Show
It served us well for most of that time, readying us for attack and helping us escape when we encountered something dangerous (Schoen, 2014). Now, in the largely ‘safe’ yet unduly stimulating world in which most of us live, our overly reactive survival instinct can lead to inappropriate, unwanted, and prolonged stress responses that ultimately harm our physical and mental wellbeing. The tools and worksheets in this article help us manage and regain control over our fight-or-flight response and instead use it more positively and productively. Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Stress & Burnout Prevention Exercises (PDF) for free. These science-based exercises will equip you and your clients with tools to better manage stress and find a healthier balance in your life. This Article Contains:
What Is the Fight, Flight, or Freeze Response?Our need to survive has shaped how we respond to the environment and the threats we face. Our fight, flight, and freeze responses help us to face up to perceived threats, run away, or stop moving. The freeze response “involves being rendered immobile when confronted with a potential threat” with fight and flight on hold (McCabe & Milosevic, 2015, p. 180). For much of our 21st-century life, fight and flight responses are becoming less helpful, albeit still common. According to Harvard Health Publishing (2020), chronic activation of this survival mechanism is commonplace and damaging to our physical and mental wellness. Science has long known that long-term chronic stress – the repeated activation of the stress response – takes a profound toll on psychological and physical health, both directly and indirectly, with some of the following results (Harvard Health Publishing, 2020; Khazan, 2019):
Parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systemsHere’s an example: when we realize we have stepped in front of an oncoming car, information from our eyes and ears arrives at the amygdala, where images and sounds are processed. The amygdala also contributes to emotional processing, sending distress signals to the hypothalamus. From here, messages are sent to the rest of the body through the autonomic nervous system, made up of the parasympathetic and sympathetic systems, and we respond by choosing to fight, run, or freeze (Harvard Health Publishing, 2020). The sympathetic nervous system provides the body with the burst of energy needed to take action in response to the perceived threat. On the other hand, the parasympathetic nervous system kicks in when the danger has passed, calming the body when it’s safe to do so. 10+ Symptoms of the responseWhen the hypothalamus sends its distress signal through the autonomic nerves to the adrenal glands, the hormone epinephrine (adrenaline) is pumped into the bloodstream, resulting in the following (Harvard Health Publishing, 2020; Nunez, 2020):
Once the perceived threat is over, the parasympathetic system begins to dampen the stress response. 4 Psychology Examples of the ResponseThis fear results from conditioning, when an event or object has been associated with a negative experience. When you encounter a perceived threat, your brain thinks you are in danger and attempts to keep you safe through a fight-flight-freeze response. Sometimes, it is lifesaving; other times, it is incorrect or a poor match for the situation, for example:
Some of these responses are overactive. A non-threatening situation triggering a fight, flight, or freeze reaction can result from previous trauma or existing anxiety (Nunez, 2020). The following psychological threat examples may not result from the object or event itself (e.g., public speaking, social situations, or spiders) but from being afraid of the experience of anxiety associated with it (McCabe & Milosevic, 2015):
The event itself is less important than the individual’s perception, impacted by knowledge, experiences, and expectations. Understanding Its Role in Anxiety and StressIdeally, the fight-or-flight response would only occur when necessary or helpful. The sympathetic nervous system stimulates the body’s action, and then the parasympathetic nervous system returns the body to rest (Sperber, n.d.). When there is a repeated and prolonged sense of danger, individuals experience it as ongoing stress and risk developing chronic anxiety, mood disorders, depression, immune system suppression, and difficulty sleeping, all of which can further aggravate an already overly sensitive and dysregulated fight-or-flight system (Gillespie, Phifer, Bradley, & Ressler, 2009; McCabe & Milosevic, 2015). How to Manage the ResponseThere are many practical things we can do, including the following (Schoen, 2014; Khazan, 2019; Sperber, n.d.; Nunez, 2020): Relaxation techniquesEngage the parasympathetic nervous system and use relaxation techniques to counteract the stress response. For example:
Physical activityRegular exercise is a powerful tool for resetting our stress response by:
Social supportPositive relationships promote individual wellbeing and better stress management.
There are many ways to cope with stress and manage our survival response. The best strategies and techniques are the ones that fit our lifestyle, suit our personality, and provide us with confidence that we can manage an existing or future situation. 6 Worksheets, Handouts, and Meditation IdeasThe following tools are some of our favorites for managing the fight-or-flight response and the stress, anxiety, and panic that can follow. Try them out and feel free to personalize them to your own needs (modified from Schoen, 2014; Khazan, 2019; Forsyth & Eifert, 2016). Responding With Fear and WorryWhile our responses can seem automatic and outside our control, it is valuable to revisit and reflect on them to understand if they are helpful and appropriate. Fight and flight responses developed to answer a need and still, at times, remain crucial for survival. The Responding With Fear and Worry worksheet explores a time when you or someone close to you experienced real danger, then asks you to consider whether or not your response was helpful. Recognizing that, at times, a rash, automatic response may be the right one helps us reduce our fear of being unable to handle situations. Signs of Emotional DiscomfortWhen stressed and agitated, we may be more likely to react quickly and without thinking things through. However, the chronic discomfort that often preempts rash thinking rarely appears out of the blue. With practice, we can see it coming (Schoen, 2014). Use the Signs of Emotional Discomfort worksheet to spot the signals that suggest we are becoming more agitated and responding poorly to life events (modified from Schoen, 2014). Breaking Out of the Comfort ZoneWhile it may seem that remaining in our comfort zone will protect us from discomfort, there is a risk that its perimeters will start to shrink. Rather than residing in our area of familiarity, it is important to create a degree of discomfort (Schoen, 2014). Use the Breaking Out of the Comfort Zone worksheet to identify opportunities to challenge our comfort zone. At a micro-level, simply reading a book, listening to music, or going to a play that challenges you can break you out of your comfort zone and make you more ready to deal with the unfamiliar or unexpected. Funeral MeditationThe way we react to life events may hold us back, causing us to avoid the opportunities we have and not take the chances that arise. The Funeral Meditation worksheet is less morbid than it would first seem. Rather than boosting anxiety regarding our limited time on this planet, this powerful meditation helps us reflect on what matters to us. The good news is you still have time to change who you are. “You can start living the way you want to be remembered later on” (Forsyth & Eifert, 2016, p. 115). Finding Fresh AlternativesEven though the impulse to act may be an automatic response, the action is not inevitable. The gap between impulse and action gives you time to determine how you would like to respond. The Finding Fresh Alternatives worksheet identifies events and situations where your impulse to act on your worries, anxieties, and fears was strong, then asks you to reflect on how you responded. You have control over how you react to your impulses and how you behave, no matter how strong they are. Stop Right NowAutomatic responses can be unhelpful. Unless we are in a dangerous situation, fighting or fleeing may not be the best way to react. It can be valuable to have a set of questions nearby to challenge what we are about to do. Use the Stop Right Now worksheet to stop before you react and consider whether you should act on your intention. In time and with practice, these questions can be internalized and become automatic. They can help you notice, experience, and learn rather than unthinkingly react. 3 Books About the Fight-or-Flight TheoryThe following books explore the fight-or-flight response and related issues such as anxiety, fear, stress, and how to handle them. 1. Biofeedback and Mindfulness in Everyday Life: Practical Solutions for Improving Your Health and Performance – Inna KhazanThis is a valuable and practical book with many techniques for applying the mind–body approach to an array of common problems. Find the book on Amazon. 2. Your Survival Instinct Is Killing You: Retrain Your Brain to Conquer Fear and Build Resilience – Marc SchoenMarc Schoen shares how the many mild discomforts in our otherwise comfortable 21st-century life can still trigger ancient fight-or-flight responses. There are ways to regain control and tame your overly reactive survival instinct and improve every aspect of your life. Find the book on Amazon. 3. The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Anxiety: A Guide to Breaking Free From Anxiety, Phobias and Worry Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy – John Forsyth and Georg EifertThe authors have created a valuable resource for anyone struggling with anxiety and fear through nurturing the capacity for acceptance, kindness, and compassion. Find the book on Amazon. Resources From PositivePsychology.comThe fight-or-flight response is closely aligned with how we react to stressful events and situations. Why not download our free stress tool pack and try out the powerful tools contained within? Here are some examples:
Other free resources include:
More extensive versions of the following tools are available with a subscription to the Positive Psychology Toolkit©, but they are described briefly below:
This framework identifies four different types of stressors and connects them to client-generated coping skills:
Use the tool to create a stress management emergency plan and identify triggers and coping skills.
A yes-brain mindset can cultivate psychological wellbeing. This experiential exercise illustrates the difference between the two mindsets by examining our reactions when we say the words “yes” and “no.”
The user then reflects on how the two answers made them feel before exploring the different mindsets and how a ‘yes’ brain can lead to greater balance, resilience, insight, and empathy.
A Take-Home MessageWe have many built-in and fast-reacting mechanisms within the brain. They have kept us safe for thousands of generations. While they still have great value sometimes, they can also cause us considerable mental and physical harm when operating inappropriately. Our fight, flight, and freeze responses can leave us chronically activated, resulting in mental and physical ailments, such as high blood pressure, poor sleep, weight gain, anxiety, depression, and mood disorders. Reducing background levels of activation through improved breathing and mindfulness techniques and maintaining good physical health are valuable. Revisiting situations when our survival response was either valid and helpful or inappropriate and harmful can help us recognize its value and need to be managed. This article introduces the psychological and physiological factors involved in the fight-or-flight response and offers techniques to manage, avoid, and regain control of the situation. We must recognize that aspects of how we react to the environment offer insight into our evolutionary past while allowing for better handling of our present. We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Stress & Burnout Prevention Exercises (PDF) for free.
Which approach to stress is based on the concept of homeostasis quizlet?The approach to stress that is based on the concept of homeostasis is known as: physiological. The medical approach to stress is most similar to: homeostatic approach.
Which of the following terms refers to a person or event that triggers the stress response?Which of the following terms refers to a person or event that triggers the stress response? stressor.
Which of the following is a common cause of workplace stress?The most common causes of work related stress are work pressure, poor organisation and lack of support from managers. While some people thrive under pressure and do their best work with a looming deadline, others find these kinds of challenges very stressful.
Is the unconscious preparation to fight or flee?Stress, or the stress response, is the unconscious preparation to fight or flee experienced when faced with any demand. A stressor, or demand, is the person or event triggering the stress response.
|