The Real Work with Maggie Sterling 24 - Why Your Nervous System Got Stuck In Survival Mode (And Won't Turn Off)
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Jan 26, 2026 Explores how a nervous system can get stuck in a sensitization loop and why it often happens gradually. Contrasts sensitization with dysregulation and maps the spectrum from healthy regulation to chronic vigilance. Looks at how chronic stress, cultural pressure to push through, and small tipping points raise baseline activation. Introduces desensitization and recalibrating threat responses as the path forward.
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Baseline Shift Explains Extreme Reactions
- Sensitization means your nervous system's baseline has elevated so you start already activated.
- That higher starting point makes normal triggers feel extreme and overwhelming.
Sensitization Is A Gradual Spectrum
- Sensitization sits on a spectrum from healthy regulation to full-time locking on.
- People usually slide toward sensitization gradually, not in one sudden leap.
Chronic Stress And Cultural Pressure Fuel It
- Chronic low- or high-grade stress and pushing through exhaustion raise the baseline over years.
- Cultural praise for productivity normalizes behaviors that drive sensitization.