What is fight/flight mode?

Fight/flight mode is what our mind/body state is called when our sympathetic nervous system is activated. It is our body becoming alert and poised, ready to respond to a possible threat. The startle response that you feel when you hear a loud noise is your sympathetic nervous system becoming activated with a rush of Adrenalin. Cortisol then starts flooding into your body. Your heart rate and oxygen circulation increases. We are ready to fight or flee our way out of a scary situation. Our digestion slows down, and our immune response decreases. Our body diverts that energy to other body systems to help deal with the threat at hand. Some signs you might have activated your fight/flight mode are feelings like anxiety, worry, irritation, aggression, a sudden urge to leave a situation. Also agitation, becoming hyper focused, or on the other hand very distracted and unable to focus. Fight/flight mode is an important tool our nervous system uses to help us prepare for a difficult task or to escape or manage a threatening situation. There is nothing wrong with going into fight/flight mode when it’s appropriate- in fact, it’s very important for our bodies to help keep us safe in this way! The problem happens when we experience so much chronic, overwhelming stress that we are stuck in fight/flight mode long term. Think YOUR nervous system is stuck in fight/flight mode? There are many ways to help you manage this issue return to a baseline calmness. Contact me for more information! #fightflight #fightorflight #sympatheticnervoussystem #nervoussystemhealth #nervoussystemregulation #chronicstress #mentalhealth #mentalhealththerapy #mentalhealththerapist #mentalhealthawareness #somatictherapy #bodybasedtherapy