INTEROCEPTION

Interoception is the physiological mechanism that helps us to sense the internal processes of our body and changes occurred in the functioning of different organs.

It’s function is to help us identify when a change that disrupts our homeostasis has occurred in our body and to actively take actions to restore the balance.

The trait of human nature called “Interoception”, describes the capacity of a person to interocept (to have recognizable sense of changes in his body.

How does it all actually work??

• Neural Networks: Interoception involves a complex interplay of neural networks, in different centers of the brain. Those centers work in tandem to process and integrate signals from various organs and tissues throughout the body.

• Sensory Receptors: Specialized sensory receptors, known as interoceptors, are scattered across organs such as the heart, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and other internal systems. These receptors detect changes in temperature, pressure, and chemical composition, sending signals to the brain through the nervous system.

• Neurotransmitters: Chemical messengers, like serotonin, dopamine, and others, play a crucial role in transmitting signals within the interoceptive pathways. They modulate the perception of internal states and contribute to emotional responses linked to bodily sensations. This is actually how our bodily sensations and our emotions are connected.
• Homeostatic Regulation: The brain continuously monitors the body’s internal environment, striving to maintain homeostasis. When a deviation occurs, the interoceptive system activates, signaling the need for adjustments to restore balance.

• Cortical Integration: The above-mentioned signals we experience as combinations of bodily sensations, emotional experiences, and cognitive processes. The brain integrates them with external sensory information. This integration forms the basis for our conscious awareness of internal states and influences decision-making and behavior.

Depending on the degree to which a person is able to interocept, we can observe different decision-making and behavioral manifestations.

What are the consequences of interoception as a trait of human nature for people’s lives, depending on where on the scale of capacity to interocept they are:

Low Scorers:

Pros: Those with lower interoceptive tendencies may excel in external-focused tasks, remaining less preoccupied with internal bodily sensations. This external focus can foster adaptability and a pragmatic approach to challenges without “breaking” every time a slight (or even a medium) change in the internal homeostasis occurs (which usually is very often phenomenon). Often described by others as calm and composed in challenging situations (even though it might not be the case).

Cons: However, they may struggle to recognize subtle changes in their internal states, potentially leading to delayed responses to bodily needs. This lack of awareness can hinder their ability to proactively address imbalances and take care of own needs. Furthermore there are studies suggesting that low levels of interoception influence negatively one’s ability to empathise with others, since they do not have proper understanding of the potential discomfort that other people experience with disrupted internal states. This in turn, makes them think that others are exaggerating their reaction and ultimately leads to poor interpersonal outcomes.

High Scorers:

Pros: Individuals with heightened interoceptive abilities often excel in self-regulation. They can promptly identify and respond to internal changes, maintaining a proactive approach to well-being. This heightened awareness could contribute to more adaptive decision-making about ways to approach own needs.

Cons: On the flip side, excessive preoccupation with internal sensations may lead to heightened emotionality and/ or a hypervigilant awareness of bodily functions. This is often described by others as hypersensitivity, which often leads to irritability and exaggerated negative emotional reactivity.

Desired scores (for optimal functioning in the nowadays social world) – between the 25^th and 50^th percentile. If the person shows different results (after psychological profiling) there is potential for a developmental process.

Please note, that the mentioned optimal results (25%-50%) are in cases of normal everyday functioning with good overall levels of life satisfaction.

If this is not the case (meaning the person is not able to satisfy his or her needs regularly and is demonstrating higher levels of irritability and emotional reactivity), that person will be better suited with levels of interoception between 50% and 75%. Again – that is a potential for a developmental process,

OK, Now what?

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