Christine Runyan — On Healing Our Distressed Nervous Systems
4Digest
This episode of On Being delves into the profound impact of the pandemic on our nervous systems, exploring how the ongoing stress and uncertainty have left many feeling dislocated, disembodied, and exhausted. Clinical psychologist Christine Runyon, who has dedicated her career to understanding the human nervous system, explains how the pandemic has triggered a cascade of neurotransmitters and hormones, leading to a state of chronic activation and dysregulation. She emphasizes that this is a normal response to an abnormal situation, and that we need to be compassionate with ourselves and others as we navigate this new reality. Runyon offers practical strategies for calming our nervous systems, including naming our experiences, practicing mindful breathing, engaging our senses, and finding ways to connect with ourselves and others. She also discusses the importance of recognizing and metabolizing the reality that we have no control over many aspects of our lives, and how this acceptance can be a key to healing and recovery. The episode concludes with a reflection on the profound impact of social isolation and the need for collective mourning and grieving as we move forward from this unprecedented time.
Outlines
The Imprint of Our Bodies and Brains
This Chapter explores the idea that our bodies and brains have a powerful impact on the world around us, and that we often underestimate this influence. The conversation highlights the ongoing effects of the pandemic and lockdown on our internal states, emphasizing the need for acknowledgment and processing of these experiences.
The Societal Nervous System
This Chapter delves into the collective stress experienced by society during the pandemic, examining how social isolation, uncertainty, and fear have contributed to a heightened state of nervous system activation. The conversation explores the manifestation of this stress in various aspects of life, including political discourse and individual behavior.
The Effects of Social Distancing
This Chapter examines the profound effects of social distancing on our nervous systems, highlighting the physiological impact of isolation, lack of touch, and the absence of seeing and being seen. The conversation explores the concept of "skin hunger" and the importance of recognizing and validating these experiences as a natural response to the conditions we face.
Allostatic Load and Coping Mechanisms
This Chapter discusses the concept of "allostatic load," the cumulative stress on our systems that can lead to physical and mental health issues. The conversation explores the role of our stress response in exacerbating chronic conditions and the tendency to seek short-term solutions that may have long-term consequences.
Metabolizing Reality and Finding Ease
This Chapter emphasizes the importance of metabolizing the reality that we have no control over many aspects of our lives. The conversation explores how accepting this truth can be a key to recovery and offers practical strategies for calming our nervous systems, including mindful breathing, engaging our senses, and finding ways to connect with ourselves and others.
The Essence of Being Human
This Chapter reflects on the meaning of being human in the context of the pandemic. The conversation explores the role of love, vulnerability, and connection in navigating this challenging time and the importance of learning from the experiences of slowing down and distancing.
The Paradox of Exhaustion
This Chapter addresses the paradox of feeling exhausted despite doing less, exploring the physiological reasons behind this phenomenon. The conversation highlights the heavy metabolic load of chronic nervous system activation and the need for adequate rest and recovery, particularly for those who have been working on the frontlines of the pandemic.
Keywords
Nervous System
The complex network of nerves and cells that transmit signals throughout the body, controlling bodily functions, thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. It is divided into the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and the peripheral nervous system (nerves that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body).
Pandemic
A global outbreak of a disease, typically a new or emerging infectious disease, that spreads rapidly and affects a large number of people. The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has had a profound impact on societies worldwide, leading to widespread illness, death, and social and economic disruption.
Social Distancing
A public health measure aimed at reducing the spread of infectious diseases by limiting close contact between people. It involves maintaining a physical distance of at least six feet from others, avoiding large gatherings, and limiting travel. Social distancing has been a key strategy in mitigating the spread of COVID-19.
Trauma
A deeply distressing or disturbing experience that can have a lasting impact on a person's mental and physical health. Trauma can be caused by a variety of events, including physical or sexual assault, natural disasters, accidents, and war. It can lead to a range of symptoms, including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and difficulty regulating emotions.
Allostatic Load
The cumulative wear and tear on the body from chronic stress. When the body is constantly exposed to stressors, it can lead to a state of dysregulation, where the body's systems are unable to return to a state of balance. This can contribute to a range of health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, and depression.
Mindfulness
A type of meditation that involves paying attention to the present moment without judgment. It is a practice that can help to reduce stress, improve focus, and increase self-awareness. Mindfulness techniques can be used to cultivate a sense of calm and acceptance, even in the face of difficult emotions or experiences.
Oxytocin
A hormone that plays a role in social bonding, trust, and empathy. It is often referred to as the "love hormone" because it is released during physical touch, intimacy, and social interaction. Oxytocin can help to reduce stress, promote feelings of well-being, and enhance social connection.
Dopamine
A neurotransmitter that plays a role in motivation, reward, and pleasure. It is released when we experience something enjoyable or rewarding, and it can help to reinforce behaviors that lead to these experiences. Dopamine is also involved in learning and memory.
Self-Compassion
The ability to treat oneself with kindness, understanding, and acceptance, even when making mistakes or experiencing difficult emotions. Self-compassion is an important aspect of mental well-being and can help to reduce self-criticism, promote resilience, and foster a sense of self-worth.
Grief
The natural emotional response to loss. It can manifest in a variety of ways, including sadness, anger, guilt, and loneliness. Grief is a complex process that takes time and there is no right or wrong way to grieve. It is important to allow oneself to experience grief fully and to seek support from others when needed.
Q&A
How has the pandemic affected our nervous systems?
The pandemic has caused a state of chronic activation and dysregulation in our nervous systems due to ongoing stress and uncertainty. This can lead to feelings of dislocation, disembodiment, and exhaustion.
What are some practical strategies for calming our nervous systems?
Some helpful strategies include naming our experiences, practicing mindful breathing, engaging our senses, and finding ways to connect with ourselves and others. These practices can help to send messages of safety and calm to our nervous systems.
What is the importance of metabolizing the reality that we have no control over many aspects of our lives?
Accepting this truth can be a key to recovery and can help us to move beyond the constant striving for control that can exacerbate stress and anxiety.
How can we address the collective grief and loss experienced during the pandemic?
We need to create space for collective mourning and grieving, recognizing that this is a process that takes time and unfolds in unpredictable ways. It is important to allow ourselves to experience grief fully and to seek support from others when needed.
Why do we feel so exhausted even when we are doing less?
The chronic activation of our nervous systems due to stress and uncertainty places a heavy metabolic load on our bodies, requiring more rest and recovery than usual. This can lead to feelings of exhaustion even when our activity levels are reduced.
What is the role of love and connection in navigating the challenges of the pandemic?
Love and connection are essential for our well-being, particularly during times of stress and uncertainty. They provide a sense of belonging, support, and resilience. It is important to find ways to nurture these connections, even in the face of social distancing.
What is the importance of self-compassion during this time?
Self-compassion is crucial for navigating the challenges of the pandemic. It allows us to treat ourselves with kindness, understanding, and acceptance, even when making mistakes or experiencing difficult emotions. This can help to reduce self-criticism, promote resilience, and foster a sense of self-worth.
What are some of the long-term effects of the pandemic on our mental and physical health?
The pandemic is likely to have a significant impact on our mental and physical health, leading to an increase in mental health difficulties and exacerbating existing chronic conditions. It is important to be aware of these potential effects and to seek support when needed.
What lessons can we learn from the experience of slowing down and distancing?
The pandemic has forced us to slow down and re-evaluate our priorities. This can be an opportunity to learn about ourselves, our relationships, and what truly matters in life. It can also be a time to cultivate a deeper appreciation for the simple things and to find new ways to connect with ourselves and others.
What is the importance of recognizing and validating our experiences as a natural response to the conditions we face?
It is important to recognize that our experiences are not a sign of weakness or failure, but rather a natural response to the unprecedented challenges we face. This understanding can help to reduce self-criticism and promote self-acceptance.
Show Notes
The years of pandemic and lockdown are still working powerfully on us from the inside. But we have trouble acknowledging this, much less metabolizing it. This conversation with Christine Runyan, which took place in the dark middle of those years, helps make sense of our present of still-unfolding epidemic distress — as individuals, as communities, as a species. She has cultivated a reverence for the human nervous system. She tells truths about our bodies that western medicine itself is only fitfully learning to see. This quiet conversation is not just revelatory, but healing and calming. It holds startling prescience about some of what we're navigating now. And it offers self-compassion and simple strategies for finding ease within ourselves — and with each other — as we live forward from here.
Christine Runyan is a clinical psychologist and professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at UMass Chan Medical School. She is also a certified mindfulness teacher, and she co-founded and co-leads Tend Health, a clinical consulting practice focused on the mental well-being of medical and health care workers.
Find the transcript for this show at onbeing.org.
This show originally aired in March 2021.
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