The word triggered is commonly spoken today, yet very often misunderstood. For many of us, this is a very real occurrence when recovering from trauma and chronic stress.

We all hear the term “triggered” used often in today’s world. So often, that it’s often misunderstood and used out of context. For many of us recovering from trauma and chronic stress, being triggered is a very real and physiological response. It’s certainly not about being dramatic or too sensitive. Being triggered is a subconscious nervous system response to an environment or situation that it has PERCIEVED as unsafe.

The way the nervous system evaluates or perceives something as dangerous, or threatening is it’s neuroception. When someone has unresolved trauma and or chronic stress, the nervous system can begin to set off false alarms and trigger a response that may not be warranted in the moment. Meaning your nervous system is going to respond to a situation or environment that reminds it of the situation that once put you in danger. It’s perceiving it as though it is a current threat, and the traumatic situation or danger is happening again in real time. The nervous system then will respond as it’s supposed to in order to protect you from harm.

When triggered, the nervous system will go into either:

Sympathetic State: Fight or flight Parasympathetic State: Freeze, Dorsal

YES, both states are very normal and healthy responses from your nervous system, there are numerous issues when this is happening often and or for long periods of time.

The Nervous System goes into the Sympathetic or Parasympathetic phase as it’s supposed to when a threat is perceived. When the Stressor is over, it should naturally flow into the Vagal State, (neutral/calm).

Why is this all so important? Because most people living with Chronic illness, anxiety, depression, and other health issues are often stuck in one of these states. There is a lack of flexibility between each state of the nervous system, leaving their bodies in either hyperarousal or hypoarousal.

When the Nervous System is in a constant state of hyper or hypo arousal, the body cannot regulate, heal, and find the balance that is needed to function optimally.

This is what is called a Dysregulated Nervous System. Your body is working for you 24/7 to ensure there is balance, aka Homeostasis. A Dysregulated Nervous System will cause a whirlwind of imbalance to various organs and systems. This leads to ongoing symptoms, health problems and eventually leads to dis-ease.

I spent years learning and fighting to reverse my diseases, and I did everything imaginable. I worked with so many experts, spent a fortune and sacrificed everything we had plus more. I went through tremendous suffering as well, and while seeing amazing results, I continued to plateau in my progress. It wasn’t until I went forward and began addressing my CPTSD, anxiety and depression. I began studying trauma and the nervous system. I then jumped in and started to do the inner workings of processing trauma, inner child wounds, grief, chronic stress. I learned how to help my nervous system find that place of balance and inner peace.

It was like I unlocked the piece to the puzzle that was missing for so long!! Yes ALL of the work I did for my body, gut, and lifestyle were crucial components, but it was when my Nervous System FINALLY began to regulate for the first time in decades, that the results I worked so hard to attain all came together. My testing was showing no signs of disease anymore. I reversed my diseases and did exactly what the world told me was impossible.

Your ability to heal is possible. If I could advise one thing, is to ensure that in any healing journey you step into, there is an awareness of trauma and your nervous system. This is the key factor in creating the balance and environment where balance is attained, and true healing can take place.