What Is ALPIMS?
ALPIMS is a whole-person framework for understanding complex, chronic conditions that affect multiple body systems. It stands for:
Anxiety, Laxity, Pain, Immune, Mood, Sensory
These six domains reflect overlapping areas of dysregulation commonly seen in people with conditions like fibromyalgia, ME/CFS, POTS, MCAS, autism spectrum traits, autoimmune conditions, and trauma-related disorders.
🧭 ALPIMS helps make sense of complexity by tracking patterns, not just diagnoses.
🔍 A Note on Origins
The term ALPIM spectrum was originally coined by medical researchers studying links between Anxiety, Laxity, Pain, Immune, and Mood disorders in patients with overlapping conditions. This website is not affiliated with those researchers or institutions.
We have adapted and expanded the model by including a sixth domain—Sensory—to reflect real-world experience in those with neurodivergent traits, sensory processing differences, and environmental sensitivities.
🧩 The ALPIMS Domains
| Domain | What It Affects | Common Patterns |
|---|---|---|
| Anxiety | Stress response, nervous system | Panic, rumination, insomnia, overstimulation |
| Laxity | Connective tissue, joints, organs | Hypermobility, fatigue, poor proprioception |
| Pain | Nerves, muscles, fascia | Migrating pain, flares, post-exertional crashes |
| Immune | Allergy, inflammation, tolerance | Food/chemical sensitivity, hives, gut distress |
| Mood | Motivation, emotional regulation | Depression, grief bursts, shutdowns |
| Sensory | Sound, light, smell, texture processing | Misophonia, overload, shutdowns, meltdowns |
🔄 How ALPIMS Works
Think of ALPIMS as a stress web. When one part is pulled too hard, the rest tightens. For example:
- A sensory overload may trigger anxiety, which then worsens pain and flares immune symptoms.
- A physical crash might lead to low mood, withdrawal, and nervous system dysregulation.
This is why “just managing symptoms” often fails. ALPIMS invites a pattern-based, integrative approach—treating the system, not just the symptom.
🌿 Who Is ALPIMS For?
ALPIMS is not a diagnosis. It’s a map—especially useful if you:
- Have multiple chronic conditions or unclear diagnoses
- React strongly to food, smells, stress, or sensory input
- Struggle with crashes, shutdowns, or recovery plateaus
- Have been told “it’s all in your head” but know it’s in your whole body
- Feel overwhelmed managing your health, relationships, and identity
🧭 What ALPIMS Offers
- A lens to understand your patterns
- A language to describe your needs to others
- A roadmap to reduce overload and support recovery
- A toolkit for pacing, planning, and emotional regulation
You are not broken. You are dysregulated—and that can be supported.
Next Suggested Page: Alpims Origins – root causes and influences