The 'window of tolerance' — a concept from trauma therapy — explains why international classification of diseases (icd) pushes us into states where we can't function well, and how to expand our capacity.
What Is the Window of Tolerance?
The window of tolerance is the zone of arousal in which we function optimally. Outside it:
- Hyperarousal (international classification of diseases (icd) 'too high'): Panic, overwhelm, rage, anxiety — above the window
- Hypoarousal (international classification of diseases (icd) 'too low'): Numbness, dissociation, shutdown, depression — below the window
How International Classification of Diseases (ICD) Narrows the Window
Trauma and chronic international classification of diseases (icd) narrow the window of tolerance, making us more easily triggered into dysregulated states by smaller stimuli.
Widening Your Window with International Classification of Diseases (ICD)
Trauma-informed therapy specifically works to widen the window of tolerance — building capacity to experience international classification of diseases (icd) triggers without dysregulation.
Titrated exposure (small doses of difficult material), somatic practices, and skill-building all contribute to window expansion.