About Anxiety>Flight or Fight

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The flight or fight response is a series of physiological changes that get triggered in a person’s body when the person is in danger (or perceived danger). The automatic process that follows is really quite simple, logical and is designed to help you survive:

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What Happens - The Flight or Fight Response

• Activation of 'flight or fight' response
• Adrenaline is pumped into your body
• Your level of alertness raises
• Circulation becomes faster (heart starts pounding to increase circulation)
• Breathing speeds up (to increase the oxygen intake required by the heart)
• Energy is dispersed to the arms and leg muscles (muscles are stronger)
• Oxygen is redirected from the digestive system (causing stomach upset, dry mouth and diarrhoea) or the brain (causing the thinking / planning / rational brain to be unavailable until the crisis is over)
• You either flight or fight to survive
• Adrenaline is used up and you go into recovery mode
• You live another day, wiser and more watchful than you were before

This state is meant to last for a short period of time until the threat has passed. Obviously, if you remain in this state for a long period of time, it will have an adverse effect on your physical and mental health.

What happens when the body doesn’t use up the adrenaline?

But if the perceived threat never eventuates, instead of going into recovery mode, you go into survival mode where the panic reactions are maintained for longer than they would occur naturally.  Your adrenal system stays on alert in your body, there is an expectation of a recurrence and your mind has been hijacked by your emotional response. (This response has been termed an 'emotional hijacking' by Daniel Goleman).

So what are the core beliefs that fuel Anxiety and Panic Attacks? To find out more, click here - Core Beliefs. 

NOTE: This is important information if you want to overcome the flight or fight response

NEXT: Core Beliefs