Fight orFlight
HOW FIGHT-OR-FLIGHT RESPONSE IS TRIGGERED, HOW IT WORKS & HOW IT AFFECTS THE PERSON EXPERIENCING IT.
Increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, attitude of resistance, anxiety, chronic fatigue syndrome depression, joint pain and significant increase in stress related illness sound familiar?
These are just to name a few problems that can show up within our body when we experience fight-or-flight in both short term and long term situations.
In 1915 Walter Bradford came up with the term Fight-or-flight which is linked to the concept homeostasis (a state of steady, internal, physical & chemical conditions maintained by living systems). Fight-or-flight is like the stress response for the body, hyper arousal and the acute stress response.
The fight-or-flight response can be triggered by both real and imaginary threats. This response occurs in the presence of something that is terrifying, either mentally or physically. The response is triggered by the release of hormones that prepare your body to either stay and deal with a threat or to run away to safety.
Fight- or– light responses begin in the amygdala (located at the base of the brain with cells that give emotions meaning, remembers and attached to associations of response), where when it is stimulated it can recognise the awareness of danger, harmful attack or threat to survival and this response allows the person to become more aware and alert of their surroundings, environment and people around them.
One of the main trigger points is the brain. A persons brain can also determine the danger level and the treat that is near before we ourselves even realise. This happens with the signalling of the physiological reaction. Meaning that we can act before we are even able to think.
The initial reaction is followed by activation of the pituitary gland and secretion of the hormone The adrenal gland is activated almost at the same time, through the sympathetic nervous system, and releases the hormone epinephrine. The release of chemical messengers results in the production of the hormone cortisol, which increases blood pressure, blood sugar, and suppresses the immune system. The first response is triggered in an effort to create a boost of energy. This boost of energy is activated by epinephrine binding to liver cells and the subsequent production of glucose.
When these hormones have been released they work themselves throughout the body they can create any physical reaction immediately for us to flee or fight off the situation we have incurred.
Some reactions include:
Increased heart rate.
Shallow and deep breathing.
Constricted blood vessels.
Tears.
Salivation.
Dilated pupils.
Increased blood pressure.
Shaking.
Muscles tense.
These are just to name a few
The energy within the body builds up, so we can cope with the threat we are under by fighting or fleeing from it. The Mind moves into survival mode which means it becomes impossible to think clearly. This means within seconds the body is full of energy that potentially can assist us to deal with the perceived threat, either by fighting it or fleeing from it.
Once the threat is gone and even dealt with, it can take between 20 to 60 minutes for the body to return to its pre-arousal levels
The energy rush of Fight or Flight can occur only for a short amount of time, which will assist us with a “lifesaving burst of energy”. However it can also stay switched on for a period of time which can sometime lead to years of stress and traumatic situations.
The fight-or-flight response plays a critical role in how we deal with stress and danger in our environment. When we are under threat, the response prepares the body to either fight or flee.
By priming your body for action, you are better prepared to perform under pressure. The stress created by the situation can actually be helpful, making it more likely that you will cope effectively with the threat.
When Flight or flight was first discovered , aggressive and combative behaviour happened and flight was manifested by fleeing from the threatening situation.
Now days the responses so persist however there are a wider range of behaviours including social with drawl, substance abuse, traffic jams, bills or even something on the tv. Which means more than likely we cannot flee from the situation – we need to sit and deal with in.
These can activate the full fight or flight response however unable to take the full action we would like to.
Being stuck in these situations and not being able to fight or flight like we once would can stop a person retuning to homeostasis like they once would, so we cannot go back to the relaxation response and as we are unable or inappropriate to take the response that is required for us to go back to the relaxation response.
Our bodies are designed to go back to normal function through the relaxation response, however with today’s life styles this often does not happen like it should and we can stay in the fight or flight state for longer time periods which then causes damage to the body.
A stress response can sometimes be the result of mental or emotional disorders including post-traumatic stress disorder.
When prolonged activation of the stress response occurs it can cause long term negative physiological damage.
Some stress responses on the body can include:
Drug and alcohol dependencies.
Anorexia.
Asthma.
Cancer.
Chronic fatigue syndrome.
Chronic pain.
Depression.
Diabetes.
Headaches.
Heart disease.
High blood pressure and cholesterol.
Strokes.
Just to name a few.
The good news is that through meditation and other relaxation tools we can learn to recognise when we are going into fight or flight earlier to activate the relaxation response sooner. Which will than lead to less stress mentally and physically on the body.
This will result in being able to sleep better, think more clearly, lower blood pressure, less muscle tension.