Impacts of Chronic Nervous System Dysregulation

Understanding our nervous system may provide insight into the various issues we experience physically, emotionally, behaviorally, and relationally.

Our nervous system is comprised of the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. The central nervous system is responsible for receiving, processing, and responding to information while the peripheral nervous system sends internal and external information from the body to the brain.

Underneath the peripheral nervous system is the autonomic nervous system responsible for regulating our heart rate, digestion, and breathing. Most notably it is responsible for our “flight” and “fight” responses in stressful situations.

A regulated nervous system will result in optimal health and performance. When regulated we can regulate during stressful situations, regulate sleep cycles, appetite and digestion, concentration and attention, and bodily function.

What happens when we experience chronic dysregulation?

Let’s look at some common occurrences when someone experiences chronic dysregulation.

Physical Signs and Symptoms

• Pain and inflammation in the body

• Difficulty sleeping

• Fatique

• Irregular appetite ie: Restricting or purging

• Auto-immune disorders

• Skin issues

• Digestive issues

• High blood pressure

• Diabetes

• Allergies

• Respiratory issues

Emotional Signs and Symptoms

• Constant worry

• Quick to anger

• On edge or irritable

• Mood swings

• Anxious

• Depressed

Behavioral Signs and Symptoms

• Thrill seeking

• Hyper-vigilance

• Addiction

• Difficulty processing information

• Difficulty focusing and/or staying still (ADHD)

• Difficulty with social interactions

• Sensitive to lights, sounds, smells, touch, or people’s emotions.

Relationship Signs and Symptoms

• High Conflict

• “Fight”

  • Lashing Out

  • Name Calling

  • Yelling

  • Shaming / Blaming

  • Hypervigilance

• “Flight”

  • Emotional withdrawing

  • Stonewalling

  • Avoiding conversations that are emotionally charged

  • Emotionally charged and sudden breakups

• Difficulty articulating emotions and needs

• Issues with intimacy

  • Difficulty understanding another person’s emotions and needs

  • Sexual performance

• Being a “Yes” man or people pleaser

• Not being able to take action

• Poor boundaries

Understanding our nervous system and identifying how dysregulation impacts us can help us feel more empowered over our experiences. It gives us an understanding of what is happening internally and externally and hopefully motivates us to find ways to develop new skills, regulate, and grow our capacity for the intolerable.