Fighting Stress and Trauma With Polyvagal Theory

Schizophrenia and other serious mental illnesses can be disruptive to a person’s life, making it difficult to go to school or work, socialize, and take care of themselves. “People with schizophrenia seem to be exquisitely sensitive to stress,” wrote the late Colorado Recovery founder Richard Warner, MD, in his influential book The Environment of Schizophrenia, “the life events occurring before episodes of schizophrenia, and possibly triggering the relapse, are milder than those before episodes of other disorders such as depression.”

In the Warner treatment model, therapeutic intervention and relapse prevention rely on “social recovery” from severe mental illness. The treatment program at Colorado Recovery aims to empower adults with mental illness, and those who support them, with an unrelenting optimism for recovery, purposeful involvement in the community, and an enhanced sense of meaning in life. One modality utilized to reduce stress and the impact of trauma is polyvagal theory.

WHAT IS POLYVAGAL THEORY?

Polyvagal theory takes its name from the vagus, a cranial nerve that forms the primary component of the parasympathetic nervous system. According to the Polyvagal Institute, it is “a way of understanding how our nervous system responds to different situations, like stress, danger, or safety. It was developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, a neuroscientist and psychologist, in 1994. In simple terms, polyvagal theory helps us understand how our body and brain work together to respond to stressors that are a part of everyday life” as well as more significant experiences, such as trauma.

“In contrast to fight/flight reactions, the response to life threat elicits a second defense system, which is expressed as immobilization and dissociation,” Porges wrote in The Pocket Guide To The Polyvagal Theory. “Polyvagal theory emphasizes that our nervous system has more than one defense strategy and that the decision of whether we use a mobilized fight/flight or an immobilization shutdown defense strategy is not a voluntary decision.”

According to polyvagal theory, the human nervous system has three main response states:

The first is the “fight or flight” response, activated when in a dangerous or threatening situation. Termed “mobilization” in polyvagal theory, this is our body’s way of preparing to either fight the threat or run away from it.
The second response state is the “collapse” response, activated when we feel overwhelmed or powerless. In this state, our body shuts down and we may feel numb or disconnected from our surroundings. In polyvagal theory, this is called “immobilization.”
The third response is the “social engagement” response (called “ventral vagal” in the theory), activated when we feel safe and connected to others. This is when we are relaxed and open to social interaction, and is communicated in our eyes, facial expressions, and tone of voice.

The three states represent different evolutionary stages. “Dr. Porges identified a hierarchy of response built into our autonomous nervous system and anchored in the evolutionary development of our species,” wrote Deb Dana in The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy. “The origin of the dorsal pathway of the parasympathetic branch and its immobilization response lies with our ancient vertebrate ancestors and is the oldest pathway. The sympathetic branch and its pattern of mobilization [were] next to develop. The most recent addition, the ventral vagal pathway of the parasympathetic branch brings patterns of social engagement that are unique to mammals. When we are firmly grounded in our ventral vagal pathway, we feel safe and connected, calm and social.”

POLYVAGAL THEORY AT COLORADO RECOVERY

Feeling safe, calm, and connected are major treatment goals for our clients. Angela Flynn is a registered nurse with Colorado Recovery. She runs a polyvagal group several times a year. “The first thing we do in this group is identify which state clients are currently in,” she says. The social engagement or “ventral vagal” connected state is the polyvagal response identified with well-being. “The body heals in this state,” explains Flynn. “I teach them how to recognize the safe state and how to get there.”

Although she works with people with severe mental health conditions at Colorado Recovery, Flynn emphasizes that polyvagal theory can help anybody. “It’s a tool like sleep hygiene, for example, or dialectical behavior therapy. Since polyvagal theory is somewhat complicated, I provide handouts for the group and people can ask questions related to their specific concerns.”

Building and strengthening social networks is a big part of our approach to therapy as is boosting self-confidence with challenging hikes and self-expression in art groups. At Colorado Recovery it is our mission to help adults with serious mental health issues stabilize their illness, minimize symptoms, improve functioning, and enhance each person’s social inclusion, quality of life, and sense of meaning in life.

Colorado Recovery transitioned to a non-profit organization in June. This pivotal change underscores our commitment to providing exceptional care and support to our clients while ensuring greater accessibility through scholarships and donations.

If you have questions about our recovery model or our services to treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and similar mental illnesses, call us at 720-218-4068 to discuss treatment options for you or the person you would like to help.