Fight or Flight?

I have been busy with Hypnotherapy clients lately which prompted me to tell you about the fight and flight we have in all of us.

Many seek healing for many different ailments but so often those health issues stem from stress that has arisen from difficult issues in their lives and even from life changing situations. We all experience worry and stress at times but if not addressed this can lead to long term illness which can be life threatening.

Whenever you are faced with a stressful situation the hypothalamus stimulates the pituitary gland to send a signal through the nervous system to the adrenal glands to release hormones to prepare your body to take flight or to stay and fight. The sympathetic nerves instantly bring about changes to prepare you for this. Some of these include a rise in blood pressure, faster, shallower breathing, tiredness and muscle fatigue..

The fight or flight reflex was beneficial for your ancestors who often had to face life threatening situations. The sympathetic nerves prepared your body for action and when the situation was over, the parasympathetic nerves allowed the body to return homeostasis with no ill effects.

Modern life produces situations which are stressful but rarely life threatening. The sympathetic nerves come into play and if the situation is not dealt with your body remains in a state of high alert. This leads to long term health issues such high blood pressure, muscle tension, digestive disorders to name but a few. The parasympathetic nerves do not get a chance to promote rest and recovery. What starts as minor disorders can end up as life threatening illnesses.

It is easy to focus your attention on the material world and fail to consider what is going on within your own well-being. The most important step you can take is time to understand yourself, to identify what changes need to be made. Healing and other therapies can help you but will not resolve the symptoms unless the cause is identified and action taken. Help is always available once the problem is identified. Blaming others for problems solves nothing. Action is necessary for positive change.

If you are struggling with something that is stopping you living your life in a harmonious way then hypnotherapy may help you make the changes you need to move forward. If you would like to book a consultation get in touch