When you have been raised by parents whose nervous systems are activated and in fight or flight all of the time, you will not have learned co-regulation.
Co-regulation happens when one nervous system calms another nervous system down. This would usually occur when a child is stressed and upset and is calmed by the parent. When the parent is unable to do this, the child doesn’t learn the skill of self-regulation.
This leaves the child as an adult more dysregulated, less resilient and more prone to experience stress and anxiety.
If this is you, know that this IS something that can be learnt as an adult. Healing is possible.
So much love,
Jen