Struggle, flight or freeze – have you ever heard this earlier than? This is an instance:
In the future, whereas fortunately strolling in nature, I turned the nook on the path and my eyes noticed an enormous snake.
Immediately, I froze. In only a few seconds, these sorts of ideas went via my head:
- OMG, I’m going to die.
- I hope it’s not venomous.
- Do I run? Or simply keep frozen?
- Please snake, simply slither away already.
- Please, God, I don’t wish to exit this fashion!
On the bodily aspect, my respiration and coronary heart price slowed down. I felt numb and time stopped. As quickly as I noticed that snake, my physique routinely went right into a stress (survival) response referred to as “fight-flight-freeze”. That’s the autonomic nervous system doing its instinctual factor to guard me from perceived threats.
In these few moments after I noticed the snake, my mind went into the “freeze” stress response, an energetic defensive response that places “combat and flight” on maintain quickly. This “immobilization” provides me a couple of moments to determine what my subsequent transfer is – combat that slithery serpent or flee for the hills!
Inside simply seconds, I made a decision to flee. In spite of everything, combating a snake with naked palms simply doesn’t make survival sense. I slowly stepped backwards and that snake slithered away, fortunately.
On the time, I didn’t assume a lot about what was occurring in my physique. I used to be merely frozen in worry. However as I proceed to study my physique’s instinctual capacity to assist me survive threats, I’ve been observing varied areas of my life on the psychological and bodily ranges.
What do you assume you’ll have performed in that scenario?
Struggle, flee, or freeze?
Why Ought to I Care What My Nervous System Is Doing?
It’s possible you’ll be considering, “Why ought to I care what my autonomous nervous system (ANS) is doing?”
However observe me right here, as a result of I believe when you see how extremely smart the physique is, you’ll be capable of see how your ANS is working FOR and perhaps even AGAINST you.
For instance, consider a time while you had been in a heated argument with a companion, member of the family, or good friend.
Particularly, consider a time while you type of misplaced your rational thoughts within the argument and stated or did issues that you simply later regretted. Belongings you wouldn’t have ever performed had you not been in that argument.
You will have one thing in thoughts?
Since I take advantage of myself loads in examples, let me present you the way the nervous system tries to guard us throughout arguments.
I don’t like arguing, as I’m certain most of you don’t both. Nonetheless, I’ve gotten into my justifiable share in my relationships.
Relationships: Do You Struggle, Flee or Freeze in Arguments?
I’m a “freezer” throughout an argument. My companion tends to be the “fighter”.
Right here’s just a little state of affairs:
Companion: “I’d actually such as you to come back to (Random occasion) with me Friday night time.”
Me: “However I actually don’t like going there. Why do you want me to go?”
Companion: “As a result of I do, and also you stated you’d begin going to extra neighborhood occasions with me.”
Me: “I do know, however it’s been such a busy week and I used to be trying ahead to stress-free Friday night. Can’t you discover another person to go together with you?”
Companion (clearly indignant): “You at all times do that! You inform me one factor after which bail out! I really feel such as you’re by no means there for me after I want! You weren’t there when so and so acquired married. I needed to go to Thanksgiving at Mother’s home alone, you…..”
Proper about then, listening to indignant vibrations instantly geared toward me, my nervous system is detecting “DANGER, DANGER! THREAT, THREAT!” and goes into its most popular survival response:
FREEZE
- My eyes gloss over
- My physique relaxes
- I am going “elsewhere” in my thoughts.
- I’m there, however I’m probably not there
That is often known as “shut down”, “immobilization”, or disassociation in psychological well being phrases.
Now, my companion at the moment is within the “FIGHT” response. Their ANS is screaming “THREAT, THREAT! YOU HAVE TO FACE LIFE ALL ALONE, AGAIN!” Adrenaline and cortisol are launched.
- The center races
- Breath turns into shallow and sooner
- Extra oxygen pumps to the main muscle groups, in case quick motion must happen
And right here’s the factor.
Companions can love one another like loopy, however in what I name “set off wars”, they’re engaged as two activated, dysregulated, autonomic nervous methods in “survival mode”.
The rational thoughts goes “offline” and we discover ourselves working from a cocktail of stress hormones, typically saying or doing issues we later remorse.
Now, I perceive not all {couples} argue this fashion. The precise physiological reactions will largely depend upon the way you navigated your life as a child/toddler/youngster. Usually, your survival responses began again then and carry over into maturity.
Can The Stress Response Be Overactive?
Sure. The stress response CAN be overactive, as within the case of my companion and I.
This overactive (or over-reactive) response happens once we are “triggered” by issues we understand as threatening, however they’re probably not life threatening.
Like when this type of factor occurs:
“You by no means this and that and you then did that and also you stated this, however did that and OMG, I’m dropping my thoughts as a result of this at all times occurs, and so on.” (Whereas smashing dishes on the kitchen ground)
These overactive survival responses are extra widespread in those that have skilled some type of trauma, abuse, neglect, accidents, pure disasters, power stress, and so on.
→ The mind will see the present “risk” and affiliate it with previous “threats” (trauma) and OVER-react, considering its survival is in peril.
Like while you’ve been rear-ended simply after listening to a automobile sound its horn. Later, each time you hear a horn, your nervous system goes right into a stress response, considering its in peril.
In line with the specialists, the extra dysfunctional the childhood, the extra doubtless you developed a stronger ANS risk detector. Those who had a reasonably secure, safe, heat, loving dwelling environment don’t discover themselves fighting intense “combat, combat, or freeze” responses to life’s stressors.
Certain, their nervous methods activate, however they’re able to go into the stress response and are available down shortly afterwards – with out saying or doing issues they remorse.
Coping With an Overactive Struggle, Flight, Freeze Response
The excellent news is that should you’re coping with what you understand to be an overactive stress response, there are strategies and coverings that may assist, together with:
Rest (Regulating) Methods
Rest strategies are useful for “deactivating” the stress response. You may:
- Use deep, sluggish breaths, whereas solely specializing in stress-free your whole physique.
- Use a mantra, similar to “I’m secure”. Do that time and again till you’re feeling your self calming down.
- Use visualization, similar to lounging on the seaside or sitting in nature.
- Mindfulness – keep current, so the extra rational a part of your mind stays “on-line”.
- Meditation – the observe of meditation will help construct a extra resilient, regulated nervous system, calm the thoughts
- Vagus nerve reset workouts.
Remedy
If you end up in an overactive combat, flight, or freeze response and might’t appear to get it extra in steadiness, attain out to a therapist.
Do you resonate with any of the next:
- Really feel such as you’re hypervigilant, at all times in a state of stress?
- Can’t sleep as a result of your thoughts gained’t shut down?
- Get into “set off wars” together with your companion, then regretting what you stated or did?
- Have plenty of nervousness?
- Really feel on edge on a regular basis?
- Really feel disconnected out of your feelings or shut down?
- Really feel spacey, such as you’re probably not current?
- Can’t loosen up?
- Have social nervousness and have a tendency to isolate?
There are therapists that may assist.
Be at liberty to achieve out and put money into your self, since you are price it, and you may handle these points and overcome them.
Wrapping it Up
Do you resonate with “combat, flight, or freeze” while you understand a risk or end up triggered?
Do you assume your stress response is wholesome or do you assume it’s overactive?
My hope is that you’ve got higher perception as to what’s occurring when you end up triggered, fearful, feeling anxious, and so on. And, that there are some issues you are able to do to work together with your stress responses.
Up to date from Dec 22 2022
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