THE SYMPATHETIC STATE: FIGHT-OR-FLIGHT RESPONSE

When we feel threatened, our sympathetic nervous system automatically kicks in to help us defend ourselves. This is often referred to as the fight-or-flight response.

During the fight-or-flight response, our body releases a burst of adrenaline and other hormones. These hormones increase our heart rate and blood pressure, and they also give us a burst of energy. This extra energy is what we need to either fight or confront the threat, or run away from it.

The fight-or-flight response is a survival mechanism that has evolved over time. In the past, it helped our ancestors survive attacks from wild animals. Today, it helps us survive stressful events like car accidents, mugging attempts, and other dangerous situations.

While the fight-or-flight response is a helpful survival mechanism, it can also become problematic. If we are constantly stressed, our body may remain in a state of high alert, which can lead to health problems. Therefore, it's important to build resistance to the sympathetic response, to ensure that it's only triggered in response to actual threats.

Building this resistance is most effectively done through Play, which is a mixed state blending the Ventral Vagal and Sympathetic Nervous Systems. When we engage in play, we help our body to learn how to regulate the fight-or-flight response, so that it's only activated when we are actually in danger.