Is your nervous system depressed?

If you are experiencing "dorsal shutdown", it can certainly feel that way.

Dorsal vagal shutdown can feel like moving through thick fog-everything is slow, heavy, and exhausting. You have no energy, no motivation, and maybe even feel completely numb inside.

Good things happen, but they don't register emotionally. Food is bland, conversations feel distant, and nothing sparks joy. It's like you're disconnected from life, watching from the outside but not really in it.

You might want to curl up, withdraw, and avoid people altogether. Or maybe, from the outside, everything looks fine-good job, good friends

-but inside, you feel empty, unable to truly experience happiness Dorsal vagal shutdown is a deep state of collapse where the body and mind slow down in response to overwhelming stress.

It can feel like:

Lying in bed for hours, unable to move or find motivation A sudden wave of exhaustion or disinterest in things

A slow heart rate and low blood pressure

Shallow, restricted breathing

Feeling emotionally numb, disconnected, or indifferent

This is the nervous system's way of conserving energy when it perceives extreme threat or overload. Instead of fight or flight, the body shuts down-similar to an animal freezing when it can't escape danger. 

The way out of this state isn't through force or willpower but through small, gentle actions that signal safety to the nervous system.

The way out of this state isn't through force or willpower but through small, gentle actions that signal safety to the nervous system.

Simple movements, engaging the senses, connecting with someone, or slow breathing can help bring the system back online.

Since this is a low-energy state, shifting out of it requires small, gentle steps rather than pushing too hard.

• Micro-movements - Wiggle your fingers or toes, shift positions slowly

• Engage your senses - Feel a soft blanket, listen to calming sounds

• Orienting - Look around and notice your surroundings

• Connection - Even a simple text or short chat with a trusted person can help

• Gentle breathwork - Slow exhales, sighing, or humming can activate the ventral vagus nerve

Somatic Experiencing (SE) helps regulate dorsal vagal states by using pendulation and titration, two key techniques that gently restore balance to the nervous system.

• Pendulation: This is the natural rhythm of moving between states of activation (stress, discomfort) and regulation (safety, ease). In SE, we guide clients to gently shift between sensations of shutdown and small moments of aliveness, helping the system gradually return to balance.

Titration: Instead of diving into overwhelming sensations all at once, SE works in small, manageable doses. By slowly releasing stored survival energy little by little, the body learns that it's safe to come out of collapse without triggering overwhelm.

Together, these techniques help clients reconnect with their bodies, build resilience, and restore a sense of agency, rather than feeling stuck in deep freeze or numbness.