How the Nervous System Responds to Stress

Sep 22

3 min read

Everyone's nervous system is different - we've all had unique upbringings and personal challenges - therefore, the way your nervous system responds to stress is unique to you.

In saying that, there are 5 main patterns of stress that the body can go into as it's responding to any form of stress. These depend on how you see, experience and interact with the world around you.

These patterns can show up in how you hold yourself/ posture (which is an indicator of where your nervous system stores tension from stress), or the types of thoughts you have.

Most people experience multiple patterns simultaneously, however there is almost always a dominant one that shows up.

These 5 stress patterns are the first layer of a complex nervous system response, and one of the most important things to address if you want to become resilient to stress.

Take your time going through each one as there's a lot to take in; and maybe even reread a couple times to really understand these patterns and how they might be showing up in your life.

The 5 Stress Responses of the Nervous System

called "phases"

One: Wounds of the past

This phase can only show up alongside another dominant phase.
The body is still carrying the energetics of a past traumatic experience.
Types of thoughts include replaying events, blaming, regret, seeking validation.
"This happened to me"

Two: Fear of future

Phase two from phase one: "This happened to me, and I'm fearful of it happening again"
Tension is stores in the cervical spine (top - neck and base of skull). Often only on one side/left or right.
Neck pulls forward
Types of thoughts include doubt and indecisiveness, what if's, hyper-responsibility.
High need for certainty and control.

Three: Identity

Phase three from phase one: "This happened to me, and this is who I am now because of it"
Tension is stored in the pelvis.
Creates a tilt in the pelvis, which often results with a 'short leg'
Types of thoughts include "who should I be, how am I perceived, how should I show up"
Tries to conform to roles, eg. mum/dad, friend, partner, manager, employee, daughter/son, etc.

Four: In your head

Phase four from phase one: "This happened to me, and if I can just understand and analyse it, I will finally be free"
Tension stores mostly in the shoulders.
Very mind-focused; understanding concepts, rules, in the stories needing to figure everything out.
Types of thoughts include self observation, problem solving, analysing, putting concepts and ideas into boxes

Five: Lack

Phase five from phase one: "This happened to me, and now I am a victim and I believe I am not enough"
Tension stored in the shoulders/pelvis, shoulders roll forward and pelvis rotates inwards.
Scarcity or lack; lack of support/ money/ time/ opportunities/ connection/ energy/ resources.
Types of thoughts include comparison, "when I get __ then I'll be okay", "I don't deserve this", difficulty receiving, victim mindset.

Do you resonate with any of these patterns?

The Nervous System Learns Patterns

Through neuroplasticity, your brain and nervous system physically and energetically rewires itself as you go through life experiences.

Whether it's from internal inputs (your thoughts, perspectives) or external inputs (other people, events, environments), your brain moves towards what is familiar; because, to the nervous system, familiarity = safety.

And familiarity occurs with repetition.

Just like how you need to repetitively go to the gym to build muscle, your nervous system needs to repetitively release it's stress pattern to build resilience to stress and restore your baseline.

So the great new is, if you're living in stress patterns as your baseline, you have the potential to rewire your brain and nervous system back to a healthy and regulated baseline!

If you resonated strongly with any of the 5 stress patterns listed above and want to break out of it, we would love to help you get on the fastest track to success.

Over the last 20 years in practice, we've learned that the best way to help people get started is face-to-face experience with our somatic approach. No amount of reading and conceptual learning will give you as much as having an embodied experience.

When you're ready for change, feel free to contact us.