Trauma & Bilateral Stimulation
Internal Tension by LJAmlie
What is bilateral stimulation & why does it help re-wire stress, trauma & conditioning?
In the event of a life threatening situation, whether it be real or perceived, one time or recurring, the autonomic nervous system responds naturally by turning on the fight/flight reflexes in order to avert the danger. It is important to note that the most important word here is "perceived" because the system reacts based on our belief of the situation more than the actual external circumstances. During this phase our adrenaline gets pumped up along with other chemical reactions as well as an increase in our heart rate & respiration, all preparing us to fend off the threat. If this is successful, as in you fight something or someone off or you get away, then the nervous system tends to reset itself to a normal position & we are able to resume life as it was before the threat.
If however we feel trapped, or fighting or fleeing didn't work, our system is then hardwired to go into a stasis/shutdown that is often called freeze/helplessness. At this point our limbs may get numb or cold & immobile as the blood moves into our core trying to preserve our vital organs. Our conscious awareness also tends to move up & out of the body in order to make the impact of the imminent trauma less painful. Again, we must realize that this does not need to be a real external threat, it only needs to "feel" like that to the animal, child, or adult. During this time the adrenaline, heart rate & respiration don't actually slow down, but they get damped down, like having one foot on the gas & putting the other foot on the brake at the same time. If/when this action is successful & the threat somehow leaves, an animal will generally twitch, shake or otherwise "throw off" the built up energy in their system allowing their nervous system to once again reset to normal functioning.
This is where the socialization of the human being is different because often times we have consciously or unconsciously learned to repress this natural process of discharging the built up energy & so it literally gets stored in the tissues indefinitely until something happens to release it. This build up of energy over time can be a major factor in the development of chronic physical & mental illnesses, diseases & disorders that are challenging at best to treat by conventional western means. Even alternative therapies like massage or acupuncture may alleviate the symptoms temporarily, but until the body chooses to discharge this energy it will go back into the retractive posture & symptoms will return.
So, this is where the discovery of numerous types of bilateral stimulation & certain types of exercises have been found to be very useful. By alternately stimulating the hemispheres of the brain, whether using eye movement (EMDR), audio/music, or walking/exercises, while we are activated or remembering the stress of the trauma or situation, followed by watching & allowing the body to go through it's natural discharge process, we allow our bodies to do what the animals did immediately after the incident. We may notice twitching, skin prickling, yawning, burping, stomach gurgling, tears, laughter, shaking or energy streaming, which are all signs that the nervous system is finally releasing this old energy that has been keeping our body in a retracted & unnatural state. Afterward we will often feel lighter, like a weight has been lifted, even though the process itself may feel a bit exhausting depending on how much energy you discharge at once.
The biggest caution and reason why it is often best to do this with someone who has training in these areas is that decades of extensive study has shown that we want to avoid going into a cycle of re-enacting an old event & experiencing it as if it is in real time. It is crucial that we keep our attention & awareness on the body & the sensations it is experiencing rather than plummeting into an emotional experience, as cathartic as it sometimes may feel at the time. For this generally only serves to carve the old rut even deeper than before. Having assistance in keeping you focused on your body can be extremely beneficial, especially if your symptoms of trauma are severe or if you know you have had a serious trauma. Some forms of therapy that are highly effective in this area are EMDR, Somatic Experiencing & Brainspotting.
However, exercise like fast walking with the arms swinging utilize the benefits of bilateral stimulation while getting you into better physical condition and so it is a very useful indirect way of dealing with the symptoms of trauma & chronic stress. Some simple exercises that can begin the discharge process are offered on the Anxiety Self Help page.
© Jeanette Amlie
In the event of a life threatening situation, whether it be real or perceived, one time or recurring, the autonomic nervous system responds naturally by turning on the fight/flight reflexes in order to avert the danger. It is important to note that the most important word here is "perceived" because the system reacts based on our belief of the situation more than the actual external circumstances. During this phase our adrenaline gets pumped up along with other chemical reactions as well as an increase in our heart rate & respiration, all preparing us to fend off the threat. If this is successful, as in you fight something or someone off or you get away, then the nervous system tends to reset itself to a normal position & we are able to resume life as it was before the threat.
If however we feel trapped, or fighting or fleeing didn't work, our system is then hardwired to go into a stasis/shutdown that is often called freeze/helplessness. At this point our limbs may get numb or cold & immobile as the blood moves into our core trying to preserve our vital organs. Our conscious awareness also tends to move up & out of the body in order to make the impact of the imminent trauma less painful. Again, we must realize that this does not need to be a real external threat, it only needs to "feel" like that to the animal, child, or adult. During this time the adrenaline, heart rate & respiration don't actually slow down, but they get damped down, like having one foot on the gas & putting the other foot on the brake at the same time. If/when this action is successful & the threat somehow leaves, an animal will generally twitch, shake or otherwise "throw off" the built up energy in their system allowing their nervous system to once again reset to normal functioning.
This is where the socialization of the human being is different because often times we have consciously or unconsciously learned to repress this natural process of discharging the built up energy & so it literally gets stored in the tissues indefinitely until something happens to release it. This build up of energy over time can be a major factor in the development of chronic physical & mental illnesses, diseases & disorders that are challenging at best to treat by conventional western means. Even alternative therapies like massage or acupuncture may alleviate the symptoms temporarily, but until the body chooses to discharge this energy it will go back into the retractive posture & symptoms will return.
So, this is where the discovery of numerous types of bilateral stimulation & certain types of exercises have been found to be very useful. By alternately stimulating the hemispheres of the brain, whether using eye movement (EMDR), audio/music, or walking/exercises, while we are activated or remembering the stress of the trauma or situation, followed by watching & allowing the body to go through it's natural discharge process, we allow our bodies to do what the animals did immediately after the incident. We may notice twitching, skin prickling, yawning, burping, stomach gurgling, tears, laughter, shaking or energy streaming, which are all signs that the nervous system is finally releasing this old energy that has been keeping our body in a retracted & unnatural state. Afterward we will often feel lighter, like a weight has been lifted, even though the process itself may feel a bit exhausting depending on how much energy you discharge at once.
The biggest caution and reason why it is often best to do this with someone who has training in these areas is that decades of extensive study has shown that we want to avoid going into a cycle of re-enacting an old event & experiencing it as if it is in real time. It is crucial that we keep our attention & awareness on the body & the sensations it is experiencing rather than plummeting into an emotional experience, as cathartic as it sometimes may feel at the time. For this generally only serves to carve the old rut even deeper than before. Having assistance in keeping you focused on your body can be extremely beneficial, especially if your symptoms of trauma are severe or if you know you have had a serious trauma. Some forms of therapy that are highly effective in this area are EMDR, Somatic Experiencing & Brainspotting.
However, exercise like fast walking with the arms swinging utilize the benefits of bilateral stimulation while getting you into better physical condition and so it is a very useful indirect way of dealing with the symptoms of trauma & chronic stress. Some simple exercises that can begin the discharge process are offered on the Anxiety Self Help page.
© Jeanette Amlie