Dorsal Vagal

Dorsal Vagal and Depression

By: Dr. Suzanne LaCombe, April 7, 2007.

I have been clinically depressed two times in my life. In both instances, the depression was obvious. I was physically very tired and moped around for hours; I wasn't excited or happy about anything. I had a hard time completing even the smallest tasks. (Watering my plants felt onerous.) I felt hopeless and helpless in making any changes to make my life better.

But when I recovered from my depressions I wasn't "joyful" either. But I could function adequately in both my work and in my relationships. I continued my work in counseling and became aware that I was experiencing a low grade depression. Severals years ago I came across an explanation that helped me to understand it more fully.

I now believe that I had been chronically in "dorsal".

Among body psychotherapy practitioners when we say someone has gone into "dorsal" we mean the nervous system has gone beyond overwhelm. For instance, you may have at times in your life felt overwhelmed, that you could not take on another thing. Imagine feeling this way all the time.

When this state becomes chronic we believe the nervous system has decelerated into a state called dorsal.

The problem is that this state--as with all states--become normalized. That is, the individual becomes so accustomed to the state that it becomes the norm for them. They acclimatize to the flatness of their demeanor. Sometimes the change in behaviour is noticed but is falsely attributed to getting older!

One friend of mine described it as a ship in calm waters, in the doldrums…nothing to look forward to, nothing to pick up her sails.

As the nervous system moves into dorsal it selectively shuts down to conserve energy. In doing so, it becomes restrictive in how much stimulation will be taken in.

In response, the individual, quite unconsciously, gradually moves into a lifestyle that serves to preserve energy. He or she moves into what is referred to as 'living in the minimus'.

This restrictive state is not conscious but it will unknowingly influence the choices we make. I might choose for instance to get a video rather than go to the theatre. Not a big deal once and a while but maybe it now reflects the pattern of how I approach every activity.

"The way you do anything is the way you do everything".

Related Topics

Scared to Death

The Immobility or Freeze Response

References

Porges, Stephen, (1995). Orienting in a defensive world: Mammalian modification of our eveolutionary heritage. A polyvagal theory. Psychophysiology, 32, 301-318.

Stephen Porges' identified two, not one, branch of the parasympathetic nervous system. His discovery of the dorsal vagal (and its relationship to the ventral vagal) has helped us to understand how the experience of depression develops. The polyvagal theory has also been useful in understanding the mind body connection. You can access his classic 1995 article here (you will be taken off site):

Orienting in a Defensive World...A Polyvagal Theory.

Scaer, Robert, C. (2005). The Trauma Spectrum: Hidden Wounds and Human Resiliency. New York: W.W. Norton & Company.

A nervous system that has moved into dorsal is not running at its' full potential. The reason being is that much of the energy is being devoted to containing the churned up energy underneath. This leaves less energy for more expansive states like joy and laughter.

Although she does not call it as such, Roz Carroll M.A. of Britain was describing the dorsal state in her well-known Confer lecture series at the Chiron Center in March 2001. Here is an electronic version of her lecture (you will be taken off site):

Autonomic Nervous System: Internal Barometer of Emotional Intensity and Internal Conflict

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