Fight or Flight Syndrome

Fear is the most primitive feeling of mankind. In fact, it enhances survival skills in all animals species including human beings. Evolution favours those species that are able to survive the most dangerous and hostile situations.

The fight or flight syndrome or response is a natural physiological reaction that occurs in response to a perceived threat or harmful events. A chain of rapidly occurring reactions inside the body help mobilize the body's resources to deal with threatening circumstances. Stress hormones are quickly released into the blood streams to prepare our body for eventual fight or flight. Blood floods are diverted to our brain and heart in huge quality as we quickly react to the circumstances. Immune systems are also suppress and digestion comes to a standstill.

In order to survive and prosper as a species, human beings in the prehistorical ages refined the techniques employed to survive the most dangerous situations. They can choose to fight or flight in most instances. Therefore in doing so, these stress hormones are quickly utilised and bodily functions return to normal when the danger has passed. As such, escape and avoidance are the two most common strategies employed to control anxiety. They have a choice which modern living man does not in current society.

Unfortunately, in modern living conditions, we are unable to utilise this survival skill most of the time. For example, in stressful situations like in a traffic gridlock or a waiting in a long queue, the ability to relieve pent-up tensions are limited. Neither can we choose to quickly exit the traffic jam or decide to jump queue in this case. Therefore, in a law and order society the choices to relieve stress and tensions are limited.

In an office environment there are many instances where stressful situations can quickly escalate. Employees are familiar with conditions that create pent-up frustrations and anxieties. Managers and staffs of all levels are no exception from the unhealthy effects that stress and anxiety created. In this scenario one cannot simply choose to relive tensions by utilising the fight-or-flight response. Encountering a rude and angry customer for a front-line staff can be stressful. Choosing to chase an irate customer away or ignoring him or her is indeed not a good alternative, albeit useful to overcome stress. Those who choose to meekly suffers in silence suffers the most.

Stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline are harmful to the body if they are not quickly burn-off. In the long run our immune systems will suffer degradation; vital organs such as the heart, liver and stomach will degenerate and exhibit chronic diseases, such as heart attacks, ulcers or unexplained skin rashes. Furthermore, mental and personalities disorders might set in in extreme cases like aggressions, anxieties and even depressions.

Friends and family members are commonly at the receiving ends of a person suffering from the ill-effects of stress. Pent-up angers are sometime unloaded on innocent victims as a way of relieving tensions. Sometime, this person might also suffers from clinical depression as a result of guilty feelings after realising his or her mistakes.

Although stress hormones are essential for dealing with many situations, like real-life dangers, they must be utilized appropriately. Stresses that are not quickly relieve are harmful in the long run. Therefore, learning to handle stress is therefore important for the physical and biological well-beings. Physical exercise is an excellent way to de-stress. Talking therapy with a counselor is also courage. They are many self-help books in dealing with stress and anxiety.