Stephen Porges & Jan Winhall - Polyvagal Theory: Addiction as a Nervous System Regulation Strategy

In Polyvagal Theory, there is a concept called “coregulation”. This suggests that the most effective way for humans to regulate the state of their nervous system is via social interaction (e.g., touch, conversation, etc.) In addition to helping our nervous system feel safe, coregulation also helps us to move from a sympathetic state (i.e. fight/flight) into a dorsal one (i.e. numbing/relaxation), and vice versa. In the polyvagal paradigm, addictions take hold when adequate sources of co-regulation are absent.

Given that a sense of safety is a biological imperative for humans, and that we can’t stay “stuck” in one nervous system state forever (e.g., sympathetic), when we don’t have the option to co-regulate with others, we seek out “external regulators” in the form of substances and behaviours to feel safe and shift between autonomic states. If this is done repeatedly, an addiction can gradually take hold. This, in turn, might explain why social isolation often leads to addiction.

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