Have you ever wondered why your body reacts so intensely to stress? The fight-or-flight response, a term coined by Walter Bradford Cannon in the early 1900s, describes the body’s automatic reaction to perceived threats.
What Is Fight or Flight?
According to National Institute of Health, when faced with a stressful situation, whether it is environmental or psychological, the body triggers a cascade of stress hormones that cause various physiological changes. This activation of the sympathetic nervous system leads to an acute stress response known as the fight-or-flight response, which prepares an individual to either confront the threat or escape from it.
#1 Fight: facing any perceived threat aggressively.
Common signs indicating you are in a fight response include:
- Clenching or grinding your teeth
- Feeling an urge to hit someone or something
- Experiencing intense anger or thoughts of harming others or yourself
- Wanting to stomp or kick
- Crying
- Giving angry glares and speaking aggressively
- Having an upset stomach, often described as feeling like knots or a burning sensation
- Confronting the source of the perceived threat
#2 Flight: running away from danger
These emotional and physical responses indicate you are in flight mode:
- Excessive exercising
- Feeling fidgety, tense, or trapped
- Constantly moving your legs, feet, and arms
- Experiencing a restless body that won’t stop moving
- Feeling numbness in your extremities
- Having dilated, darting eyes
The release of adrenaline and noradrenaline from the adrenal medulla results in a widespread activation of almost all parts of the sympathetic system throughout the body. The physiological changes from this mass activation include increased arterial pressure, enhanced blood flow to active muscles, reduced blood flow to organs not essential for immediate motor activity, accelerated blood coagulation, heightened cellular metabolism rates, increased muscle strength, elevated mental activity, higher blood glucose levels, and enhanced glycolysis in the liver and muscles.
The three stages of the fight-or-flight response are:
- Alarm Stage: In this stage, the central nervous system is activated, preparing your body for either fighting or fleeing.
- Resistance Stage: During this stage, the body tries to return to normal and recover from the initial heightened fight-or-flight response.
- Exhaustion Stage: If the first two stages happen repeatedly over time, such as during chronic stress, the body can become exhausted and start to deteriorate.
Fight or flight response and anxiety
According to American Psychology Association (APA), the cardiovascular system, consisting of the heart and blood vessels, plays a crucial role in managing acute stress. When faced with short-term stressors like deadlines or sudden dangers, the heart rate increases, and the heart pumps more strongly, driven by stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. Blood vessels dilate to direct more blood to major muscles and the heart, raising blood pressure to prepare the body for a quick response. This is also known as the fight or flight response. Once the stressor is removed, the body gradually returns to its normal state.
3 tips for coping with fight or flight response
- Emotional Regulation: Everyone can learn to manage their emotions in a way that works for them. Instead of suppressing anxiety, emotional regulation involves acknowledging and reflecting on it, which helps rewire your brain to face emotions rather than avoid them.
- Breathing Techniques: Breathwork activates the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), calming your body and reducing stress. Regular practice not only alleviates stress but also boosts immunity and promotes self-compassion.
- Exercise: Even though anxiety might lower your motivation to exercise, engaging in physical activity releases endorphins that improve your mood and reduce stress over time. Aim for 30 minutes of exercise each day to experience its mental health benefits.
