Brain-Based Approach - Sympathetic Vagal State

The Sympathetic Vagal NS

The sympathetic activation state

The amygdala is often called the "alarm system" of the brain, triggering the body's stress response. It helps increase fuel (like glucose) and prepares the body for "fight or flight".  

SYMPATHETIC VAGAL STATE art rate, blood pressure temperature, change of muscle tone, shortness of breath, sweating, and releases adrenaline, and cortisol in an attempt to handle the stress. But long-term functions such as digestion, sexual functions, and metabolism are cut off to ensure enough energy is available for the survival response at the moment. Because the prefrontal cortex is focused on analysing, it is too slow to be able to react to threats therefore the amygdala turns the prefrontal cortex off to allow the reptilian or hindbrain to take over to protect the body instantaneously. The reptilian brain mobilizes us to act.  We only become aware of our behaviour, in a split second after the unplanned survival response when the frontal cortex comes on board again. 

When the ANS consistently signals danger,  it gets stuck in the survival or fight-flight response and our reactions are misplaced in terms of time,  person, and place. This pattern results in dysregulation of the brain causing irrational and inappropriate responses and may result in inflammatory responses and ultimately in immune disease.

PART 1: The Ventral Vagal State

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PART 2: The Sympathetic State

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PART 3: The Dorsal Vagal State

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PART 4: How Trauma Affects Early Childhood; and

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PART 5: Treatment

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