Why Dysregulation Happens and What Actually Helps

Here’s what’s going on when you become dysregulated, and why calming techniques actually work:

1. The “Alarm System” in Your Brain Kicks In

• The amygdala, your brain’s threat detector, perceives danger—real or imagined—and sounds the alarm.

• This triggers the fight–flight–freeze response, flooding your body with adrenaline and cortisol.

• Your brain’s priority becomes survival, not careful thinking.

2. The Thinking Brain Goes Partly Offline

• The prefrontal cortex—responsible for reasoning, impulse control, and perspective—loses some access to blood flow during high arousal.

• This is why you might blurt things out, make rash choices, or have “tunnel vision” on the problem.

3. The Body Gets Ready for Action

• Heart rate and breathing speed up.

• Muscles tense.

• Vision narrows.

• Digestion slows (because the body is prioritizing energy for “survival”).

4. Calming Down Reverses the Cascade

When you use skills like deep breathing, grounding, or changing posture, you activate the parasympathetic nervous system (the “rest-and-digest” side). This:

• Slows your heart rate

• Lowers stress hormones

• Brings more oxygen to the brain

• Allows the prefrontal cortex to fully re-engage

5. Why It Works

• Breathing techniques change the body’s chemistry by balancing oxygen and CO₂ levels, signaling safety.

• Grounding interrupts mental spirals by anchoring you to sensory reality, shifting focus away from threat thoughts.

• Posture changes send feedback to the brain—relaxed muscles tell the nervous system “we’re safe now.”

6. The Long-Term Benefit

The more you practice calming techniques before you’re at a 10/10 intensity, the more quickly your brain learns to switch off the alarm when it’s not needed. Over time, you get:

• Shorter recovery from stress

• Less intense reactions

• More confidence in your ability to handle strong emotions