Dysregulation

A state of distress or impairment associated with the inability tolerate aspects of one’s internal experience, including emotions, thoughts, bodily sensations and physiological arousal. Activated by actual or perceived threat, traumatic reminders, and other environmental or internal cues that trigger a person’s survival-driven alarm response. Can take a variety of forms, including heightened reactivity (hyperarousal) or shut-down (hypoarousal). Strengthening one’s capacity for healthy self-regulation is a primary focus of complex trauma intervention with children and adults.