Recognizing Stress Responses

By Lauren Fields LMFT

Have you ever noticed in times of stress the natural responses to tense up, heat up, or slow down? There are so many variations to the way we react to stress on a somatic level, all which are subjective and are felt differently from person to person. Our bodies hold a natural intelligence and through these responses present an activation of our autonomic nervous system to either protect or disconnect. We are constantly receiving environmental information of threat or safety which leads to these intrinsic responses. When the signal received is one of danger, we respond with an increase in reactivity and adapted survival responses.

A great step toward wellbeing in the physical, emotional and mental states is to learn about what signals your own personal stress responses. We can do this by reconnecting first to the self and then the outside world with questions like:

My/Their eyes signal danger when…
My/Their tone of voice sounds like a warning when…

My/Their face expresses dysregulation when…

My/Their gestures convey a message to stay away when…

            questions created by Deb Dana LCSW

We may also explore responses through assessments of your autonomic experiences through the use of mindfulness and honoring what is being felt moment by moment. Journaling and tracking moods and behaviors pre or post an episode of overwhelm/stress may also be helpful. Taking back the reigns of your patterns of response and getting familiar with your nervous system/natural responses can be a rewarding first step towards holding space for yourself on this healing journey.