Imagine this, it’s the middle of the night and you get up to get a glass of water. As you make your way through a dark house you suddenly see a tall bulky figure out of the corner of your eye. Your heart rate skyrockets and you’re breathing heavily as you tense and scream at the intruder. Your heart is racing as you reach for the light switch and find the coat rack that you forgot was there in the dark. That physical reaction you just experienced is your fight-or-flight response. Our fight-or-flight is triggered when we experience any real or imaginary threat.
What is the fight-or-flight response?
The fight-or-flight is your body’s response to perceived danger. When in a stressful or scary situation the sympathetic nervous system triggers a release of hormones that give the body a signal to either fight or flee from the perceived threat. Here are some ways that the response affects the body:
- Your heart rate elevates and feels like it is racing and your blood pressure may rise.
- Your muscles can tense and your fists may clench
- Your skin may be pale or flushed as your circulation changes
- Your pupils may be dilated
Once the perceived threat is gone your body will calm down and return to normal. This could be instant or may take longer. How long the fight-or-flight symptoms last will be different for everyone and could also depend on what triggered the response in the first place.
How can fight-or-flight affect our mental health?
Fight-or-flight works in our favor when we’re threatened or in danger but if we have an overactive response it can contribute to anxiety, panic disorders, or PTSD. Any stressful situation can become a moment of panic when the fight-or-flight response is triggered and if this happens all the time it can wear on your physical and mental health. Here are some ways to calm and control your fight-or-flight response.
- Take deep breaths or try a grounding exercise. Check out this list for some grounding exercise ideas.
- Try meditation or spending time relaxing
- Physical activity can help you stay in tune with your body
- Know your stressors and triggers so that you can try to control when you encounter situations that may trigger your fight-or-flight
- Reach out to trusted family or friends to help calm the stress response
- Consider speaking to a mental health professional that can help you learn ways to cope with stressors
Resources:
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-fight-or-flight-response-2795194
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-happens-to-your-body-during-the-fight-or-flight-response/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-the-stress-response
https://www.verywellmind.com/taming-the-fight-or-flight-response-378676
https://bepresentohio.org/10-grounding-exercises-for-anxiety/
Categories: Self-Care Resources