Lets look at three different scenarios.

A sales rep is having a difficult time during the recession. The last three months sales were disastrous. He is due to meet an important, big new client who could be his saviour. Success will decide whether he is still in employment.

 

A man is desperately and madly in love with this popular and attractive female. He cannot see a future without her but she is popular an other men are attracted to her. 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 ask her to marry him and he does not know whether she will say yes or no.

 

A woman walking home alone late at night. The street is dimly 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. The body goes into 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.These hormones cause a remarkable change in the body.

 

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’.

 

These changes are preparing the body for action. You are in a state of heightened awareness. Your senses are very sharp. Your sense of smell, sight and hearing are all sharpened. Your body is now functioning at it optimum.

 

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 gut, the kidneys and the immune system to enable more blood to the muscles.

 

The fight and fright reaction is primeval, developed in early humans to survive amongst dangerous reptiles and mammals. Unfortunately the brain cannot differentiate between real and percieved dangers or threats. The reaction is the same.

In all three scenarios above, the fight or fright reaction is triggered.

 

Panic attacks are in reality fright or fright reactions and, to the individual during an attack the danger or threat is very real. Rational thoughts go out the window and there is nothing to fight and no where to run to.

 

In stress, even though there is no threat to our lives, the fight or fright reaction is triggered and can be harmful to the body. If persistent, it can cause diseases.

 

Knowing the effects of the fight or fright reaction on stress will help you make some sense about the symptoms of stress you experience with stress.