Three ways I knew my nervous system was dysregulated
All three of these led to overreactions in certain situations and it was extremely difficult for me to control the way I felt or reacted. As I said, I was easily upset, frustrated, and angered by things. This of course affected my relationships and made me think “What is wrong with me?!” — sometimes my mood or feelings would change quickly or swing from one extreme to another without any perceived reason, warning, or build-up.
During this time I was full of shame, worsening my self-worth, my stress, and my feelings and it fed into and perpetuated the experiences and the repeating cycles and patterns of behavior. This wasn’t really my fault. At the time, I didn’t realize my body was essentially in a state of fight or flight, and critical functions in my nervous system were triggered. That said, let me share the top three signs that indicate my nervous system is dysregulated.
I was constantly on edge and overwhelmed even when things seemed to be going well - I seemed to be stressed out.
One sign of nervous system dysregulation is a sense of overwhelm which happens when you're not able to let go or feel like there are too many demands on your attention and energy at any given time. I feel like I lived in this space the majority of my life, but when I began to increase my level of responsibilities like a corporate job, bills, and motherhood, things really got difficult to manage. You may feel like you can’t keep up with everything, and you constantly feel on edge, worrying about what’s next.
Because you’re living in survival mode, and in constant low-level stress. You have difficulty relaxing and a tendency to try to control. It’s difficult for you to calm your mind enough to get into a state of relaxation. You might find yourself constantly worrying or thinking about your to-do list, your future, relationships, etc.
I was frequently snappy, irritable, and reactive.
I felt like I was constantly on the verge of snapping or losing my temper. As someone who previously considered herself to be patient and even-tempered, this was alarming for me. Even more so as someone who had spent the majority of her life internalizing her anger, this was an interesting and unsettling feeling to “lash out” at others. This was another sign that I was not managing my stress well. I felt like my resting emotional state was frustration, which could quickly turn to sadness or anger. Even small things set off an intense reaction because I felt like —“Oh great— One more thing!”. Feeling the pressure of the demands stacking up and the stacking of things going wrong caused a pressure build-up inside of me. I was highly sensitive to sensory stimuli
I was easily overwhelmed by strong sensory stimuli.
Loud noises, bright lights or certain color lights, certain strong smells, and being in big crowds, and other sensory input could be tough to manage. I couldn’t handle malls, especially during holiday time, I was also easily irritated or stressed by small things that others didn’t notice, like clutter or the sound of appliances running.
Things like dry skin, sticky hands, a hung nail, or other unpleasant sensations could drive me crazy. HSPs (high-sensitive persons) often have a low threshold for sensory stimulation. Loud noises, glaring lights, and strong smells can be distracting and even disturbing.
I might be a life coach, but I'm no stranger to facing emotional challenges myself. However, it's important to remember that it doesn't have to stay this way. I'm ready to listen and work with you to navigate your emotional challenges. Don't hesitate to start your journey toward personal growth and healing by scheduling a coaching session with me.
