11/13/2024
You might be wondering why there is a ladder here!
Deb Dana encourages us to visualize a Polyvagal hierarchal ladder, and I personally love this model! Using the Polyvagal hierarchal ladder, we visualize how the nervous system sequences state changes as we move up and down in sympathetic and parasympathetic activity based on the reception of various stimuli (neuroception). From a psycho-educational perspective, this visualization is also helpful in offering predictability of a state change, and a platform to clinically reason appropriate therapeutic interventions in or out of a specific state.
We last spoke about the dorsal vagal state, the bottom ring of our ladder. Now, let’s keep climbing up the ladder through the sympathetic nervous system.
This state is often referred to as mobilization. In a sympathetic state, our body is mobilizing energy to fight or flee. A sympathetic state occurs independently of our consciousness awareness, but the interoceptive feelings of flushed skin, heart racing, eyes widening, or sweating may be evident to us.
What is important about any state change is the identification of safety. When a nervous system is safe, a sympathetic expression may be alert, engaged, and playful! This system comes online when we are playing a sport or driving a car. When a nervous system is unsafe in a sympathetic state, expression may present as fearful, anxious, stressed, or rage.
Traveling the up and down the ladder may happen throughout an entire day and this is honestly a good thing! When we are stuck in a sympathetic state of high level alertness or anxiousness, daily living activities may become difficult. Health consequences like: heart disease, auto-immune diseases, chronic pain, sleep problems, weight gain, headaches, stomach problems, memory impairment and chronic illness may arise.
Identification of our present state is important, but more importantly is the concept of neuroception and safety! Stick with me as we venture into the social engagement system, and we'll see why concepts of safety and neuroception are primitive for our health and regulation.
Talk soon!
