🌿 “Wait... That’s Chronic Stress?!”

What You Didn't Know Were Signs Your Nervous System is Stuck in Survival Mode

Ever find yourself exhausted after doing absolutely nothing? Or maybe you're forgetful, snappy, wired but tired, or needing coffee to function like a human?

👀 Spoiler alert: it might not just be “a busy season” or “getting older”…

It could be your nervous system waving a white flag, stuck in survival mode—aka chronic stress.

😬 But I Don’t Feel “Stressed”...

Here’s the tricky thing about chronic stress: it doesn’t always scream. Sometimes, it whispers in the background like:

• Jaw clenching or teeth grinding (hello, tension headaches!)

• Digestive issues (yep, your nervous system runs your gut, too)

• Always feeling “on” or hyper-aware of your surroundings

• Irritability or snapping at people you actually like

• Fatigue that sleep doesn’t fix

• Brain fog or forgetfulness

• Trouble relaxing or feeling safe doing nothing

Sound familiar? You’re not broken. You’re brilliantly adaptive—your body is just stuck in a setting meant to keep you alive, not help you thrive.

🧠 Why Does This Happen?

When your nervous system gets stuck in “survival mode,” it’s often due to:

• Unprocessed stress or trauma (even old stuff from childhood)

• Lack of rest & recovery (we live in a go-go-go culture)

• Pushing through without pause (hello, high-functioning humans!)

• Constant micro-stressors (like noise, screens, deadlines, emotional labor...)

This stuckness can show up as fight, flight, freeze, or fawn patterns—and it’s not your fault. Your system thinks it’s protecting you.

But here’s the thing: healing is possible, and it starts with befriending your body.

🌸 What Can You Do?

At B-rooted Counselling, we help folks gently come home to their bodies through somatic, trauma-informed care. Think:

• Breath and body-based tools

• Ventral vagal “anchor” practices

• Learning your unique nervous system rhythm

• Creating safety from the inside out