Interoception

The following is quoted from one of my other tutorials:

Interoception is an emergent property that represents a sense of the body’s internal state, accepting input from all of the following systems: cardiovascular, endocrine, immune, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, nociceptive, respiratory, thermoregulatory, and affective touch. These all contribute to the maintenance of homeostasis and a sense of self. It is not surprising, then, that diversity in such a broad system has been proposed to influence a host of disorders, including PTSD, OCD, ASD, anxiety, panic, eating, and more.

That bit about interoception being an “emergent property” is important.^⇲

The tutorial that holds this quote details the array of sensory systems from which interoception emerges.^⇲ You certainly don’t have to read it now, but if you are providing therapy for people who experience sensory complications, then at some point you should have read it (or something very much like it) at least once.

Okay, I think that we’re now ready to dive into the next big section.