Stress response: fight, flight or freeze

Our bodies are such a precise machines that make everything possible in order to keep us alive. Imagine how many systems are functioning simultaneously. Our nervous system, immune system, endocrine system, digestive system, etc. make all necessary in order to keep us alive,  to keep us in our physical bodies, as healthy as possible. Is not it impressive? Just take a moment to acknowledge what we oftentimes take for granted.

Our bodies have also a specific defensive mechanism that use in order to save us when we face a danger or frightening situation. In such situations, the brain gives a signal to the body for a danger and the body produces stress hormones as adrenaline and cortisol in order to protect us and these hormones put the body in fight, flight or freeze mode. It is the normal biological mechanism that only strives to save us from anything that may hurt us. In the past when our ancestors faced danger – a wild animal for example – they needed to have all these hormones activated in order to run away from it. Stress response is a concept deeply rooted in evolutionary psychology.

What exactly does fight, flight or freeze mean?

Fight response is activated when our bodies react to a stressor and decide that we can overpower the danger, in other words we are ready to “fight” for our well-being. The state may include different symptoms like crying, heartbeat, tight jaw, attacking the source of our danger, etc.

Flight response is when our bodies think that overcoming the danger is not possible, then the most appropriate reaction is to flight which means to escape, to run away from the stressor. The typical symptoms are feeling tense, trapped, restless, etc.

Freeze response is when the stress response leads to stuck-ness into the situation, leaving us without abilities to do something or make certain actions. The state may be described with symptoms as pale skin, feeling stiff, etc.

While the flight, fight or freeze response is a natural response to threat, we need to think how it applies to the modern society.

Oftentimes our brains perceive something as a threat while in reality we are not in danger at all. Our unconscious mind scans the environment around us constantly for a danger, as it wants to keep us safe. If there was something that hurt us in the past, it will make all possible to keep us away from potential “hurt” again. Therefore, if there is “something” in our environment that reminds us in one way or another for the painful experience we had, the brain may send signals to the body that we are in a danger, although in reality we are not. This thing is called “trigger” and is connected to our trauma response.

In such moments, we need to take a breath, to take a step back, to remember that we are safe, to try to really evaluate the experience we are having. Is it really a dangerous situation or our brain made it up to keep us “safe”? We need to give ourselves acknowledgement and understanding.

As usual, be kind to yourself in such situations.

With ❤️, Diyana