More and more mental health professionals know the importance of the window of tolerance and incorporate it into their work. In addition to the information it gives us about ourselves, it is really useful in the processes in which aspects such as anxiety, anger and/or pain that we suffer in our daily lives are worked on.
Did you know this concept? Throughout the article we will briefly define what the tolerance window is, since this allows us to understand the magnitude of its importance. Furthermore, we will mention some factors that can interfere or reduce our window of tolerance and, finally, we will delve into the strategies to expand it.
The concept window of tolerance refers to the emotional security zone of each person. In other words, it is the range in which we can feel and go through our emotional experiences without becoming physically, psychologically or emotionally overwhelmed. Within our window of tolerance, we feel enough energy to meet our daily needs.
When we are within our window of tolerance, We are in a state of internal activation that is optimal, adequate and that allows us to feel and function appropriately. Within this state we can connect with ourselves, with our environment and feel regulated.
We are within our window of tolerance when we can regulate our emotions, however unpleasant they may be, optimally. That is, we can sustain sadness, anger, or any emotion we are feeling, without feeling overwhelmed.
We talk about emotional dysregulation when we feel that a certain experience is overwhelming us. This is when we consider that we are outside our window of tolerance. In this sense we can place ourselves “above” (hyperactivation) or “below” (hypoactivation).
Hyperarousal is related to the sympathetic response (fight or flight) of our autonomic nervous system. This manifests itself, among other aspects, with restlessness, nervousness, agitation, anger, tremors, emotional reactivity and irritability. In short, we find ourselves in a state of hyperalert.
Hypoarousal is the immobilization response of our autonomic nervous system. In this state, we feel disconnected from the world and from ourselves, without energy, blocked, collapsed, fatigued and mentally and emotionally dull. Within hypoactivation, dissociative episodes or states can occur.
Factors that reduce the tolerance window
The window of tolerance is considered to be different for each person. The range of “openness” that each window has depends on different factors such as, for example, the early experiences that each person has had and the type of attachment that we develop in our childhood.
Trauma, without a doubt, negatively affects our ability to manage stress and our emotions, but also our thoughts and beliefs. It conditions the learning we do about the world, about other people and about ourselves. This can cause our body to frequently go out of its tolerance window.
Other important aspects to take into account, since they can also contribute to reducing our window of tolerance and, with it, our coping abilities, are chronic stress or lack of self-care, among others.
Strategies to expand our window of tolerance
Fortunately, the tolerance window concept is not something static or rigid that does not change. We have already seen that certain experiences can make it “decrease.” However, the good part is that we can also work with certain strategies or tools that can be useful and help this optimal activation zone expand.
The first point to be able to do an adequate job with our tolerance window is to understand it. For each person it is different and it can also be different at different moments in life. Thus, It is important to understand what aspects or situations are overwhelming for us, what the triggers are and what state they lead us to. Furthermore, it is crucial to be aware of our body’s responses in each state.
Mindfulness and Grounding Techniques
The practice of tools that help us connect with the present moment, the here and now, are essential for emotional regulation. This allows us to realize that sometimes our nervous system responds to situations that we are imagining or remembering, but that are not happening in the present moment.
Transition emotions
Being able to identify what we are feeling, name emotions, and describe physical sensations can be useful as it allows us to become aware of and be present in our emotional experiences. To do this, it is crucial to accompany each other in a compassionate, respectful and judgment-free way. Everything we feel is valid, no matter how uncomfortable it may be.
Safe spaces
It is usually very useful to use our imagination to create safe spaces to which we can resort in times of deregulation. These spaces can have the characteristics and components, animals or beings that we want as long as they allow us to connect with security. They can be modified as many times as each person wants.
Avoiding emotions is usually a strategy that we use regularly since, in general, we have not been taught the importance of attending to them and how we can regulate them. It is important that we work on accepting and validating what we are feeling, that we understand that it has an important message and that we treat ourselves with compassion.
Observe without judging
It is common for intrusive, unpleasant and uncomfortable thoughts to invade us, especially if we are outside our window of tolerance. Practicing judgment-free observation of these allows us to distance ourselves from them, stop merging and identify with what we think about. We are not what we think.
Be, feel, transit, experience
Our body tends to try to free itself from pain and suffering. This is why we tend to want to push away intrusive thoughts and avoid unpleasant sensations or emotions. However, By avoiding or removing them, the only thing we achieve is that the discomfort increases. Hence the importance of being able to practice, little by little, the art of being present and becoming aware of what is happening in our body, observing with curiosity and without judging.
Ask for professional help
If you feel that the situation you are experiencing is overwhelming you and that you have no resources, remember that you can ask for professional help. In addition to the tools discussed above, there are other ways to work with the tolerance window. A specialized professional can help you find the strategies that best suit your needs at all times.
