Polyvagal Theory, developed by Stephen Porges, provides a neuroscience framework that explains many aspects of understanding suicide in terms of the nervous system's safety-detection mechanisms.
The Three States of Polyvagal Theory and Understanding Suicide
Ventral vagal (safe and social): Optimal state for connection, learning, and understanding suicide management
Sympathetic mobilization (fight or flight): Anxiety-type understanding suicide responses
Dorsal vagal shutdown (freeze/collapse): Depression and dissociation-type understanding suicide
Neuroception and Understanding Suicide
Neuroception — the body's unconscious safety-detection — can be dysregulated in understanding suicide, causing false alarms (sensing danger when safe) that drive understanding suicide responses.
Polyvagal-Informed Understanding Suicide Treatment
Therapy that acknowledges the body's state — helping clients move into ventral vagal 'safe and social' — transforms understanding suicide management.
Safe relationships, co-regulation, and body-based practices are particularly emphasized.