The Dangers, Risks & Realities of Being Dysregulated

The Friday Edition | No. 39

The Dangers, Risks & Realities of Being Dysregulated

Dysregulation affects everyone at some point in their life. However, studies show that emotional dysregulation is a core feature of CPTSD, with around 80-90% of individuals reporting significant difficulties in managing their emotions. Physiological dysregulation, such as hyperarousal, sleep disturbances, and somatic complaints, is also prevalent among those with CPTSD.

Yet, many living with complex trauma suffer through dysregulation’s stormy unpredictability, chaos, and overwhelm on a regular basis, and don’t even realize it. We often attempt to normalize our behaviors, deny, reject, or gloss over emotionally charged situations and circumstances that occur in our lives. We wrongly compare our experiences to others and admonish ourselves for making too much of our unwieldy emotions and reactions. We become self-critical for failing to regulate our nervous system and erratic feelings with more control and efficiency – all the while ignoring the truth of our hampered nervous system forged and hardened through years of trauma.

Dysregulation disrupts the usual balance of body and mind. For those with complex trauma, this can manifest as intense anxiety, anger, sadness, or a combination of overwhelming emotions. Feeling hurried, rushed, pressured, and intense chaos are triggers that can throw us into a dysregulated state. It might feel like your nervous system is constantly on high alert, responding to perceived threats with fight, flight, freeze, or fawn reactions. Imagine your mind as a tranquil sea. Dysregulation is like a sudden storm, churning the waters, making it difficult to stay afloat and find stability. This storm is often triggered by reminders of past trauma, whether overt or subtle and can be further exacerbated by the challenges of daily life. Understanding that dysregulation is a natural response to trauma is the first step toward healing.

The storm is not as important as the path it opens up.

_Mark Nepo, “The Book of Awakening: Having the Life You Want by Being Present to the Life You Have”