A catchy title that draws attention, but simply put, means fight or flight. In a weakened state of mind, one might choose to flee for fear of the consequences. By comparison, ‘Fleeing’ is never an option where fighting prevails and facing your challenges is all you know to do. An added component would be ‘Freeze,’ where the human body has a zero response to any threatening encounter.
These examples are cut and dry, but the difference in all three is how capable you handle problems or compromise situations. In my opinion, fighting is the most cavalier approach to stressful or threatening moments that speak to your behavioral framework to rise despite your conditions. When you elect to ‘Fight,’ you summon all that’s in you to be victorious. You call upon all you have been taught to exercise your survival ability to overcome unfavorable times. The fighting comes from a long line of inherited DNA or something you have been trained to perform. Either way, everyone is not mentally wired to settle for offense or defense.
The idea of ‘Flight‘ is the brain’s lack of response to danger, and your only recourse is to run. If your brain isn’t equipped to handle your present circumstance, your body will not react to that form of stimuli, and safety becomes the only concern. Of course, these emotional descriptions carry a psychological theme, and the bottom line is how the nervous system is affected.
This Article was Last Updated On: December 3, 2021
Understanding how important the nervous system is in reaction to situations that may bring one’s body to a fight or flight response is extremely helpful.
Once one can acknowledge the nervous system has been activated, then question why the body is motivated to fleeing or fighting, allows one a breath of time to make a decision, and has some input on what the body decides to do.
Being proactive in the thought process of one’s thinking towards the self adamantly makes room for choices to be made and not reactions to happen.
Thinking about what one is thinking about at all times and learning to train the mind to be aware of its thoughts to create more positive outcomes has been remarkably helpful in my personal experience.
Instead of unconsciously fleeing or fighting, I can take a deep breath and decide the next best thing for me to do and have some input in the overall outcome.
I appreciate your comments and your references were spot on. Continued care Ms. Sibley.