Fight, Flight or Freeze

We respond to threats with typically one of three reactions — fight, flight or freeze. The fight-flight-freeze response is a physiological reaction that occurs in animals in response to trauma or a threat to survival. The body in reaction, produces a hormonal cascade to give increased strength and speed to the muscles in anticipation of swiftly fighting, running or holding absolutely still as if dead.

The autonomic nervous system is responsible for this physiological reaction. It is the body’s primary control centre and controls the heart and respiratory rates, digestion, pupillary dilation, urination and sexual arousal. Two of its primary nerve branches determine the body’s state in reaction and recovery to stimuli — the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system originates in the spinal cord and its main function is to activate the fight, flight or freeze response. The parasympathetic nervous system originates in the sacral spinal cord and medulla oblongata, physically surrounding the sympathetic origin, and works to balance the sympathetic nervous system activity. Its main function is to activate a recuperative “rest-and-digest” mode. When the autonomic nervous system is functioning well and parasympathic and sympathetic activity is in balance, the body easily returns to homeostasis.

Threatening experiences that become traumatic impede balanced functioning across the autonomic nervous system which can create recurring and prolonged issues physiologically and psychologically. This is because the nervous system holds the memories of the body’s responses to the trauma, in essence “lodging” the experience in the body. Help from others is most often required to reset the body’s natural rhythms and restore health and happiness. Many animals don’t receive this help or don’t know how to find it.