Description:
- Shutdown may occurs after a threatening or overwhelming event, once the threat is resolved or when my nervous system decides it is safe enough to shut down.
- I will appear fully functional during the event, handling tasks rationally and appropriately. I will be calm, and competent during these events.
- Shutdown will happen once in perceived safety and the duration can be a matter of minutes to days … longest time recorded is 3 days, unpredictable.
Symptoms During Shutdown:
- Cognitive: Minimal to no processing; Mildly aware of environment, but take several minutes to process and respond. Complex thinking is impossible.
- Physical: Unknown; I do not perceive or noticed bodily sensations during the shutdown. Some evidence my blood pressure may be high in this state.
- Emotional: Numbness, flat affect, absence of emotional experience.
- Functioning: Very limited; May be able to do some basic survival functions without full awareness – Getting a drink, use the bathroom etc. but otherwise basic survival functions often go unmet.
- External, urgent signals may pull me back online.
- Awareness: No conscious recognition that you are in a shutdown until I return; I cannot control it, plan for it, or “wake myself up.”
Symptoms Post-Shutdown:
- Gradual return of cognitive and physical function.
- Body feels weak, drained, exhausted.
- Complex thinking still impaired for ~24 hours.
- Focus limited to simple, repetitive tasks.
- I’m back, but exhausted / drained.
- Gentle self-care, hydration, and rest are critical.
Triggers (Known & Unknown):
- Known: Any threat to safety (perceived or real, physical or emotional).
- Unknown: Many episodes have no identifiable trigger; cumulative stress or unresolved threat may be sufficient.
- Important: Emotional reaction after the event (anger, frustration) are not the trigger; the trigger is the existence of danger itself.
Mechanism (As Experienced):
- Full autonomic shutdown, offline cognitive and bodily systems, beyond conscious awareness or control.
- Not reversible by conscious strategies, grounding, or standard “regulation” techniques while occurring.
- No warning signs noted, I feel “fine”, or feel appropriate to the situation.
- Post-episode recovery may be considered dorsal vagal hypoarousal or slow nervous system reintegration, but the shutdown itself is separate from the recovery phase.
Important Notes:
- Not a failure of willpower, intelligence, or coping.
- Cannot be reliably predicted or prevented.
- Management focuses entirely on trigger avoidance, post-event recovery and minimal-demand routines.
I am sharing this information because I have CPTSD, and certain situations involving real or perceived threats to my safety can trigger a debilitating shutdown.
It is a severe physiological and cognitive response that can last from 90 minutes to several days, during which I may be unable to function, eat, respond, or make decisions.
I am providing this so that people understand my limits, take my experiences seriously, and approach me without dismissing, arguing, or offering well-intentioned but unhelpful advice like “have you tried ….”. Yes I have, it didn’t work, I’m not trying to be difficult, I am frustrated that you would think I had not done the basics, 20-30 years ago when I first started showing symptoms.
This is about clear communication, safety, and supporting interaction in ways that recognize the reality of my symptoms and do not exacerbate them.