Beyond Fight or Flight

Let’s delve into the mesmerising world of the survival instincts:

When faced with danger, our bodies don't just prepare to throw punches or run for cover. The fight-or-flight response might be familiar, but there's a whole symphony of survival instincts at play. In this blog, I'll explore the lesser- known but equally crucial responses: freeze and appease. Buckle up as we dive into the dynamic world of survival instincts, uncovering the how, what, and why behind each response.

The Classics: Fight and Flight:

Fight or flight, the dynamic duo of survival. Imagine encountering a beast in the wilderness – your adrenaline spikes, your muscles tense, and you're ready to either throw a punch or sprint. It's a primal response, hardwired into our DNA, designed to prepare us for immediate physical action when faced with a threat.

Enter Freeze:

Now, picture a deer caught in the headlights. That's the freeze response – a state of immobility, a deer in a tense game of predator-prey. When fight or flight seem futile, freezing becomes a survival strategy. It's not a sign of weakness but a response that states: "Maybe if I stay perfectly still, the danger won't see me."

The Unspoken Art of Appeasement:

Imagine diffusing a tense argument with a well-timed joke or a conciliatory gesture. That's the appease response – an attempt to deescalate a threatening situation through submission or cooperation. It's the peacemaker in the survival toolkit, saying, "Let's not fight; let's find common ground."

The Brain's Ballet:

These responses are orchestrated by a dance of neurotransmitters and hormones in the brain. When danger is sensed, the amygdala, our emotional alarm system, sends signals to the hypothalamus, triggering the release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. This chemical cascade readies the body for action, whether it's fighting, fleeing, freezing, or appeasing.

Implications for the Self:

Understanding these responses unveils the complexity of human survival. Your go-to response might depend on the context, past experiences, or even your personality. Someone might be prone to fight when feeling threatened, while another might freeze or try to appease. Recognizing and understanding these responses can foster self-awareness and compassion, both for yourself and others.

The Cause and Reason:

The root of these responses lies in evolution. Our ancestors needed versatile survival strategies to navigate a perilous world. The ability to fight, flee, freeze, or appease increased the chances of survival in different situations. These responses are not just quirks of human behaviour but adaptive mechanisms that have been refined over millennia.

So, the next time you feel a surge of adrenaline or catch yourself in a moment of tense stillness, know that your body is engaged in a timeless dance of survival. While the fight-or-flight response often takes the spotlight, it's important to recognize that freeze and appease are integral players in the intricate tapestry of our survival instincts. Embracing and understanding this dynamic quartet can provide insights into our reactions, fostering a deeper connection with our primal selves and the intricate ballet of survival that unfolds within us.

References 

Aigner, C. (2022). Love or fear? The please/appease survival response: interrupting the cycle of trauma.

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Gray, J. A. (1990). Brain systems that mediate both emotion and cognition. Cognition & emotion, 4(3), 269-288.

Jansen, A. S., Van Nguyen, X., Karpitskiy, V., Mettenleiter, T. C., & Loewy, A. D. (1995). Central command neurons of the sympathetic nervous system: basis of the fight-or-flight response. Science, 270(5236), 644-646.

McCarty, R. (2016). The fight-or-flight response: A cornerstone of stress research. In Stress: Concepts, cognition, emotion, and behavior (pp. 33-37). Academic Press.

McEwen, B. S. (2007). Physiology and neurobiology of stress and adaptation: central role of the brain. Physiological reviews, 87(3), 873-904.

Thompson, Kristen L., Susan M. Hannan, and Lynsey R. Miron, ‘Fight, Flight, and Freeze: Threat Sensitivity and Emotion Dysregulation in Survivors of Chronic Childhood Maltreatment’, Personality and Individual Differences, 69 (2014), 28–32

 Wester, Misse, ‘Fight, Flight or Freeze: Assumed Reactions of the Public During a Crisis’, Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management, 19.4 (2011), 207–14