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Key contributor -

Have you heard? A dysregulated nervous system is one of the key contributors to mental health issues.

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Inappropriate response -

A dysregulated nervous system will often cause a response (thought, feeling, or behavior) that is inappropriate or disproportional to the event, person, or situation.

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Reaction -

The inappropriate response may look like underreacting or overreacting to what's happened/is happening.

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Stress -

Unresolved and unfinished stress responses occurring in the body can cause the nervous system to become dysregulated. There can also be spiritual, lifestyle, or biochemical reasons for the dysregulation.

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Mental health -

A dysregulated nervous system may present with mental health symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, panic, sleep problems, memory loss, poor concentration, irritability, and exhaustion.

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Behavior -

These mental health symptoms are accompanied by inappropriate behaviors such as outbursts of anger, passive aggression, lying, vindictiveness, or being argumentative.

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Relationships -

Such symptoms and behaviors can cause relationship problems, which in turn can exacerbate mental health issues even more.

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Components -

The nervous system is made up of two components: the central nervous system (CNS), and the peripheral nervous system (PNS).

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CNS and PNS -

The CNS is composed of the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. The PNS is made up of sensory neurons, ganglia (clusters of neurons), and nerves that connect to one another and the CNS.

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Autonomic division -

The autonomic division is the involuntary component of our nervous system. It regulates processes like breathing, blood pressure, and heart beat without effort. Its role is to keep us safe.

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Two systems -

The autonomic nervous system divides into two systems: the sympathetic, and the parasympathetic. The sympathetic regulates our fight or flight response. The parasympathetic regulates our rest and digest response.

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Freeze mode -

The parasympathetic system has a freeze or shutdown mode, mediated by the dorsal vagus. This immobilizes us in times of danger.

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Primal response -

This freeze mode is our most primal threat response. It comes from the primitive part of the brain.

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Social engagement -

The ventral vagus mediates social engagement and connection, and is linked to our mammalian brain. It ensures our survival, as social animals.

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Polyvagal -

This recent understanding of the dorsal vagus and ventral vagus functions of the parasympathetic nervous system is referred to as polyvagal theory.

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What is dysregulation? -

Our nervous system exists to ensure our survival. It responds to threats so we can change our behavior. Depending on the circumstances, it will make us fight, flee, freeze, rest and digest, or engage and connect.

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What is dysregulation? -

If our nervous system is regulated, we respond appropriately to threats and return back to homeostasis once the threat is gone. However, if you are dysregulated, you get stuck in a threat response, even though the threat has passed.

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Symptoms -

A dysregulated nervous system can cause symptoms of anxiety, PTSD, OCD, ADHD, depression, addiction, exhaustion, insomnia, and poor memory and attention.

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Symptoms -

Outbursts, tantrums, and anger, or, conversely, catatonia, withdrawal, or shutting down behaviors are all hallmarks of a dysregulated nervous system.

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Biochemicals -

Biochemically, our stress hormone response isn't working properly. We are either generating too much, or not enough cortisol (the stress hormone).

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Ongoing threat -

Dysregulation is caused by a past event that does not complete a cycle or get "finished." It remains in our system, keeping the danger response active after the event is over. It is stuck in defense mode, causing a neuroendocrine and inflammatory response in the body.

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Causes -

A dysregulated nervous system can be caused by one or a selection of psycho-spiritual, lifestyle, or biochemical factors.

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Psycho-spiritual factors -

These factors include psychological trauma, chronic stress, or addictive substances and behaviors.

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Lifestyle-behavioral factors -

Difficult life circumstances in your environment, social relationships, and finances, or changes like death, divorce, pregnancy, birth, or moving are lifestyle-behavioral factors that can dysregulate your nervous system.

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Biochemical factors -

Physical toxicity such as mold and heavy metals, infections like Lyme disease and bartonella, gut issues, and inflammation are biochemical factors.

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Biochemical factors -

Our bodies interpret threats the same way, whether psychological or physiological. Both kinds can cause a threat response in our body, although biochemicals might not be obvious. However, they can cause the nervous response to get stuck, continually sending out stress hormones to cause ongoing inflammation.

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Consequences -

The difficulties caused by a dysregulated nervous system can make relationships with colleagues, partners, friends, and family difficult.  Hypervigilance and immune disorders can be rooted in a dysregulated nervous system.

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Consequences -

In an attempt to regulate, poor life choices might be made, such as partaking in addictive behaviors that are self-destructive. A dysregulated nervous system can ultimately lead to burnout, exhaustion, and breakdown.

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How to heal -

Deep breathing, singing, cold water immersion, and laughter can help stimulate the vagus nerve. Stimulating the vagus nerve is a powerful way to heal a dysregulated nervous system.

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How to heal -

Healing a dysregulated nervous system takes time. It requires becoming mindful of patterns and emotional triggers. Incorporating things like mindfulness, meditation, somatic practices, and speaking to a trauma-informed clinician might be appropriate.

Sources: (MindHealth360) (Psychology Today) (Online-Therapy.com)

See also: Simple cognitive behavioral therapy techniques to improve your mental health

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