Is your brain motivated to keep you depressed?
Sometimes we think of panic and depression as opposites - one is characterized by overwhelming feelings and racing thoughts. The other is characterized by numbness and a feeling of being frozen or withdrawn.
From a neurophysiological perspective, we would call these states hyper-arousal (anxiety and panic) and hypo-arousal (depression and burnout). In this context, the word "arousal" refers to the level of activation in our nervous system.
The “window of tolerance” is a term coined by Dr. Dan Siegel to describe the optimal zone of “arousal” or nervous system activation for everyday functioning.
The concept has since been widely adopted to explain how our nervous system commonly responds to chronic threats and adversity. It is often illustrated with graphics like those above -- but this way of visualizing the window of tolerance gets it wrong in one important way.
This image gives the impression that hypo-arousal is the opposite of hyper-arousal and that it occurs because our nervous system is insufficiently stimulated.
Actually, hypo-arousal can be better understood as a reaction to hyper-arousal. Chronic hyper-arousal is not mentally, emotionally or physiologically sustainable. It's like living with a 24/7 emergency siren going off in your head. The constant flood of hormones intended to support fight or flight takes a massive toll on your body.
In reaction, the body flips into hypo-arousal to dull the internal sensations of emergency. This is adaptive in the short term, in order to survive states of extreme overwhelm, but it causes major problems if we accept this state as our new normal.
If we're trying to get out of chronic hypo-arousal (characterized by depression, dissociation, numbness or burnout), we will need to navigate back through the original state of hyper-arousal that sent us there. That can be a scary proposition because the feelings associated with hyper-arousal can be extremely intense and overwhelming. If our nervous system doesn't feel prepared to manage those feelings, it may keep us in a state of chronic hypo-arousal.
We need to find safe ways to discharge the panicked survival energy of hyper-arousal. The key is to build a safe container over time by strengthening the nervous system and cultivating witness consciousness.
I'm curious how you notice the window of tolerance showing up in your life? Let me know in the comments!
