Consider these three different scenarios.

Recession is making life difficult for a sales rep. The last three months sales were disastrous. He is due to meet an important, big new client and this could be an opportunity that could save his career. Success will decide whether he still has a job or not.

 

A man is madly and desperately in love with this attractive and popular woman. To him there is no future without her but there are other men trying to attract her attention. The table is set for two, the ring is in his hand and the red roses lie near by. She is due any minute and he will go down on his knees and and he does not know whether she will say yes or no.

 

Late at night a woman is walking home. The streets are poorly lit. The sound of footsteps ahead of her make her uneasy. She can see a group of people wearing hoodies coming towards her. Behind her she now hear more footsteps. Turning around, she sees some young people walking towards her.

 

In all three situations a person becomes very alert and focussed even though potential danger is only in one of these scenarios. This is the fight and fright reaction.

 

The fight or fright reaction protect us from life threatening dangers. In this reaction, the brain triggers the release of the hormones adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisone.The remarkable changes that occur are caused by these hormones.

 

The breathing becomes faster and deeper, the heart speeds up, the pupils dilate, the mouth becomes dry, the skin becomes cold and clammy and hairs on the back of the neck stand up.

 

You may even want to vomit, open your bowels or urinate. This is the brain trying to lighten the load to move faster during ‘flight’.

 

The fight or fright reaction prepares the body for action. You become alert and aware. Your senses are very sharp. Your hearing, sense of smell and your sight are all sharpened. Your body is primed and ready to go.

 

Your heart, beating faster pumps more blood to the brain and the muscles. With faster and deeper breathing, more oxygen is transported by the blood to the muscles and brain. In addition blood is temporarily diverted from other vital organs such as the kidneys, immune system and the gut to make more blood available to supply the muscles.

 

. Unfortunately the brain cannot differentiate between real and percieved dangers or threats. The reaction is the same.

The fight or fright reaction is triggered in all three scenarios.

 

Panic attacks are severe episodes of the fight or fright reaction and, during an attack, to the individual the threat or danger is very real. Rationality suddenly disappear and there is no where to run to or no one to fight.

 

In stress, the fight or flight reaction is triggered even thought there is no threat to our lives and can harm the body. If persistent, it can cause diseases.

 

Understanding how the fight or fright reaction is triggered in stress will help you make some sense about the symptoms of stress you experience with stress.

 

 

Possibly Related Posts:

• An Insight Into Silicone Breast Implants
• Breast Augmentation – The Differentiation Before And Later Than
• Ya-Online-Juegos.com – Emotional Wealth, Fitness Health – Bigger Breasts – Self-Esteem
• The First Steps To Enjoying Your Retirement
• Understanding Why Some Women Suffer From Hair Loss