Have you ever found yourself in a scenario that required you to act quickly in the moment but you just couldn’t move? Or maybe you’ve seen a video of someone pulling a stranger out of harms way and you wondered “how did they do that so quickly?” 

When we encounter a stressor, our bodies immediately enter into fight, flight, or freeze mode. "Your body’s fight-flight-freeze response is triggered by psychological fears. It’s a built-in defense mechanism that causes physiological changes, like rapid heart rate and reduced perception of pain."

We usually experience fight, flight, or freeze when something triggering happens beyond our control. They can show up in every day situations like work meetings, disagreements with a loved one, or in line at the grocery store.

“I was terrified but I made it through the presentation and it went great!” 
“I can’t believe I just stood there and let them talk to me that way”
“I don’t know, I just started to run because everyone else was running”

Last week, I found myself in a scenario that was beyond my control. I immediately found myself in “fight” mode to protect the people around me. When everything cooled down I wondered, “how did I even end up in this scenario?”

Although their actions were not directed towards me, the aggressor did something that triggered an emotional response in me and I found myself responding without thinking.

It turned out fine but stress responses don’t always end that way. Sometimes we freeze when we think we could have done more. The truth is, much of this is out of our control. For folks who constantly deal with anxiety or rejection sensitivity, these scenarios can feel even more overwhelming. 

As we enter a new week, if you find yourself in a “fight, flight, or freeze” scenario, consider this your reminder to give yourself grace no matter how you respond.