We all know this feeling after a particularly stressful period: difficulty switching off, disrupted sleep, irritability, persistent fatigue, hypervigilance or the feeling of being constantly “on alert”.
For some people, this state does not last a few days but several weeks, months, or even years. They then feel that their nervous system is stuck in survival mode.
Although this expression is not a medical diagnosis, it describes quite well what many people experience when faced with chronic stress, burnout, difficult life events or traumatic experiences. Their body continues to function as if danger were present, even when the threat has disappeared.
The good news is that it is possible to gradually return to a state of internal security. Not thanks to a miracle technique, but thanks to the accumulation of numerous small safety signals addressed to the brain and the body.
Understanding survival mode
Our nervous system has evolved to protect us.
Faced with a threat, it activates a series of automatic reactions:
- accelerated heart rate;
- increased alertness ;
- mobilization of energy;
- focus on potential dangers.
These reactions are extremely useful in the short term. They become problematic when they remain activated for too long.
The brain then begins to prioritize threat detection rather than exploration, learning, creativity or social relationships. Attention is focused more on what could go wrong than on what is already working.
In other words, when we are stuck in survival mode, we are not short of resources. We just have a harder time accessing it.
Why safety precedes change
When a person is chronically hyperactivated, they are often given advice such as: “Think positive. » “Put it into perspective. » “Stop worrying. »
These recommendations generally start from a good intention but they ignore a fundamental reality: a brain that feels in danger is not available for optimism.
Before developing confidence, gratitude or hope, the nervous system must first regain a minimum of security.
This security is built in particular thanks to:
- more restful sleep;
- predictable routines;
- physical movement;
- breathing;
- trusting relationships;
- repeated experiences of calm and mastery.
Each positive experience then becomes a message to the brain : “Not everything is threatening. »
The essential role of mindfulness
Among the most studied approaches to reducing chronic stress, mindfulness occupies an important place.
When a person is in survival mode, their attention is often projected towards:
- problems to solve;
- risks to anticipate ;
- mistakes to avoid;
- disaster scenarios.
Mindfulness leads to a different skill:
Return to the present experience.
Observe your breathing.
Feel your support on the ground.
Pay attention to surrounding sounds.
Walk mindfully.
Eat mindfully.
These simple practices gradually allow us to escape from the automatism of permanent alert.
They do not eliminate difficulties, but they increase our ability not to be constantly captured by them.
Why Mindfulness Cards can be so useful
In a context of chronic stress, it is often difficult to know where to start.
The Mindfulness Cards offer a concrete and accessible entry point. Each card acts as an invitation to momentarily interrupt the spiral of stress and return to the present moment.
A few minutes are sometimes enough to create a break in the day :
- observe your breathing;
- listen attentively to sounds;
- become aware of your bodily sensations;
- voluntarily slow down a daily activity.
These micro-practices gradually become micro-safety signals.
Positive Action Cards: rebuild resources psychological
If mindfulness helps stabilize the ground, it is still necessary to rebuild the resources that have been weakened by chronic stress.
This is precisely the objective of the Positran Positive Action Cards.
Based on the knowledge of scientific positive psychology, they are organized around seven essential dimensions of human functioning :
- Activity
- Comprehension
- Tranquility
- Identify
- Optimism
- We
- Satisfaction
These dimensions respond directly to the most frequent effects of survival mode.
|
What survival mode produces |
What positive actions develop |
|
Hyperfocus on threats |
Optimism |
|
Isolation |
We |
|
Rumination |
Tranquility |
|
Feeling of helplessness |
Activity |
|
Loss of meaning |
Comprehension |
|
Devaluation |
Identify |
|
Difficulty feeling positive |
Satisfaction |
The objective is not to deny difficulties or impose positive thinking artificial. It is rather a question of gradually reactivating the psychological resources which promote adaptation, resilience and fulfillment.
An integrated approach: mindfulness and positive actions
The association of the two decks of cards is particularly interesting.
Mindfulness develops:
- presence ;
- attention;
- theacceptance;
- emotional regulation.
Positive actions develop:
- positive emotions;
- the feeling of effectiveness;
- relationships;
- personal strengths;
- meaning ;
- commitment.
In summary:
Mindfulness helps get out of the automatic piloting of survival.
Positive actions allow you to gradually rebuild a life oriented towards resources rather than threats.
A simple protocol to find more security
For a person who constantly feels under tension, a realistic approach could be:
A Mindfulness Card.
Objective: start the day by returning to the body rather than concerns.
A Positive Actions Card oriented towards Activity or Tranquility.
Objective: regain control and reduce overload.
A Positive Actions Card from the Satisfaction, Optimism or Us categories.
Objective: end the day by redirecting attention towards resources, successes and relationships.
Get out of survival, a micro-signal at the same time
When a person has lived in hypervigilance for a long time, they often look for the solution that will allow them to quickly regain their balance.
Yet, the regulation of the nervous system is more like a training process than an instant repair.
Every conscious breath.
Every moment of presence.
Every interaction caring.
Each positive action.
Each experience of gratitude.
Each moment of calm.
Constitutes a signal sent to the brain and body: “I am safe now. »
And it is often the accumulation of these hundreds of micro-signals, repeated day after day, which gradually allows us to move from an operation dominated by survival to an operation more oriented towards life, connection, learning and development.
An article by Marianne DIDIER, Professional Coach and support for change management since 2020.
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