Is depression or anxiety a state? If so, how do I shift out of these states? On this website you will see a lot of reference to state shifting skills. I use the term state broadly to refer to what Dr Stephen Porges, a leading neuroscientist, suggests that there are three primary states of our autonomic nervous system. These states are arranged in a hierarchy often referred to as a ladder. As we go through the day our brain constantly takes in cues from our environment such as a smiling face, or a loud noise and responds with split second pre-conscious decisions to shift our our state up or down the ladder. Whenever we find ourselves in one of the lower two states our goal should be to shift back up to the top of the ladder where we are in a state of feeling safe and connected. This can be done through self regulation, co-regulation, or changing our environment to create more cues of safety. Here is the ladder explaining these three states.
- Feeling safe and connected. ‘Social Engagement System’ is turned on. ‘Rest and Digest’ is enabled. (Technically called a ventral vagal dominant state.)
- Feeling unsafe and mobilized for action. Usually presents as anxiety, or anger. (Technically known as a sympathetic dominant state)
- Feeling unsafe and feeling shut down, lethargic, or frozen. Usually feels like depression and not wanting to move or take action. (Technically called dorsal vagal shut down.)
A key life skill is learning to recognize which state you are in and how to shift up the ladder to the safe and connected state. Often we can do this ourselves through various self regulation practices such as movement, deep breathing, mindful self compassion and many of the other phase 1 skills I have laid out. Other times it is extremely helpful to get help from someone else who can help us co-regulate. It is important for grown up humans to be able to both self-regulate and co-regulate. There are also other ways to influence our state including removing cues of danger in the environment, increasing our true and perceived power over the threat, gathering help from a team, and adjusting the unhelpful stories we tell ourselves about the scope of the danger and our ability to manage it. Many of these internal changes involve a combination of processing unresolved memories, learning new skills, and facing/ learning we can overcome challenges so that they are no longer an overwhelming threat.
Below I have included several videos explaining the Polyvagal theory in more detail. The first Deb Dana video is very short and concise. The second video by Emma McAdam offers a nice overview of the theory. The third video by Stephen Porges offers concrete strategies for self regulation. Note that following the videos I have outlined ways to increase ventral vagal activation.
Interventions that Promote Feeling Safe and Connected:
The following is a brief list of ways to promote access to a safe/connected state. Items related to this website appear as links.
Connecting to support from people capable of overcoming the perceived threat and/or attuned people who can be with you in the challenge.
- Engaging people who you feel at a gut level are capable of supporting you through the challenge or helping you overcome it.
- Connecting with people who help you “feel felt,” who really get how you are feeling and don’t judge you for it.
Increasing your sense of personal agency and power over the perceived threats.
- Developing the skills to handle the situation or challenge
- Self regulation strategies to shift up from depressive state
- Self regulation strategies to shift out of an anxious state
- Changing the external environment to increase cues of safety. (I.e. stepping out into nature.)
- Manually resetting your nervous system to increase ventral vagal activation thereby increasing internal signals of safety.
- Getting necessary nutrition, minerals, gut bacteria balance, and balancing stress hormones like cortisol etc. to promote internal cues of safety and well-being.
Updating your interpretation of the perceived threat such that it no longer feels so threatening.
- Learning the knowledge needed to handle the threat when missing knowledge is the main problem.
- Reality testing to determine whether your interpretation of the size, scope, or even the existence of the perceived threat is accurate.
- Recognizing and checking out if the story you are telling yourself which feels threatening is actually true. (i.e. Asking others what they meant by a comment or action rather than assuming the worst.)
- Processing past memories so that our internal alarm bells do not go off more intensely or frequently than the current challenge actually merits.
Additional Considerations
For astute viewers, you may may be interested to know that the top of the nervous system ladder “safe connected/ventral vagal” is actually a dynamic state which can be combined with the sympathetic/high energy or dorsal vagal immobilization for a total of five possible combinations. The key is that we feel safe while in a high or low energy state. For example, during competitive game that feels safe and fun we can be in a very high energy activated sympathetic state even while simultaneously being in a ventral vagal state. Or, if you are out walking with a friend you may be in a balanced ventral vagal state where the gas (sympathetic and the brakes (parasympathetic) are balanced and you are both relaxed yet attentive and focused with adequate energy to connect and enjoy. Or you can be in a moderately to deeply relaxed state that feels safe such as when resting with loved ones, meditating, or even sleeping.