How Trauma Impacts Your Nervous System

The term Polyvagal Theory might not be familiar, but it is a groundbreaking explanation of how our nervous system responds to trauma and stress.

If you’ve experienced trauma, abuse, or chronic stress, you may have noticed physical symptoms such as emotional numbness, an inability to relax, or feeling constantly on edge. These responses are deeply rooted in how your nervous system tries to protect you.

Polyvagal Theory in simple terms relates to the emotional and physical reactions you might experience after trauma. This theory is especially important for understanding symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression. By gaining insight into how your nervous system works, you can begin to understand why your body reacts the way it does and how to start healing.

What is the Polyvagal Theory?

The Polyvagal Theory, developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, explains how the autonomic nervous system (ANS) controls our reactions to safety, danger, and life-threatening situations. The theory breaks the ANS into three key parts, which help us understand how our body responds to different experiences:

1. The Ventral Vagal System: This is the part of our nervous system that supports feelings of safety, calm, and social connection. When this system is active, we feel relaxed, open to communication, and able to engage with others.

2. The Sympathetic Nervous System: This system is responsible for the well-known "fight or flight" response. When we sense danger, the sympathetic nervous system kicks in, preparing our body to either confront the threat or escape from it. We might experience a racing heart, quickened breathing, and heightened awareness.

3. The Dorsal Vagal System: When danger becomes overwhelming, or when we feel like we can’t escape, the dorsal vagal system takes over. This system triggers the "freeze" response, where we might feel numb, disconnected, or emotionally shut down. In extreme cases, it can cause us to dissociate or feel completely detached from our surroundings.

How Does the Polyvagal Theory Relate to Trauma and Abuse?

When you experience trauma or long-term abuse, your nervous system is constantly reacting to danger. Over time, it can become stuck in survival mode. For example, you may find that you’re always in "fight or flight" mode (anxiety, hypervigilance), or you may feel numb and emotionally detached because your body has moved into the "freeze" response.

This is common for survivors of trauma and abuse. Your nervous system is not malfunctioning – it’s doing its best to protect you. However, staying in these survival states for too long can cause mental and physical health issues, such as PTSD, depression, and chronic stress.

Understanding Your Reactions Through the Polyvagal Lens

If you’re someone who has endured trauma, understanding Polyvagal Theory can help explain some of the common reactions you may be experiencing:

1. Emotional Numbness or Detachment: If you feel emotionally numb or like you’re crying on the inside but can’t let the tears out, your body may be stuck in the "freeze" response. This is the dorsal vagal system’s way of shutting down when things become too overwhelming to process. It’s a survival response to trauma, but it can leave you feeling isolated from your emotions.

2. Anxiety and Hyper-vigilance: Feeling constantly on edge or hyper-alert is a sign that your sympathetic nervous system is in overdrive. Your body is staying in "fight or flight" mode, preparing to respond to danger even when it’s no longer present. This is often a lasting effect of long-term abuse or trauma, where the body becomes conditioned to expect threats at any moment.

3. Social Withdrawal or Difficulty Connecting with Others: Trauma can make it hard to feel safe around others, even those you trust. When the ventral vagal system is underactive, it can be difficult to engage in social interactions or maintain relationships. You may feel distant, disconnected, or unable to open up emotionally.

Healing Through Polyvagal-Informed Practices

The good news is that your nervous system is adaptable. With the right tools and practices, you can help move your body out of survival mode and into a state of safety and connection. Here are some methods that align with Polyvagal Theory and can support your healing journey:

1. Mindfulness and Breathing Exercises: Deep, slow breathing can help activate the ventral vagal system, signalling to your body that you are safe. Mindfulness practices, where you focus on the present moment without judgment, can help regulate your nervous system by calming the fight, flight, or freeze response.

2. Somatic Experiencing: Somatic experiencing is a trauma therapy that focuses on the body’s physical responses rather than just talking about the trauma. By paying attention to how your body feels, and slowly releasing the tension and energy associated with trauma, you can begin to restore balance to your nervous system.

3. Social Connection: Rebuilding social connections, even in small ways, can help activate your ventral vagal system. Whether it’s engaging in light conversation with a friend or spending time with a trusted family member, positive social interactions are key to helping your body feel safe again.

4. Therapies for Trauma: Trauma-informed therapies such as **EMDR** (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) or **Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)** can help retrain your brain’s response to trauma. These therapies work to break the cycle of trauma responses and support the regulation of your nervous system.

Why Understanding Polyvagal Theory is Important

For survivors of trauma and abuse, understanding the Polyvagal Theory provides a framework for why our bodies react the way they do. It helps explain why you might feel disconnected, anxious, or emotionally numb, even long after the traumatic event or relationship has ended. These responses are your body’s way of protecting you, and they can be incredibly hard to manage without understanding what’s happening beneath the surface.

Knowing that your reactions are a natural response to trauma is the first step towards healing. By using polyvagal-informed practices, you can start to retrain your nervous system to feel safe again, which is key to overcoming the effects of trauma.

Moving Forward

If you’re struggling with the emotional and physical fallout of trauma, and feel like your body is stuck in survival mode, understanding Polyvagal Theory can be a powerful tool in your healing journey. By learning how your nervous system reacts to trauma, you can start to make sense of your emotions and responses. Healing is possible, and with the right support, you can begin to regain a sense of safety and connection in your life.

You don’t have to face this alone—understanding the science behind your trauma is the first step towards reclaiming your wellbeing.

Discover more about trauma, PTSD, and mental health support. Visit my blog for further insights on healing after abuse, or contact me for resources on safeguarding, mental health first aid, and trauma recovery.