What is it?

Anxiety

Is associated with impending danger or something expected in the future. It has a body response such as muscle tension, increased heart rate, sweaty palms, shallow breathing, adrenaline. It can be associated with a sympathetic “flight or fight” response and also avoidance/procrastination survival strategies. Additionally, overthinking is common, and people can focus on what they don’t have control over or a hypothetical situation.

“Anxiety may be distinguished from fear both conceptually and physiologically, although the two terms are often used interchangeably. Anxiety is considered a future-oriented, long-acting response broadly focused on a diffuse threat, whereas fear is an appropriate, present-oriented, and short-lived response to a clearly identifiable and specific threat.” (APA, 2025)

Depression

Is a perpetual sense of sadness and loss of motivation/connection to others. Everyone feels sadness, but people are able to typically carry on/shift their moods. Depression can feel like an enormous heaviness that you can’t move, often called the Dorsal Vagal response-freeze, shutdown or collapse. People’s body response is lower heart rate and blood pressure, sexual responses may be difficult to activate, difficulty with temperature regulation, pit in your stomach, sluggish body movement and lack of digestion. Emotions that people experience may be helpless/hopelessness, dissociation (feel like they are on autopilot), trapped, shameful and suicidal thoughts. Thoughts are typically focused on the negative.

Trauma

Is an individualized experience. The same event can have vastly different impacts on different people, and how someone experiences and processes a traumatic event is unique to them. Factors like past experiences, personal resilience, social support, and cultural background all play a role in shaping an individual's response to trauma. There as common types of traumas such single event such as a car accident or reoccurring trauma such as developmental neglect (childhood). Other examples of trauma can be invasive medical procedures, sexual or physical assault, Emotional abuse or neglect, Birth trauma (for parent or child), War or natural disasters, Chronic stress or fear, Grief and loss, etc.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Not everyone who experiences trauma may experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Symptoms Mimic those that people may have experienced at the time of the trauma such as panic attacks, periods of psychosis, severe anxiety, disassociation. They may have night terrors, flashbacks, and uncontrollable thoughts about the event, increased startle reflex. People can have changes to their mood, feelings of shame, decreased interest in being with others, increased negative/unhelpful thoughts, and a feeling of lack of safety/trust with themselves and others.

There is HOPE!!!!

Therapies such as Accelerated Resolution Therapy, CBT, DBT, EMDR, Somatic Experience and others have been shown as effective treatment approaches.

Other approaches: support groups, exercise, drug therapy (anti-depressants or anti-anxiety medications), breathwork, body-based exercises (progressive muscle relaxation), movement-based techniques and poses (yoga/weightlifting) have also been shown to be helpful.

Activate your Vagus Nerve!!! it helps create calmness and changes the brain, shifting away from anxiety, depression and post traumatic symptoms!!!