Fight, Flight, Freeze: Understanding Your Brain’s Stress Response

Have you ever found yourself snapping at someone over something small, like misplaced socks, or wanting to escape an uncomfortable situation as quickly as possible? Or maybe you've experienced moments where you feel completely frozen, unable to speak or take action? These responses are all part of what’s known as the Fight - Flight - Freeze reaction—your brain's way of coping with stress or perceived danger.

What Is Fight - Flight - Freeze?

The Fight - Flight - Freeze response is your body's natural reaction to stress or danger. It's rooted in the brain's survival mechanism, designed to protect you from harm. When your brain perceives a threat, it triggers one of these three reactions:

• Fight: You may become defensive, argumentative, or even aggressive.

• Flight: You may feel the urge to escape the situation, either physically or emotionally.

• Freeze: This is when you become immobilized, unable to take action, think clearly, or respond to what's happening around you.

Why Does This Happen?

These reactions are part of your nervous system’s survival strategy. They date back to our ancestors, when the primary threats were physical dangers, like wild animals. Today, the threat might be a stressful meeting or a difficult conversation, but the brain still reacts the same way it would if a tiger were in front of you.

At the heart of this is the amygdala, the part of your brain responsible for processing emotions and threats. When it senses danger, it doesn't take the time to analyze the situation. It simply triggers your fight, flight, or freeze response to help you survive.

Have You Ever Felt This Way?

• Fight: Ever found yourself getting disproportionately angry or defensive in situations where it felt like you couldn’t just let go?

• Flight: Have you avoided a difficult conversation, perhaps even finding yourself physically leaving or mentally checking out of the moment?

• Freeze: Have you ever felt so overwhelmed by stress that you just "shut down," unable to think or respond?

If you've experienced any of these, you're not alone. These reactions are part of being human. The key is to notice when they happen and learn how to manage them.

How Can We Work With This?

The good news is that you don’t have to be stuck in survival mode. Here are a few ways you can begin to manage the fight - flight - freeze response:

1. Awareness: Recognizing when you're in one of these responses is the first step. Saying to yourself, "Okay, I'm in fight mode right now," can help you break the cycle.

2. Breathing: Focus on slowing your breath. Inhale slowly and exhale longer than your inhale. This helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system and signals to your body that it’s safe to relax.

3. Grounding: Bring your attention to the present moment. Touch something around you, like a piece of furniture, or notice five things you can see, hear, or feel. This helps you regain control of your environment and reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed.

4. Talk About It: Therapy can be a great space to explore the underlying triggers of your fight-flight - freeze reactions. Together, we can identify what’s causing these responses and work on rewiring your brain’s reaction to stress.

How Do Sessions Help?

They help you understand your fight - flight - freeze responses and why they happen. Together, we can explore the underlying patterns, experiences, and triggers that cause these reactions. Over time, we’ll work on developing healthier, more adaptive ways of responding to stress, giving you more control over your emotional responses.

If this resonates with you and you’d like to learn more or start working through it, feel free to reach out. Therapy is about progress, not perfection. It’s a space where you can truly be yourself, understand your body’s signals, and build healthier coping strategies. I would be happy to be a part of your journey as your online psychologist.