so many people are going to sound bath healing sessions. It’s another great way to regulate your nervous system!

Healing Dysregulation

While exercise is an excellent way to manage anxiety and stress it doesn’t switch you back into your PNA (parasympathetic nervous system).  How then do you regulate yourself?

• Connecting face to face with someone you feel safe with who validates your experiences
• Acupuncture
• Yin yoga – long slow exhales
• Sound Bowl Healings
• Reiki, healing touch
• Deep restorative sleep
• EMDR trauma therapy
• Repetitive movement like swimming, walking swinging your arms
• Meditations that incorporate breathwork