How the Fight or Flight Response Works
Unravel the mysteries of your body's primal reaction to danger: the fight or flight response. Discover the intricate physiological processes that prepare you for a threat, and the profound effects these responses can have on your overall health and wellbeing.
Fight-or-flight is a physiological reaction that occurs in the presence of something that is terrifying, either mentally or physically
The response is triggered by the release of hormones that prepare your body to either stay and deal with a threat or to run away to safety
- It is recognized as part of the first stage of Hans Selye’s general adaptation syndrome, a theory describing the stress response.
Pale or Flushed Skin
As the stress response takes hold, blood flow to the surface areas of the body is reduced and flow to muscles, brain, legs, and arms is increased.
Trembling
In the face of stress or danger, your muscles become tense and primed for action. This tension can result in trembling or shaking.
- While the fight-or-flight response happens automatically, that does not mean that it is always accurate. Sometimes we respond in this way even when there is no real threat.
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