Is an Overwhelmed Nervous System the Answer, or the Starting Point?
The phrase 'an overwhelmed nervous system' has become increasingly common. It appears in conversations about mental health, physical health, neurodevelopment and wellbeing, and has helped many people recognise that the brain and body are not separate systems working independently of one another. This has been an important shift. Increasingly, we are recognising that emotional wellbeing can influence physical health, and physical health can influence emotional wellbeing.
What I have found myself reflecting on, however, is whether the phrase has become an explanation in itself.
Parents are often told that their child has an overwhelmed nervous system. Adults may describe feeling permanently "stuck" in a stress response. Whilst these descriptions may be helpful, they also raise another question. Why has the nervous system reached that point?
Perhaps this is where the conversation becomes more interesting.
The nervous system has evolved to keep us safe. When the brain perceives a threat, whether physical or emotional, it prepares the body to respond. Heart rate increases, stress hormones are released and attention becomes focused on managing the immediate challenge. At the same time, systems that are not essential for short-term survival begin to receive less attention. Digestion slows, sleep may become disrupted and the immune system also changes the way it functions. None of this represents the body malfunctioning. It is doing exactly what it has evolved to do.
The difficulty arises when this state continues long after the immediate challenge has passed. If the nervous system remains under sustained pressure, the effects are often felt throughout the body. Some people experience headaches, abdominal pain, nausea, constipation or changes in appetite. Others notice increasing anxiety, poor concentration, disrupted sleep or a growing sense that everyday demands have become more difficult to manage. Rather than viewing these as separate problems, it may be more helpful to consider whether they are different expressions of the same underlying physiological state.
This relationship is perhaps most clearly seen within the communication between the brain and the digestive system. The gut and brain are constantly exchanging information through the nervous system, immune system and a wide range of chemical messengers. It is therefore unsurprising that prolonged stress may influence digestion, just as ongoing digestive difficulties may influence mood, anxiety and emotional wellbeing. The relationship moves in both directions, making it difficult to separate physical and psychological health into neat categories.
It is at this point that I think we need to be careful. If we stop at saying somebody has an overwhelmed nervous system, we may unintentionally stop asking the more important question. What is keeping the nervous system under such sustained pressure?
The answer is unlikely to be the same for everyone. For one person it may be chronic anxiety. For another it may be the demands associated with neurodevelopmental differences. Ongoing stress, disrupted sleep, physical illness, nutritional factors, difficult life experiences or chronic inflammation may all contribute. More often than not, there is no single explanation. There is an interaction between biological, psychological and social factors that is unique to the individual.
This is why meaningful intervention rarely begins with a single strategy. Helping somebody regulate their nervous system may be an important part of treatment, but it is only one part. Lasting change depends upon understanding why that nervous system has remained under pressure and addressing the factors that are contributing to it.
At The Integratis Clinic, we believe the nervous system should be viewed as the starting point for enquiry rather than the final answer. Whether someone presents with anxiety, emotional difficulties, digestive symptoms or a combination of concerns, our aim is to understand the whole person. By considering psychological, developmental and physical health together, it becomes possible to develop an individual understanding of what is happening and, importantly, what is most likely to help.
If you have been wondering whether stress, anxiety, physical health or neurodevelopment may be contributing to your own wellbeing, or that of your child, we would be pleased to help. You can arrange a free phone call with one of our clinicians to discuss your concerns and consider the most appropriate next steps.
Functional Medicine
Understanding the nervous system also means considering physical health. Our functional medicine service explores factors such as sleep, nutrition, gut health and inflammation, helping to identify what may be contributing to ongoing symptoms.
Child Therapy
When a child is struggling, understanding why is just as important as recognising the symptoms. Child psychotherapy helps us explore the emotional, developmental and relational factors that may be contributing to their difficulties.