The Fight or Flight Response (#17b)

1. Stage 1 of the Stress Response ALARM! The Fight or Flight Response (#17b)

2. What is the “fight or flight response?” • The body’s stress response to immediate physical danger. • It is our body’s primitive automated, inborn response that prepares the body to “fight” (face) or “flee” (avoid) perceived attack, harm or threat to our survival.

3. What happens to us when we are under excessive stress? • The Fight or Flight response is activated when we experience excessive stress from internal worry or external circumstance. • Originally identified by the great Harvard physiologist Walter Cannon, this response is hardwired into our brains and represents a genetic wisdom designed to protect us from bodily harm.

4. What happens to us when we are under excessive stress? • This response actually corresponds to an area of our brain called the hypothalamus, which – when stimulated – initiates a sequence of nerve cell firing and chemical release that prepares our body for running or fighting.

5. What are the signs this response has been stimulated? • Chemicals such as adrenaline, noreadrenaline and cortisol are released into the blood stream. • Respiration increases, blood is forced away from digestion into our muscles and limbs, pupils dilate, awareness intensifies, sight sharpens, pain diminishes and the immune system mobilizes with increased activation. • We are focused on short-term survival

6. Can the fight or flight response become counterproductive? • Many of the major stressors today trigger full activation of the fight or flight response causing us to become aggressive and over-reactive (road rage) • Excessive stress leads to disorders of the ANS (autonomic nervous system), muscle tension, headache, upset stomach, racing heartbeat, shallow breathing, anxiety or depression.

7. What can we do to reduce our stress and turn down the activity of our fight or flight response? • Change the environment we are in (try to avoid stressful situations) or rechannel. • Exercise more – Physical exercise burns off stress hormones. • Exercise also increases our natural endorphins, which help us feel better.

8. How do we bring forth the relaxation response (a state of calm—woosa)? • Do repetitive exercises and repeat your focus word (relax, ocean, or peace) • Practice yoga (relaxing and energizing postures and poses with mental focus). • Diaphragmatic breathing— long, deep, and controlled breaths. (Five in Five out technique) • Singing (Some Beach…somewhere) or chanting • Meditation— quieting and focusing of the mind. • Progressive muscle relaxation— concentrates on tensing, then relaxing all muscle groups one-by-one.

15. What is our fight or flight system designed to protect us from? • When activated, the response causes a surge of adrenaline and stress hormones to pump through the body. • This surge can result in tremendous strength or fearlessness • When we are in real danger, the fight or flight response is very useful. Today, however, most of our response is due to traffic, arguments, deadlines, parents, and teachers. Thus, stress hormones also flow into our bodies for events that cause no real danger.

16. THE END?

17. Fight or Flight • Scene 1

18. Fight or Flight • Scene 2

19. Fight or Flight • Scene 3

20. Fight or Flight • Scene 4

21. Fight or Flight • Scene 5

22. Fight or Flight • Scene 6