Introduction to the Polyvagal Theory

The polyvagal theory is a way of understanding how your nervous system works, and how it affects your ability to feel safe – or not – in the world.  Created by Dr. Stephen Porges, it states that there are two main ways that your nervous system can respond to stress or danger. The first way is the "fight-or-flight " response – where you either feel like running away from or fighting back against a real or perceived threat.  This was the primal response that our ancestors used when they were faced with a threat to their safety, like a predator.  When in a fight-or-flight response, the sympathetic nervous system kicks in and increases our heart rate, adrenaline, oxygen circulation and other important bodily functions which result in an increase in our reactivity (i.e., defensive responses) and a decrease in our relational ability. 

The theory and how our reactivity increases is well illustrated in the Polyvagal Chart below.  It shows how an emotion like frustration can be escalated to anger and rage while in this state and how worry or concern can be escalated to fear and panic.  And no chart is needed to illustrate how when we are in a state of anger, rage, fear or panic we are not able to engage well relationally with those around us.  

The second way that your nervous system can respond is the "freeze response" - where you feel unable to respond to a real or perceived threat.  This may present as curling up in a ball and hiding from the world.  This was also a primal response used by our ancestors, only this one stems from when they were faced with a threat that they could not fight or run away from. When in a freeze response, your parasympathetic nervous system kicks in to decrease your heart rate, depth of breath and other important bodily functions.  This results in a decrease in our reactivity, an increase in our immobilization behavior and an inability to function relationally.  When in this state we can experience a range of emotions from helplessness to depression to dissociation or from trapped, to hopeless to shame, as is illustrated in the Polyvagal Chart.

In polyvagal theory, there is an ideal state of being that is aspired to, the "ventral vagal" state of being.  It is associated with us feeling safe, connected to those around us and oriented to our environment.  It is the state of being that we are working to achieve in our daily lives, as in most instances the threats that cause us to go to fight, flight and freeze are perceived and our responses are exaggerated.  We are not actually under attack, however our experience of stress may make us feel that we are.  In this state we can rest, relax, have fun, and not be reactive to those around us or situations that arise.   

To illustrate the theory, please see the Polyvagal Chart.  

Understanding polyvagal theory can help us to understand why we feel "stuck" in certain situations – like when we are facing a stressor that we can't do anything about. It can also help us to understand why we might feel "triggered" by certain things – like a sound or a smell that reminds us of a traumatic event. And understanding polyvagal theory can also help us to understand how we can use our breath and our body to feel more safe in the world.

A metaphor that can be helpful in understanding polyvagal theory is the "polyvagal ladder" or the autonomic nervous system ladder.  Deb Dana, therapist and Polyvagal master, created this tool to help clients in therapy be able to track their various states and become more aware of what moves them up and down the ladder.  I have included a version of this ladder and its explanation by Rachel Sellers (https://www.rachelesellers.com/blog/the-polyvagal-ladder).