Trauma: What does the Vagus Nerve have to do with Meanyway?

By: Heidi L. Fretheim, BA, MACC

It Is happening again, the tightness in chest and body, the heart

racing, stomachache, difficulty managing thoughts and emotions, and

the feeling of high levels of stress affecting the body. It can be

triggered by a calendar date quickly approaching, conversation, smell,

place, sound, season, song, or anything that brings that memory of the

past trauma to the surface. But what does the vagus nerve have to do

with me anyway?

Trauma is defined by the American Psychological Association as

“An emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, rape, or

natural disaster. Immediately after the event, shock and denial are

typical. Longer term reactions include unpredictable emotions,

flashbacks, strained relationships, and even physical symptoms like

headaches or nausea.” Trauma causes the body to experience the

fight, flight, or freeze response. This response helps us to survive the

traumatic event, but it does not help heal the damage done.

The vagus nerve assists in bodily functions like digestion, heart

rate, blood pressure and keeping the body in a state of balance or

homeostasis. The body builds a habit of responding to trauma as a life-

or-death threat needing less intense stimuli to trigger a reaction as time

goes on. The body holds onto trauma causing energy to get stuck in the

vagus nerve. So instead of being in a state of balance, we are under

chronic stress levels that are damaging our health with ourselves and

others.

The vagus nerve can be reset, and the body can return to the

state of homeostasis. Part of resetting is to become more self-aware

when it is not in balance. Signs are chronic nausea, weight loss or gain,

heart issues, depression, anxiety, chronic inflammation, chronic fatigue,

heartburn, and/or dizziness/fainting. The key to resetting the vagus

nerve is to teach it how safety and calm feels as these things were

stolen by the trauma.

Experiencing trauma usually silences an individual’s voice so

healing the vagus nerve uses several techniques around the voice.

Some of these techniques include breathing, singing, humming,

laughter, massage, yoga, meditation, and flushing face with cold water.

Social engagement is important with people who bring a sense of safety

and connection to your life. Healing requires that the trauma is

expressed, processed, and released which can happen in therapy. Help

the vagus nerve heal, by facing the trauma and putting it in the past:

Northwest Behavioral Health Services

2392 N. Edgewood Avenue

Jacksonville, Florida 32254

904-781-7797