The Role of the Parasympathetic System in Disassociation

If you see your partner going flat and going down, it can create activity in your body that feels like a threat. And especially if you imagine that they're doing that intentionally, it could create more of a feeling of aggression. So there's a difference when a dorsal vagal reaction hits. It really is not the time to put your hand on your hip and finger wag. Even being mad and fighting is a better place than dropping into Dorso-Vegel in the full parasympathetic shutdown. The body has learned to do that to protect itself.