Question

According to Psychology: From Inquiry to Understanding (3rd ed.), describe a time when your sympathetic nervous system kicked into gear and you experienced the fight-or-flight reaction. What did it feel like? “The Autonomic Nervous System” in Unit 2 of the textbook, pages105 - 106

Answer 1

In fight-or-flight response to acute stress, the body's sympathetic nervous system is activated due to the sudden release of hormones. The sympathetic nervous systems stimulate the adrenal glands triggering the release of catecholamines, which include adrenaline and noradrenaline.

The part of the brain the initiates the automatic part of the fight or flight response, the amygdala, can't distinguish between a real threat and a perceived threat. Sometimes the perceived threat is so intense it triggers a "freeze" response.

In response to acute stress, the body's sympathetic nervous system is activated due to the sudden release of hormones. The sympathetic nervous systems stimulate the adrenal glands triggering the release of catecholamines, which include adrenaline and noradrenaline. This results in an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate. After the threat is gone, it takes between 20 to 60 minutes for the body to return to its pre-arousal levels.