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What is a Survival State?
I am extremely passionate about sharing the knowledge and information I have acquired over the years in relation to the 'Survival State.' Whilst my work is not primarily focused on bringing you out of this state, you may find coaching helps non-directly due to the immense stress living an 'unaligned' life will be bringing you. Other primary causes of being stuck in this survival state include unprocessed trauma, repressed emotion, childhood wounds, subconcious limiting beliefs etc. Due to the fact I am not a trained psychotherapist, If any of the below information resonates with you, I urge you to seek the advice and help of someone who is a certified trauma specialist or mental health professional who will be able to help you further.
Are you living in a state of
survival?
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Do you experience frequent anxiety, panic and nervousness?
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Do you feel constantly overwhelmed and on edge?
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Do you struggle to regulate your emotions?
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Are you suffering with digestive symptoms?
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Do you find yourself low in energy or fatigued?
- Do you struggle with low mood or extreme changes in mood?
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Are you highly sensitive to external stimuli?
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Do you experience chronic pain and or symptoms?
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Do you find yourself reacting rather than responding?
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Do you have regular changes in your appetite & cravings?
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Is your immune system functioning sub-optimally?
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Are your hormones all over the place?
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Do you constantly feel triggered?
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Do you have issues with your sleep?
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Do you struggle with self-sabotage?
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Do you prioritise other peoples needs before your own?
So, what is the chronic stress response?
We have an in built survival mechanism called the 'fight or flight' response which was created primarily to help us in times of facing danger or threat. Think about what would happen if you were out walking and saw a hungry tiger looking your way. Your heart rate would get faster in order to increase oxygen flow to your major muscles so that they are primed for fighting or fleeing for your life! Non essential bodily functions such as digestion would come to a halt in order to send blood & vital energy elsewhere. Your senses would become extremely heightened, including the dilation of your pupils and the sharpening of your hearing. Now this survival mechanism is thankfully no longer needed as much as it would have been centuries ago HOWEVER our physical make up has not changed. Our survival brain does not know the difference between an actual threat or a perceived threat and it will elicit the same fight or flight response so that it doesn't take any chances.
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The chronic stress response is when our brain is perceiving danger constantly. Our body stays in a permanent state of fight/flight or survival because our brain believes it is too risky to let its guard down. This chronic stress response can occur for a whole variety of reasons including childhood/ unprocessed past trauma, repressed emotions, illness or poor physical health, loss of a loved one, major life events, ongoing financial/environmental/relationship stress or a combination of them all! We all have a unique story and have all been through individual past experiences, therefore each of us will perceive stress slightly differently. Our primitive brain also loves familiarity and detests the unknown - with no real regard for your happiness, just for your survival. Therefore if it believes that it has done a great job in keeping you safe so far, it will continue to repeat the same thoughts, feelings and behaviours - regardless if these do not really serve your highest self, remember it only cares about your survival. It will keep choosing to go down the same well worn, conditioned neural pathways that were created months, years, decades ago because it believes it is keeping you safe in doing so. So what happens when you are sick of thinking, feeling and behaving in the same way? This is where healing can begin!
Additional Resources
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Book Recommendations
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The Body Keeps The Score - Bessel Van Der Kolk
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When The Body Says No - Gabor Mate
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Waking The Tiger - Peter A.Levine​
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You Are The Placebo - Joe Dispenza
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What Happened To You? - Oprah Winfrey
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You Can Heal Your Life - Louise Hay