Thread by @drlouisehansen

We all have certain amount of energy each day. When our energy is just right we feel well and as if we can take on any challenge. This is because we are within our optimal level of arousal or what’s also known as the “Window of Tolerance”. We are safe enough and okay enough. 1/13

However, we’re not always in this window. Sometimes we have too much or too little energy. The good news is there’s only two directions to go: up or down. So we’re either in our window of tolerance (optimally aroused), attic (hyper aroused) or basement (hypo aroused). 2/13

The attic is too much energy, or arousal, and can be experienced as: anger, anxiety, overwhelm, terror, or even mania. The basement is too little energy, or arousal, and can be experienced as: tired, sad, numb, flat, empty, or depressed. So we can ask ourselves: Where am I? 3/13

Knowing this is valuable because we can check: Am I in my window? Am I in the attic? Or am I in the basement? The answer is like a compass giving us direction what to do and where to go. It also eliminates confusion which is good because uncertainty can exacerbate stress. 4/13

All babies needs certain ingredients to remain in their window of tolerance: warmth, touch, soft vocalisation, milk and sleep. With these ingredients, they become safe enough and okay enough. Without them they will cry. They may need more or less to return to their window. 5/13

Adults are like big babies. We need warmth, touch, soft vocalisation, food and sleep. However, we don’t need our parents to regulate. This may confuse what’s helpful or harmful ingredients: Is it food, sleep, movement, partner, friend, counsellor, sex, drugs, gambling, porn? 6/13

Some ingredients make us feel good instantly (e.g. sugar) with short lasting effects. Others more challenging (e.g. exercise) with longer lasting benefits. Addiction has a rebound effect where the substance (or object) gives instant relief but then we feel even worse after. 7/13

When we are in the attic (too much arousal), we need self care tools to help us to calm down. When we are in the basement (not enough arousal) we need ways to help us recharge. Since what we need might be different it’s important to ask ourselves where are we? 8/13

What makes you calm down (attic)? What makes you recharge (basement)? Check your protectors: body (food, water, movement, rest) mind (clarity), social connection (family, friends, community), country (hiking, camping), culture (music, rituals), and spirituality (existence). 9/13

Remember it’s easier to make sensible decisions in our window of tolerance: Safe enough and okay enough. We might make decisions we regret in the attic, like getting angry, or running through the streets naked! We might feel hopeless, or like we can’t cope, in the basement. 10/13

Research demonstrates the window of tolerance can be smaller for people who are experiencing trauma. In other words, they might not be able to tolerate as much as others. They might spend more time in the attic or in the basement: not feeling okay enough or safe enough. 11/13

The good news is we can learn to regulate our arousal and this widens our window of tolerance. How? By regularly checking in: Am I in my window? Attic? Basement? Have I drawn on my protectors (see above): body, mind, social connection, country, culture and spirituality. 12/13

Life’s like a wave. Always up and down. We use ingredients everyday, consciously or not, in each decision we make that impacts arousal. With a little more awareness, and more helpful ingredients, we can regulate ourselves. This make the wave of life become less turbulent. 13/13

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