Fight-or-Flight Response
Your body's ancient survival system — designed for real danger, but sometimes triggered by emails, social situations, or unexpected changes.
The body's ancient survival system that prepares you to face danger or run from it. Heart rate increases, muscles tense, breathing speeds up, digestion stops. Designed for short-term threats like predators. In panic disorder, this system misfires — activating at full intensity without any actual danger present.
How it works
Your brain's threat detection triggers a cascade: adrenaline surges, heart rate spikes, muscles tense, digestion pauses. Your body prepares to fight or flee. In chronic anxiety and trauma conditions, this system can become hair-trigger sensitive, activating in situations that aren't physically dangerous.
Think of it like
It's like a fire engine that races out for every call, even when someone just burned their toast.
What it feels like
Your heart pounds, hands shake, and every instinct says 'run' or 'fight' — even when you know logically that you're safe. Your body hasn't received the 'stand down' memo.