PolyVagal Theory - Vagal Vasal Response

 Polyvagal Theory  - A theory to Self Calm

Flight or Freeze:

A potent mechanism that has the potential to down-regulate threat resides in the ventral portion of the brainstem, in an area known as the nucleus ambiguus, where the vagus nerve, the star player of the autonomic nervous system, originates. 

Vagus means wandering, and the vagus nerve begins at the base of the brain, branches down to the heart, the lungs, and the digestive tract, with stops along the way at the larynx, the pharynx, and the diaphragm, before descending into the abdomen.

The branches of the vagus nerve enable the organs to adjust instantly to the demands of a person’s surroundings. It is the duty of the vagus nerve to orchestrate bodily responses to keep you safe or prepare your body for danger before you are even aware of it or have a chance to think about it. Most of the vagus is composed of sensory fibers that function as our surveillance system, informing the brain of the status of our visceral organs.

In our evolutionary journey to becoming social mammals, the basic reptilian structures underwent modification. In order for animals to become social, there had to be a way to turn off threat reactions—animals had to be able to cue one another that they were safe enough to come close to. 

As distinct from reptiles, mammals have neuroception not only of threat but also of safety. The vegas nerve responds to cues of safety—detected by higher brain structures—which bring on enough calm to open you up to socially engage with others.

Because information flows both to and from the brain via vagal pathways, the vagus nerve can be thought of as a major mind-body highway. Through the vagus nerve, you react to signals in your environment in ways that calm, alarm, or dysregulate the body, and these states in turn create emotional experience and play out in behavior. 

Polyvagal Theory. defines how the vagal pathways operate and the control they exert

over our thoughts and bodies.

Worry is a personal narrative we create in a state of threat to justify why we feel bad.

Polyvagal theory not only explains anxiety as a physiologic state of threat, it also opens a portal of intervention. 

Applying specific maneuvers effecting vagal pathways, we can use the nervous system to reset the physiologic state. Independent of the threshold of reactivity that pitches a person into alarm mode. 

It is possible to re-educate the nervous system with cues of safety. 

Removal of the threat isn’t a bad tactic, but it is not what the nervous system demands: It needs cues of safety. Shift the mental and physical state and you change the character of experience.

The most direct way to access the neural pathway that turns off threat is through breathing - 

Diaphragmatic Breathing.  Our evolutionary journey endowed us with a gift—the ability to control our breathing utilizing the diaphragm muscle; this enables us to regulate our mental, emotional and physical state. 

Neurophysiologically powerful, it acts on fibers of the ventral vagus nerve ferrying signals between visceral organs and the brainstem, where autonomic control of body organs originates. 

Diaphragmatic Breathing—also humming and gum-chewing—stimulates the nerve fibers of the muscles of the face, head, and oral cavity and opens the social engagement system, enabling people to respond reciprocally to the invitations of others.

Gaining control of physiologic state through Diaphragmatic Breathing is why some people turn to Hypnosis, yoga and meditation. 

Singing uses the same neurophysiological structures of breathing and facial muscles as the social engagement system. Playing a wind instrument gives you no choice but to use Diaphragmatic Breathing. 

Many anxious people feed the physiologic state of threat, anxiety etc. by making slow inhalations and rapid exhalations, high in the chest cavity. (Not using the diaphragm.)

Diaphragmatic Breathing, Shifting physiologic state restores access to your whole self. Calming and relaxing you. Memory and higher capacities are available. You become cognitively present to solve problems. The social engagement system becomes a portal to gaining back our human heritage.

Hypnotherapy Works

 

AnxietyBlog #3 The Triggers

AnxietyBlog #3

The Anxiety Triggers

What triggers your Anxiety?  What are Anxiety Triggers? How do they develop? 

How do I get rid of them?

Your subconscious mind functions by firing your Flight Fight or Freeze reaction.

Flight Flight or Freeze is a Normal Natural Reaction. It’s our warning system of danger, it keeps us safe. When it works properly its great, when it works overtime it becomes a bad habit reaction. Triggered by sensory input.

Your Subconscious Mind is designed to Protect you, Keep you safe, and meet your needs, that’s its job.

The subconscious mind is best thought of as a an audio visual device or camera, Always on record. It is recording All of our experiences 24/7. Audio,Visual, Auditory, Sensory/Feeling. 

So you experience and event or trauma: your subconscious mind records Everything about that experience, related to it and UNrelated to that event.

So for example: You have a car accident. Your brain, your subconscious mind records everything around that accident that happens. And also records Everything surrounding the accident that is Not directly related to that accident. For example, lets say there’s a guy walking by the accident wearing a red coat, UNrelated to the accident, but present.

So it’s 6-8 months later and let’s say you are walking downtown; it’s a sunny day, your with friends, near a cross walk, and you Consciously don’t notice but a guy walks by on the other side of the street wearing a red coat like the guy the day of the accident. Suddenly you are experiencing an Anxiety/Panic attack. 

So if you decide to flee downtown, you have kept the “red coat guy” trigger for anxiety, and added a few more triggers, such as downtown, crosswalks, perhaps crowds downtown etc. ... 

However if you stay, and perhaps sit down or just stand there, and use the diaphragmatic breathing technique** (Relaxation Breathing**), what you will notice is that your anxiety will go slightly up at first and then come steadily down until you are comfortable again.

What you have accomplished is HUGE. You have just eliminated the “guy in the red coat” trigger and prevented the addition of any additional triggers.

Each time you use Relaxation Breathing** in a stressful, anxiety provoking experience, you eliminate a trigger for stress and anxiety, and thus reduce your reaction to triggers. Experiences of anxiety become less and less. You become more and more in control of your level of relaxation. The more you use Relaxation Breathing the quicker it works, the better it works and the less likely you will react to that trigger in the future. it is always with you and available to you wherever you go.

You are more and more in control of your level of relaxation. Where’ve you are, whatever you are doing, whatever is going on around you.

** Relaxation Breathing MUST be diaphragmatic breathing! 

Any other breathing technique will NOT work.

Relaxation Breathing

Relaxation Breathing

Once you know how, this Relaxation Breathing exercise should be practiced at least once per day. Practice at bedtime to use to fall easily asleep. Use anytime, anywhere, whenever you feel the slightest feeling of stress.

Sit or lye down, make yourself comfortable. Place one or both hands on your belly, just above your naval, and below your rib cage. Take a Deep breath, allow your belly to initiate or start the breath. Allow your belly to fully expand with your intake of breath. You may notice your lower back arching slightly as you inhale.

Then on the exhale allow your belly to push the air out of your lungs. Allowing the belly to start and gently force the air back out of your lungs.

Notice that with your hands on your belly you can feel your belly expand on the inhale and contract on the exhale. As you breathe deeply and slowly, simply observe and feel your belly gently move in and out.

Repeat this exercise for 10 Breaths. Practice for 10 breaths every night at bedtime.

This will help you fall asleep. Also use daily several times a day.

You can use this breathing technique to reduce stress and anxiety wherever you are, whatever you are doing. Use it sitting, standing, walking, driving…

The more you use it, the better it works. The more you use it the faster it works.

The more you use it, the less likely you are to have an episode of anxiety, panic or stress.

The more you use it, the body and mind learns to quickly and immediately go into relaxation.

Remember: the body cannot be excited, anxious and fearful, at the same time it is relaxed, calm and peaceful.

AnxietyBlog #1

AnxietyBlog #1

Welcome to the Anxiety Blog. So you have symptoms, sensations... like tingling in hands, feet, arms, legs; upset,”butterfly stomach”; tight chest, feels like you can’t catch your breath, we feel our heart race, breathing is high in the upper chest and shallow,  hands, we sweat, our neck and face become red, we can’t think, concentrate or focus, access to memory is limited.

Essentially we feel awful. 

What is really going on in our bodies? 

ALL of these symptoms are simply a result of not enough oxygen in our system.

The key to lowering stress and getting rid of anxiety reactions is simply getting more oxygen in the body.

The simple fact is: You cannot be excited, anxious and fearful, and at the same time that you are relaxed, calm and peaceful.  (Try it. Try to feel those two groups of emotions at the same time. It simply is impossible. The body cannot do this.)

How do we get more oxygen in the body when we need to, or choose to be, more calm and relaxed?

The following Relaxation Breathing exercise is the answer. You can choose to be as calm and relaxed as you wish, when you wish, anytime, anyplace. You can be in control of your level of relaxation.

You have a muscle that crosses your body, beneath your lungs, called the diaphragm. When you breathe in this muscle pulls down, drawing air into the lungs like a bellows or a plunger. This muscle helps you take air into your lungs. When you walk fast, or run, or do physical work, you can feel this muscle automatically kick in, and you feel your belly expanding so you can inhale more air. This happens normally and naturally. This is the natural breath you were born with.

Learning to use this muscle with each deep breath is the key to your relaxation.

Follow this exercise and learn how to be a more relaxed and calm

person, as relaxed and calm as YOU choose to be.

Once you know how, this Relaxation Breathing exercise should be practiced 6-8 times per day, until it once again becomes automatic, natural, the breath you are born with. Practice at bedtime to use it to fall easily asleep. Use anytime, anywhere, whenever you feel the slightest feeling of stress. Good times to practice: standing in line at the store, at a stop light in your car, in the waiting room of an office, on commercial breaks while watching a movie.

Relaxation Breathing Exercise:  Sit or lye down, make yourself comfortable. Place one or both hands on your belly, just above your naval, and below your rib cage, start your breath here. 

Take a Deep breath, allow your belly to initiate or start the breath. Allow your belly to fully expand with your intake of breath. You may notice your lower back expanding slightly as you inhale.

Then on the exhale allow your belly to gently push the air out of your lungs. Allowing the belly to start and gently force the air back out of your lungs.

Notice that with your hands on your belly you can feel your belly expand on the inhale and contract on the exhale. As you breathe deeply and slowly, simply observe and feel your belly gently move in and out.

Repeat this exercise for 10 Breaths. Practice for 10 breaths every night at bedtime.

This will help you fall asleep. Also use daily many times, 6-8 times a day.

You can use this breathing technique to reduce stress and anxiety wherever you are, whatever you are doing. Use it sitting, standing, walking, driving, sitting at a stop light, waiting in line…

The more you use it, the better it works. The more you use it the faster it works.

The more you use it, the less likely you are to have an episode of anxiety, panic or stress.

The more you use it, the body and mind learns to quickly and immediately go into relaxation.

Remember: the body cannot be excited, anxious and fearful, at the same time it is relaxed, calm and peaceful.

...never, never ask a Veteran, “Did you kill/shoot anyone?”

https://youtu.be/o_l4Ab5FRwM

Thank you for your service.

What is Anxiety??

Anxiety is a physiological reaction to not enough oxygen in your system.

It’s as simple as that.

Anxiety is a “flight or fight response”.  Sometimes this response is left over from some past experience, and it has then generalized this experience to other things. Things technically not related to that fearful experience, but that may have been present in the environment when that fearful event took place.

When we are stressed and anxious, we feel our heart race, breathing is high in the upper chest and shallow, we get upset stomachs or “butterflies”, hands, fingers and feet become numb and tingly, we sweat, our neck and face become red, we can’t think, concentrate or focus, access to memory is limited.

ALL of these symptoms are simply a result of not enough oxygen in our system.

The key to lowering stress and getting rid of anxiety reactions is simply getting more oxygen in the body.

The simple fact is: You cannot be excited, anxious and fearful, and at the same time that you are relaxed, calm and peaceful.  (Try it. Try to feel those two groups of emotions at the same time. It simply is impossible. The body cannot do this.)

How do we get more oxygen in the body when we need to, or choose to be, more calm and relaxed?

The following Relaxation Breathing exercise is the answer. You can choose to be as calm and relaxed as you wish, when you wish, anytime, anyplace. You can be in control of your level of relaxation.

You have a muscle that crosses your body, beneath your lungs, called the diaphragm. When you breathe in this muscle pulls down, drawing air into the lungs like a bellows or a plunger. This muscle helps you take air into your lungs. When you walk fast, or run, or do physical work, you can feel this muscle automatically kick in, and you feel your belly expanding so you can inhale more air. This happens normally and naturally. This is the natural breath you were born with.

Learning to use this muscle with each deep breath is the key to your relaxation.

Follow the exercise on the next page and learn how to be a more relaxed and calm

person, as relaxed and calm as YOU choose to be.

Relaxation Breathing / Diaphragmatic Breathing / Belly Breathing 

Once you know how, this Relaxation Breathing exercise should be practiced 6-8 times per day, until it once again becomes automatic, natural, the breath you are born with. Practice at bedtime to use it to fall easily asleep. Use anytime, anywhere, whenever you feel the slightest feeling of stress. Good times to practice: standing in line at the store, at a stop light in your car, in the waiting room of an office, on commercial breaks while watching a movie.

Sit or lye down, make yourself comfortable. Place one or both hands on your belly, just above your naval, and below your rib cage, start your breath here. Take a Deep breath, allow your belly to initiate or start the breath. Allow your belly to fully expand with your intake of breath. You may notice your lower back arching slightly as you inhale.

Then on the exhale allow your belly to push the air out of your lungs. Allowing the belly to start and gently force the air back out of your lungs.

Notice that with your hands on your belly you can feel your belly expand on the inhale and contract on the exhale. As you breathe deeply and slowly, simply observe and feel your belly gently move in and out.

Repeat this exercise for 10 Breaths. Practice for 10 breaths every night at bedtime.

This will help you fall asleep. Also use daily many times a day.

You can use this breathing technique to reduce stress and anxiety wherever you are, whatever you are doing. Use it sitting, standing, walking, driving, sitting at a stop light, waiting in line…

The more you use it, the better it works. The more you use it the faster it works.

The more you use it, the less likely you are to have an episode of anxiety, panic or stress.

The more you use it, the body and mind learns to quickly and immediately go into relaxation.

Remember: the body cannot be excited, anxious and fearful, at the same time it is relaxed, calm and peaceful.

Research recently supports Diaphragmatic Breathing as neuromuscularly connected to the basal area of the brain. The same area where our Flight, Flight or Freeze response originates.

Our Flight, Flight or Freeze response, is a normal and natural response that occurs to protect us from possibly dangerous situations. It only becomes a problem when it is overreacting. When we have too much trauma, drama, or stress in our lives, or it goes on for too long, then we begin to breath in a  Flight, Flight or Freeze response breath, which is shallow and high in the chest. This causes a deficiency in oxygen and a feeling of anxiety. This type of breath can become a habit.

When there is not enough oxygen in our blood, our heart rate has to speed up to get more blood to our organs, because there is less oxygen in the blood; thus a racing heart rate. We get sweaty and tingly hands and feet because our body withdraws blood from extremities to feed the major organs better. We can’t focus or concentrate because we aren’t getting enough oxygen to the brain. In extreme cases one could pass out.

Flight, Flight or Freeze Breathing, shallow breathing, causes all the symptoms associated with anxiety, anxiety attacks and panic attacks. It causes a release of the stress hormone cortisol. 

Cortisol is said to damage organs and cause aging to the body.

Diaphragmatic Breathing, the use of the Diaphragm muscle sends a message to the basal area of the brain to relax the body, relax the mind, and to lower the release of the stress hormone Cortisol in our system.

Diaphragmatic Breathing, Relaxation Breathing is a way for us to take back control of our level of relaxation, naturally.

Labels: Cortisol hormone, anxiety, anxiety attack, panic attack, belly breathing, diaphragmatic breathing, relaxation breathing, Social Anxiety

Hypnosis Reduces Preoperative Anxiety in adult patients.

Anesth Analg. 2006 May;102(5):1394-6.

Hypnosis reduces preoperative anxiety in adult patients.

Saadat H¹, Drummond-Lewis J, Maranets I, Kaplan D, Saadat A, Wang SM, Kain ZN.

Author information

Abstract

In this study we examined the effect of hypnosis on preoperative anxiety. Subjects were randomized into 3 groups, a hypnosis group (n = 26) who received suggestions of well-being; an attention-control group (n = 26) who received attentive listening and support without any specific hypnotic suggestions and a "standard of care" control group (n = 24). Anxiety was measured pre- and postintervention as well as on entrance to the operating rooms. We found that patients in the hypnosis group were significantly less anxious postintervention as compared with patients in the attention-control group and the control group (31 +/- 8 versus 37 +/- 9 versus 41 +/- 11, analysis of variance, P = 0.008). Moreover, on entrance to the operating rooms, the hypnosis group reported a significant decrease of 56% in their anxiety level whereas the attention-control group reported an increase of 10% in anxiety and the control group reported an increase of 47% in their anxiety (P = 0.001). In conclusion, we found that hypnosis significantly alleviates preoperative anxiety. Future studies are indicated to examine the effects of preoperative hypnosis on postoperative outcomes.

PMID: 16632816

DOI: 10.1213/01.ane.0000204355.36015.54

[Indexed for MEDLINE]

Perfect Yoga Pose for Relaxation and Anti-Anxiety

Magarasana:  Crocodile

The Perfect yoga pose for retraining your body to Relaxation Breathing Naturally.

Breathing normally and naturally is Very important to your level of relaxation and calmness; very important to your overall health.

When we breathe high in the chest area, we are not getting a full natural breath. Even if you breathe faster or slower, if you are breathing high in your chest (your upper chest, ribs and shoulders are moving when you breathe) you are not getting enough air. This will contribute to your stress, anxiety and fear level.

Normal Natural breath is a Diaphragmatic Breath or a Relaxation Breath, as I like to call it. This breath originates from the diaphragm muscle, which is located  across the body below the lungs. When you are breathing normally your stomach area below the rib cage and above the navel will rise and fall. The Diaphragmatic Breathe originates here.

For example, when you watch a toddler running around in their diaper, you will notice that their nice round little belly is easily and freely moving in and out. You do not see their upper chest, ribs and shoulders heaving up and down, right?
This is because they haven't yet experienced any trauma or drama in their lives. Observe this phenomenon the next chance you get.

Some people have been breathing so long in a "Fight, Flight or Freeze" breathe that they have difficulty getting back to a normal breath. For those people there is a simple exercise:
The Crocodile

This is a simple Relaxing yoga pose that anyone can do.

1.    First lay on your belly on the floor.  Put your legs about a few feet apart. Drop your heels inward,                     or move your legs to what is a comfortable position for you.

2.    Next put you arms in front of you, so that your upper chest is off the ground and hold onto your elbows, making a square with your arms. Rest your forehead on you top arm. Close your eyes and Relax, Breathe.

3.Notice that you feel only your legs, hips and lower abdomen on the floor.

This position provides a gentle compression to your lower stomach and abdomen that provides you with physical feedback on your diaphragmatic breathing. It helps you learn to do this correctly.

The gentle compression is very soothing and comforting. Slow and deepen your breathing.

This is a beautiful yoga pose for Self Calming and Restoring Natural Relaxed breathing. It is helpful for headache relief and calming digestion.

Strongly recommended for the treatment of Stress and Anxiety.

Amelia Hasenohrl, LPC, CHt.                  April 7, 2016

Positive Self Talk

What Do You Say When You Talk to Yourself?

Positive Self Talk is the number ONE way to Self Improvement, with a minimum investment in time, and the convenience of always being available for you to utilize.


Negative Self Talk does nothing. That's it. Nothing. It doesn't make you feel good. It doesn't make you try harder. It doesn't motivate you. It doesn't make you do better next time. It probably reinforces negativity in you life even more.

Positive Self Talk makes you feel better. It releases the natural feel good chemical Serotonin into your blood stream. It Motivates you. It makes you work harder. It makes you Do better next time. It improves your performance in anything you are working on.
It gives you a positive outlook and improves your life satisfaction immensely.

How do we formulate Positive Self Talk Statement?

1.    Always make the statement in a Positive form.

Example: I always eat small portions of Healthy foods.
versus: I don't eat cake.

Try this... "Don't think about the Peach."

What are you thinking about?  ...  the Peach. Right?
        Your subconscious mind does not do negatives. Put all statement in positive terms.

2. Alway put statements in the first person.

Example: I will,  I am,  I do,  My life is,

3. Always in the present tense, as if the goal is already accomplished.

Example: I always eat healthy.  I sleep straight through the might.
I always make the hills on my bike.

"Try not. Do or do not, there is no try."

-- Yoda

Try means = NEVER

Avoid words: Try, would, Could, should, Not, don't.

For example while biking if I say, "I'm going to try to make that hill." Will I make the hill?
No, I will not. I'm only kidding myself. However, after much experimentation, if I tell myself, "I make all the hills. I aways make the hills." I do make the hill, every time.
In fact I have now added, "All hills are doable." A new experience for me.

If you want to super-charge your positive self talk add the word "Love" to your positive affirmation. For Instance: "I love hill climbing, I love the hills."  Even after 100 miles, 10,000 feet of climbing, and "the wall", I was still climbing very comfortably.
I love the hills.


Examples of Positive Self Talk:

Everyone wants to buy what I am selling today.
I always make this putt. I am a perfect putter, I make all my putts.
I weigh 125 lbs. I always eat small portions of healthy foods.
I am a great presenter. I enjoy presenting. I am calm and relaxed when I present.


How do we Change negative self talk into Positive Self Talk?

Pick out 2 to 4positive self talk statements that are your goals. Repeat them to yourself.
Notice negative self talk, change the statement 180 degrees and turn it into a positive statement. Repeat it 3 times either out loud or to yourself, whenever it occurs. The negative statement will go away, the positive statement will replace it. 

Best Times to Use Positive Self Talk:

Right before you fall asleep.
Right when you open your eyes in the morning.
This is the time when your sub conscious mind is most accessible, most open to suggestion.

Positive Self Talk

The easiest way to improve yourself and your life, as you live it.
Positive Self Talk is the most portable, easy to use, self improvement tool there is.
It is always with you wherever you go. You do not need to take even 20 minutes out of your day to use it. You can use it on the fly. You get the benefits and positive effects of it immediately with use. And you feel good while doing it.

Happy thoughts!  

Anxiety and Relaxation Breathing

(Diaphragmatic Breathing, Belly Breathing)

Anxiety is a physiological reaction to not enough oxygen in your system.

It’s as simple as that.

Anxiety is a “flight or fight response”.  Sometimes this response is left over from some past experience, and it has then generalized this experience to other things. Things technically not related to that fearful experience, but that may have been present in the environment when that fearful event took place.

When we are stressed and anxious, we feel our heart race, breathing is high in the chest and shallow, fingers become numb and tingly, we sweat, our neck and face become red, we can’t think, concentrate or focus.

ALL of these symptoms are simply a result of not enough oxygen in our system.

The key to lowering stress and getting rid of anxiety reactions is simply getting more oxygen in the body.

The simple fact is: You cannot be excited, anxious and fearful, and at the same time you are relaxed, calm and peaceful.  (Try it. Try to feel those two groups of emotions at the same time. It simply is impossible. The body cannot do this.)

How do we get more oxygen in the body when we need to, or choose to, be more calm and relaxed?

The following Relaxation Breathing exercise is the answer. You can choose to be as calm and relaxed as you wish, when you wish, anytime, anyplace. You can be in control of your level of relaxation.

You have a muscle that crosses your body, beneath your lungs, called the diaphragm. When you breathe in this muscle pulls down, drawing air into the lungs like a bellows or a plunger. This muscle helps you take air into your lungs. When you walk fast, or run, or do physical work, you can feel this muscle automatically kick in, and you feel your belly expanding so you can inhale more air. This happens normally and naturally.

Learning to use this muscle with each deep breath is the key to your relaxation.

Follow the exercise on the next page and learn how to be a more relaxed and calm

person, as relaxed and calm as YOU choose to be.

Relaxation Breathing

Once you know how, this Relaxation Breathing exercise should be practiced at least once per day. Practice at bedtime to use to fall easily asleep. Use anytime, anywhere, whenever you feel the slightest feeling of stress.

Sit or lye down, make yourself comfortable. Place one or both hands on your belly, just above your naval, and below your rib cage. Take a Deep breath, allow your belly to initiate or start the breath. Allow your belly to fully expand with your intake of breath. You may notice your lower back arching slightly as you inhale.

Then on the exhale allow your belly to push the air out of your lungs. Allowing the belly to start and gently force the air back out of your lungs.

Notice that with your hands on your belly you can feel your belly expand on the inhale and contract on the exhale. As you breathe deeply and slowly, simply observe and feel your belly gently move in and out.

Repeat this exercise for 10 Breaths. Practice for 10 breaths every night at bedtime.

This will help you fall asleep. Also use daily several times a day.

You can use this breathing technique to reduce stress and anxiety wherever you are, whatever you are doing. Use it sitting, standing, walking, driving…

The more you use it, the better it works. The more you use it the faster it works.

The more you use it, the less likely you are to have an episode of anxiety, panic or stress.

The more you use it, the body and mind learns to quickly and immediately go into relaxation.

Remember: the body cannot be excited, anxious and fearful, at the same time it is relaxed, calm and peaceful.