Alcohol and the Nervous System

I this blog I want to look at working with our needs by exploring the science of our autonomic nervous system (ANS), which is the neurobiology of our fight/flight/freeze/fawn responses and how we can regulate and rest. This is an exercise to build awareness and use these gifts intentionally to change our emotional state.

The three states of the Autonomic Nervous System

Ventral Vagal: Safe and connected

Dorsal Vagal: Fawn/freeze low arousal

Sympathetic: Mobilized: fight/flight high arousal

The ideal states for us to live in for optimal health and wellbeing are a combination of the Ventral Vagal State (at the top of the ladder) where we feel safe and connected going about our daily business, and the Dorsal Vagal State (at the bottom of the ladder) where we rest and digest, in a state of low arousal, downing tools and stopping activity. If we face any kind of stressor or danger, we enter the Sympathetic State where we need to activate a survival response – such as fight, flight or freeze – for a short amount of time before returning to the Ventral Vagal State once the threat has passed and we have released the stress.

If you are stressed and in fight, flight or freeze mode (anxious, sweaty palms, elevated heartbeat, on edge, angry, etc.) you are in the high arousal, Sympathetic State and need to calm down and/or release stress. If you are feeling blocked, stuck, bored or have low energy you may be in in low arousal Dorsal Vagal State, and you could benefit from something to pick you up or energize you. The ability to recognize, tap in to and control these responses is a super power, and helps us to get us out of the craving brain state and maintain our sobriety.

Another way of explaining this is ‘The Window of Tolerance.’ This would typically be Ventral Vagal. When stress builds up or we override tiredness, hunger and other needs ( say not leaving a noisy environment when we are feeling overwelmed, this can lead to being out of the Window of Tolerance and triggered into one of the 5 Fs, the prefronal cortex ( Good decisions part of the brain, aligned with future goals and consequences) goes off line and the amygdala, the emotional part of the brain will take over and go to the most familiar path of release ( in our case alcohol)

I love the work of Deb Dana Firstly, author, therapist, polyvagal and trauma. If we can identify where we are on the ANS Ladder and establish our adaptive survival trait (For exmaple mine is fawn and flight, rarely fight). Then we can create a toolkit of resources of ‘anchors’ or ‘glimmers’ – to soothe or stimulate ourselves, to calm or shift blocked energy and restore us to equilibrium, get back intp the Wondow of tolerance, thereby reducing the triggers that would previously leave us craving a drink.

Anchors

These are resources we use to calm us down and soothe us if we find ourselves in the Sympathetic State of high arousal.

By looking around our environment we can identify resources – places and things that remind us of rest and safety – which act as a cue for our bodies to relax. What gives you the ‘ahhhh’, and makes you exhale and your shoulders drop? Perhaps it’s your bed or a favourite chair where the sun hits it at 3pm and the light is just right. Maybe it’s a soft blanket, essential oils or a favourite mug that feels at home in the palms of your hands, or it could be hugging a family member or a pet. If you can’t go there immediately, sitting and breathing and calling them to mind can have a similar soothing effect on the mind and body, which can calm you down if you are stressed or anxious.

Glimmers

These are resources to bring us up, excite, connect and enliven us when we are in a Dorsal Vagal State of low arousal.

Sometimes, we may also need to pep ourselves up if we feel a bit stuck and flat. To do this, we need to activate the Ventral Vagal portion of our Autonomic Nervous System to connect and/or experience awe and wonder, happiness and excitement. What gives you a buzz or makes the hairs rise at the back of your neck with a shiver of excitement? Maybe switching on fairy lights or dancing to banging house music helps to enliven you and release pent-up stuff. Or it could be wild swimming, splashing your face with cold water or using a stimulating smell like eucalyptus, laughing with a friend or having a pillow fight.

Each person’s menu will be different. Building these resources is about being curious, experimenting and seeing what feels good. Gradually we get better at reading the intel that comes through from our senses and nervous systems, earlier. When we learn to identify triggers and know what we need sooner, we can meet our needs more quickly as we grow in capacity and resilience.

Take a somatic break - It lives in the body.

Need to down regulate? Set your alarm five times during the day to take a two-minute somatic break from your surroundings. (‘Somatic’ means ‘of the body’ , and a somatic
break means switching off the mind and coming into the body.) Stare into space, close your eyes and focus on your breath, or rub the fingers of one hand against the palm and fingers of another hand – or lie down - feet up the wall.

Need to Upregulate if you feel flat/ low? You may be tired , in which case a yoga nidra is a great tool. Or you may need to shift out of hypo-arousal. Jumping, shaking, humming can help. My go-to is a walk with the dogs in naute and a play list on my headphones - I refer to it as ‘clearing’ too - cleaning the stuck energy I have accumulated.

Notice how you feel afterwards.

SOME REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU

• What are my favourite spots in the house, park or natural world? Where do I feel safe? Who do I feel safe with?
  Where am I most relaxed?
  What lights me up? What do I find beautiful?

• What activates me into high arousal (makes me stressed)?

• What activates me into low arousal (makes me want to hide away)? What music excites me?
  What music soothes me?

  I have extensive training in the nervous system studying with Irene Lyon and use my training as a yoga teacher in somatics within coaching with private clients. If you would like to explore coaching with me, please feel free to book a free 30 minute discovery call.