Fight or Flight Response

Summary:

Fight or Flight- rapid production of energy generated by the body in situations where survival is threatened.

Cycle of Response:

1. Threat detected
2. Nervous system puts body on alert, releases stress hormones
3. Heart beats faster, breathing becomes more rapid, large muscles get more oxygen

False Alarms

• Although automatic, very inaccurate
• Most incidents are not life threateningbut brain cannot tell difference
• Common example: presentations
• Sometimes, threat is so intense the body "freezes" (muscles tense up)
• Caused by the body being overwhelemed by the threat

Personal Opinion:
The reason I chose this article in relation to my topic is because this is the response the body goes through when we present. We start to feel the room growing, the eyes of people watching you as you speak and our body starts to go defensive. Sometimes when the pressure is too much, we start to stutter and lose our place often resulting in you looking confused and your audience less focused. Although the body doesn't feel the whole affect if this response, we do feel the small strains it can have when we present.  

Citation:
Fight or flight. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://cmhc.utexas.edu/stressrecess/Level_One/fof.html
(2010). What is the stress response. (2010). [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/stress-biology.html