Trauma and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are deeply impactful experiences that affect many people, but how they affect us isn’t always easy to understand. A helpful way to think about trauma and its effects on the body and mind is through the lens of polyvagal theory. This theory, developed by Dr. Stephen Porges in the 1990s, offers an innovative way of understanding how our nervous system reacts to stress and trauma and how polyvagal theory can be important for our healing.
What is Polyvagal Theory?
At its core, polyvagal theory is about understanding how our body’s autonomic nervous system (ANS) regulates our responses to stress, safety, and danger. The ANS controls automatic functions in the body, like heart rate, digestion, and breathing, and it plays a major role in how we feel and behave in different situations.
Polyvagal theory is centred on the vagus nerve, one of the longest nerves in the body. The vagus nerve connects the brain to organs like the heart and lungs and helps regulate our emotional and physical responses to stress.
Dr. Porges proposed that the vagus nerve has a hierarchical system, meaning that it works in different ways depending on how safe or threatened we feel. According to polyvagal theory, there are three main states our body can be in, which affect how we respond to the world around us:
1. Safe and Social State (Ventral Vagal Complex): When we feel safe, our nervous system is calm. This is when we’re relaxed, connected with others, and can engage in social activities and positive relationships.
2. Fight-or-Flight (Sympathetic Nervous System): When we sense danger or feel threatened, our body activates the fight-or-flight response. This can cause our heart rate to increase, breathing to become rapid, and muscles to tense up, preparing us to either fight or flee from the threat.
3. Freeze or Shutdown (Dorsal Vagal Complex): If the danger feels overwhelming or inescapable, the body might shift into a freeze response. This is a state of immobility or dissociation, where we might feel numb, disconnected, or unable to act.
How Does Polyvagal Theory Relate to PTSD and Trauma?
When we experience trauma, the body and brain can become “stuck” in one of these states, especially the fight-or-flight or freeze responses. For people with PTSD, this dysregulation of the nervous system can cause them to feel constantly on edge, hyper-alert, or disconnected from their surroundings. Here’s how polyvagal theory helps us understand this:
Trauma and the Nervous System: Traumatic events, especially those that are sudden or overwhelming, can disrupt the body’s ability to move between these states. For example, if someone experiences a traumatic event, like an assault or a natural disaster, their body might stay in a heightened state of alert (fight-or-flight) long after the event is over. Alternatively, if they feel trapped or helpless during trauma, they might enter the freeze or shutdown state, which can persist as dissociation or emotional numbness.
PTSD Symptoms: PTSD can involve hyperarousal (feeling constantly on edge, anxious, or jumpy), intrusive thoughts (like flashbacks or nightmares), and numbing or dissociation (feeling detached from reality or other people). These symptoms are often a result of the nervous system being “stuck” in one of those survival states, unable to return to a calm, safe state.
Social Connection and Healing: One of the key aspects of polyvagal theory is the idea that our nervous system is wired to seek safety and connection through social engagement. When we feel safe and connected to others, our body is able to move back into a state of calm. This is why therapy, support groups, or simply being with understanding friends and family can be so important for those with PTSD. Rebuilding a sense of safety and connection can help “reset” the nervous system.
How Can Polyvagal Theory Help with Healing from Trauma?
Polyvagal theory isn’t just about understanding trauma; it also offers ways to heal. Here are some ways polyvagal theory is applied in therapy and trauma recovery:
Safety First: One of the most important principles is creating a sense of safety. The body’s nervous system won’t shift out of fight-or-flight or freeze until it feels safe enough to do so. Therapies based on polyvagal theory, such as somatic experiencing or trauma-focused therapy, work to help individuals regulate their nervous system by helping them feel safe in their bodies and environment.
Body Awareness: Polyvagal-informed therapies often include practices that encourage awareness of physical sensations in the body, such as breathing exercises, yoga, or mindfulness meditation. These techniques can help individuals notice when they’re becoming activated and help them shift their nervous system back into a calmer state.
Vocalisation and Social Engagement: Polyvagal theory highlights the importance of the vagus nerve in regulating stress. Activities that engage the voice, like singing, humming, or even simple conversations, can stimulate the vagus nerve and promote relaxation. Social connections, too, are vital for healing because positive interactions can help the nervous system shift out of the fight-or-flight response.
Trauma-Informed Therapy: Therapists who are trained in polyvagal theory understand how trauma affects the nervous system. They use a variety of techniques to help clients gradually return to a state of safety and balance. This might involve creating a therapeutic relationship where the client feels heard, respected, and understood, which can be an essential step in healing.
Polyvagal theory provides a useful framework for understanding how trauma affects the body and mind. By recognizing the role of the vagus nerve and how it helps regulate our responses to stress, we can better understand why trauma can feel so overwhelming and persistent. With the right tools and support, however, it’s possible to heal by helping the nervous system shift back into a state of safety and calm.
If you or someone you know is struggling with PTSD or trauma, understanding the role of the nervous system—and how it can be healed—may offer new hope and insight. Whether through therapy, body awareness practices, or finding supportive relationships, there are ways to create safety and rebuild resilience.
References
Porges, S. W. (1995). Vagal tone: A physiologic basis of stress-related health issues. Acta Paediatrica, 84(S406), 29-34. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1651-2227.1995.tb13811.x
Porges, S. W. (2001). The polyvagal theory: Phylogenetic contributions to social behavior. Physiology & Behavior, 79(3), 503-513. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9384(01)00658-4
Porges, S. W. (2011). The polyvagal theory: Neurophysiological foundations of emotions, attachment, communication, and self-regulation. Norton & Company.
Van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. Viking.