Overview
This podcast episode explores the concept of dorsal vagal shutdown within Polyvagal Theory, explains how it relates to experiences of depression and disconnection, and outlines practical steps for recovery, emphasizing self-compassion and gradual reconnection.
Understanding Dorsal Vagal Shutdown
- Dorsal vagal shutdown is a state of the autonomic nervous system characterized by immobility and disconnection, typically as a last resort when other responses fail.
- It differs from, but is related to, the freeze response and involves a physiological “shutdown” to conserve resources and enhance survival.
Steps to Recover from Shutdown
Step 1: Validate, Normalize, and Give Permission
- Validate your emotions and thoughts in shutdown by acknowledging them as real.
- Normalize shutdown by recognizing it arises for understandable reasons related to your life experiences.
- Give permission for shutdown to exist without fighting or denying it, fostering acceptance.
Step 2: Find Safety While in Shutdown
- Focus on building and accessing your personal safety state before progressing to deeper work.
- Allow both the shutdown state and a sense of safety to coexist, supporting gradual recovery.
- Use mindful awareness in low-stimulation environments (calm, quiet, possibly in solitude) to facilitate reconnection.
- Safe connections with trusted others, professionals, communities, or even pets can aid in co-regulation.
- Engage your senses in safer environments to reconnect with yourself and the present moment.
Step 3: Strengthen the Vagal Brake
- Regularly practice entering your safety state to develop resilience and prepare for returning energy when emerging from shutdown.
- Building vagal brake strength supports smoother transitions through emotional states and prevents overwhelm.
Step 4: Prepare for Return of Sympathetic (Fight/Flight) Energy
- Be aware that anger or irritability commonly emerge as you leave shutdown; aim to experience this as regulated power, not dysregulated anger.
- Notice impulses for movement or social connection and allow yourself to follow these in ways that feel right, either alone or with others.
- Mindfully attend to micro-moments of reconnection and increased energy as signs of progress.
Recommendations / Advice
- Prioritize mindful allowance and non-judgment when processing shutdown.
- Focus on the present moment, your environment, and your own sensory experiences to anchor yourself.
- If overwhelmed, return to building your safety state before progressing.
- Consider professional support if symptoms are severe or persistent.
Resources Mentioned
- Episodes 101–109 of the podcast for foundational knowledge on Polyvagal Theory.
- Free ebook "Trauma and the Polyvagal Paradigm" available through the presenter’s website.
- Additional support and community options, such as the Stuck Not Broken Total Access membership.