The fight-flight-freeze response is your body’s natural reaction to danger. It’s a type of压力反应这可以帮助您应对感知到的威胁，例如迎面而来的汽车或咆哮的狗。

The response instantly causes hormonal and physiological changes. These changes allow you to act quickly so you can protect yourself. It’s a survival instinct that our ancient ancestors developed many years ago.

具体来说，战斗或飞行是您战斗或逃跑的积极防御反应。您的心率变得更快，这会增加氧气流向您的主要肌肉。您的疼痛感下降，您的听力逐渐增强。这些更改可帮助您适当，迅速地采取行动。

冻结是搁置的战斗或飞行，您可以进一步准备保护自己。它也被称为反应性固定或专心固定。它涉及类似的生理变化，但是，您完全保持静止并为下一步行动做好准备。

Fight-flight-freeze isn’t a conscious decision. It’s an automatic reaction, so you can’t control it. In this article, we’ll further explore what this response entails, along with examples.

During a fight-flight-freeze response, many physiological changes occur.

The reaction begins in youramygdala，您的大脑部分负责感知到的恐惧。杏仁核通过向hypothalamus，刺激自主神经系统（ANS）。

ANS由交感神经和副交感神经系统组成。交感神经系统驱动了战斗或飞行的反应，而副交感神经系统则驱动冻结。您的反应如何取决于当时哪个系统主导响应。

In general, when your ANS is stimulated, your body releasesadrenalineand皮质醇, the stress hormone. These hormones are released very quickly, which can affect your:

  • 心率。您的心脏跳动更快，将氧气带入主要肌肉。在冷冻期间，您heart rate可能会增加或减少。
  • Lungs.Your breathing speeds up to deliver more oxygen to your blood. In the freeze response, you might hold your breath or restrict breathing.
  • Eyes.Your peripheral vision increases so you can notice your surroundings. Your瞳孔放大并让更多的光线，这可以帮助您更好地看到。
  • 耳朵。您的耳朵“振作起来”，听力变得更加清晰。
  • Blood.血液增厚，增加凝血因子。这为您的身体受伤做准备。
  • Skin.Your skin might produce more sweat or get cold. You may look pale or havegoosebumps。
  • 手和脚。As blood flow increases to your major muscles, your hands and feet might get cold.
  • Pain perception.Fight-or-flight temporarily reduces your perception of pain.

Your specific physiological reactions depend on how you usually respond to stress. You might also shift between fight-or-flight and freezing, but this is very difficult to control.

通常，您的身体将在20至30分钟后恢复其自然状态。

While the fight-flight-freeze response causes physiological reactions, it’s triggered by a psychological fear.

恐惧是有条件的，这意味着您将情况或事物与负面经历相关联。当您首次接触这种情况并随着时间的流逝而发展时，就会开始这种心理反应。

The thing that you’re scared of is called a perceived threat, or something you consider to be dangerous. Perceived threats are different for each person.

When you’re faced with a perceived threat, your brain thinks you’re in danger. That’s because it already considers the situation to be life threatening. As a result, your body automatically reacts with the fight-flight-freeze response to keep you safe.

战斗冻结的反应可以在许多生活情况下出现，包括：

  • slamming on the brakes when the car in front of you suddenly stops
  • 走在外面时遇到咆哮的狗
  • jumping out of the way of an oncoming vehicle
  • getting spooked by someone jumping out of a room
  • 沿着街道行走时感到不安全

有时，战斗的冻结反应过于活跃。当不威胁性情况触发反应时，就会发生这种情况。

Overactive responses are more common in people who have experienced:

Trauma

After a创伤事件，您可能会产生夸张的压力反应。它涉及与初始事件有关的反应模式。

This is more likely if you have a history of:

In this case, your brain reacts to related triggers to prepare you for future traumatic situations. The result is an overactive response.

An example if you’ve experienced trauma from a car accident. If the sound of a car horn reminds you of the event, you might have a stress response when you hear a car honking.

焦虑

焦虑当您对情况感到害怕或紧张时。这是一种自然反应，可以帮助您做出适当的反应。如果你有anxiety disorder，您更有可能受到不威胁性压力源的威胁。

这可能会激发对日常活动的压力反应，例如乘坐公共汽车或坐在交通中。

There are ways to cope with an overactive stress response. This includes various strategies and treatments, such as:

Relaxation techniques

By doing activities that promote松弛, you can counteract the stress response with the relaxation response.

Examples of relaxation techniques include:

  • deep abdominal breathing
  • focusing on a calming word
  • visualizing peaceful images
  • meditation
  • 重复的祈祷
  • 瑜伽
  • tai chi

定期完成时，这些技术可以帮助改善您对压力的反应。

体力活动

Another strategy isregular exercise。体育活动通过以下方式降低了压力反应：

  • decreasing stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol
  • 增加内啡肽
  • improving calmness
  • 促进更好的睡眠

These benefits can increase your mood and sense of relaxation, which helps you better cope with stressful scenarios.

Social support

养育健康也很重要社会关系。Social support can minimize your psychological and physiological reactions to perceived threats. It provides a sense of safety and protection, which makes you feel less fearful.

您的社会支持可能包括不同的人，包括：

  • friends
  • acquaintances
  • co-workers
  • 亲戚们
  • significant others
  • 导师

If you’re in a constant state of fight-or-flight, consider visiting amental health professional。

具体来说，如果您遇到以下内容，则应寻求帮助：

  • always feeling “on edge”
  • 持续担心，紧张或恐惧
  • stress that interferes with daily activities
  • fear of nonthreatening situations
  • 无法放松

A mental health professional can help you determine the underlying cause of these feelings. They can also create a plan to reduce your stress response, depending on your symptoms and mental health history.

心理恐惧引起了身体的战斗冻结反应。这是一种内置防御机制，会导致生理变化，例如快速心率和疼痛感知的减少。这使您能够快速保护自己免受感知的威胁。

If you have a history of trauma or anxiety, you might overreact to nonthreatening situations. A mental health professional can help you find ways to cope. With their guidance, you can develop the most appropriate strategies for your situation.