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Treatment for Anxiety and Stress Caused by Fight-or-Flight Instinct

The fight-or-flight instinct has existed since the beginning of mankind. It provides us the burst of strength and energy needed to break out of a crisis, whether by running or fighting. However, in recent history, this response can and does surface even when we only perceive ourselves to be in danger. A stressful life event---or a feeling of helplessness or hopelessness---can cause this instinct to surface. Therefore, it is important to arm ourselves with quick and sufficient treatment responses.

  1. Know your set of fight-or-flight symptoms

    • Every person holds a unique set of fight-or-flight symptoms. Check to see which ones fit your body responses: elevated heart rate, shakiness, dizziness, nausea, headache, or muscle tension to name just a few. For a more comprehensive guide, check out the U.S. Surgeon General's report on anxiety (the link is available in the Resources section of this article).

    Target the symptoms that are most problematic

    • List your symptoms, then rank in the order of concern. One way to measure this is by taking an inventory of the symptoms that interfere with daily life, for example, sleeplessness may diminish your energy and make it very difficult to perform at work. You may decide to rank this high.

    Relaxation, Meditation and deep breathing

    • The reason fight-or-flight works so well at creating bursts of energy is that our natural alarm system creates surges of adrenaline. Calming these power surges can decrease the heart rate and nervousness. Practice deep breathing, mindful meditation or consider taking a yoga class.

    Cognitive behavorial techniques

    • CBT, or cognitive behavioral techniques, are helpful in re-framing our negative and scarier (helpless) thoughts into self-talk that is more productive. Journal negative thoughts that often surface during the day. For every negative thought, write a more powerful and positive response. Practice changing negative thoughts to positive often, and you'll create a mind that doesn't misfire dangerous messages.

    Nutrition, physical activity and support

    • Increases in adrenaline can also be caused by food and lack of adequate physical activity. Blend a healthier diet by reducing or eliminating caffeine, chocolate and refined sugars with a consistent 20 minutes of daily activity. To reduce the feelings of helplessness, seek out support for understanding and encouragement through friends and family or go online at the Anxiety Disorders Association of America (see the Resources section for a link).

    Exploring medications

    • When experiencing stress, often medications are not required to manage symptoms; however, if you are finding everyday activities inhibited by these symptoms, your doctor may recommend a short course of an anti-anxiety medication. These medications can be addictive and should only be used for 30 to 60 days. For a more chronic anxiety condition, antidepressants have been found to be quite helpful in reducing anxiety. As with any medication, be sure to check with a physician before taking.

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