The Fight Or Flight Syndrome

The Fight Or Flight SyndromeThe argue or flight solution was coined by Cannon and refers to the physiological reactions that prepare us for a strenuous efforts required by turn oning or bombardmentning away, (Martin, Carlson Buskit, 2010, p 750). There is severalize for and against the modern man/women being ill be reason of the fight or flight syndrome. For example if the variant is short-term past there depart be no adverse cause but if the focal point is prolonged that individual could be vulnerable to illnesses both psychological issues (depression) and physiological problems (heart disease). However, this is dependent on several factors that may act as a buffer against stress such as their self-esteem, coping strategies and other individual differences like soulfulnessality.Lazarus and Launier (1978) regarded stress as a consummation between stress and the environment, (cited in Ogden, 2012, p 290). There are several physiological responses to stress such as heart rate increase, blood draw rise, blood sugar level rise, digestion stopping and adrenaline release. These help the tree trunk to be alert and ready, therefore whether they flee or fight. Normally after the body is stable, but if the stress is prolonged consequently it has negative effects. For example, the digestion stopping may font stomach ulcers consistent blood sugar rise can cause diabetes and heart rate differences can cause coronary heart disease. This turn outs how much a person has changed from prehistoric times, where the only response was to fight or run away, to instanter where modern stressors are complex so this response is no longer appropriate and Cannon saw that it could make a modern person ill, (Martin, Carlson Buskit, 2010).The responses to stress link with Selyes General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS), which has three stages the first stage is the alarm stage which involves the autonomic nervous system. Then the resistance stage is reached and then the exhaust ion stage, where the person/animal loses their ability to adapt and leaves them vulnerable to illnesses (Martin, Carlson Buskit, 2010). This shows that the stress response will be advantageous in the short-term but if the exhaustion stage is reached it can have detrimental effects on that person. However, Selyes theory might not be valid due to generalisation problems he carried come forward his study on animals, whose processes and responses are be different to humans (Martin, Carlson Buskit, 2010).There are two main groups of physiological changes. The first is sympathetic activation where a stressor triggers the nervous system in this region to produce adrenaline so this produces the fight or flight response. This activates hypothalamic pituitary adrenocortical (HPA) activity, this is similar to GAS, and this changes the wampum stores and releases endorphins that act as pain relief ready to fight, (Ogden, 2012). This shows how the fight or flight responses in the body can be beneficial short-term.There is grounds for and against the fight or flight response causing the modern man to be ill but the outcome is dependent on factors that could modify the effects. wholeness example is personality if they have a hardy personality (Kobasa, 1977, cited in Sanders Suls, 1982) or if they strive when stressed it acts as a buffer against stress, (George, Everly Lating, 2002). People with a type A personality (see stress as positive) are motivated by stress and succeed when in this state, (Friedman and Rosenman, 1959, cited in Hayes, 2000). Nevertheless, if the persons personality is opposite then theyre more in all probability to get ill from stress, therefore helping to prove the statement true. Additionally, their self-esteem can effect this too a person who has lowly self-esteem and low global self-esteem (negative evaluation of oneself turns to self-doubt and self-rejection) are more likely to get stressed then a person with last self-esteem, (Schrami, P erski, Grossi Simonsson-Sarnecki, 2010). These factors make a person less susceptible and therefore helps disprove whether fight or flight responses make people ill. However, some data for this was stack away by questionnaire so the findings may not be valid due to social desirability bias.Another factor that can act as modifier against stress is coping strategies. Selk (1973) stated that what makes us ill now is different to what do us ill before, for example more psychological problems occur now e.g. mental disorders (Esch, Stefano, Fricchione Benson, 2002) then physical ones and it depends on how that person deals with their environment, (Klirts Moos, 1974, cited in George, Everly Lating, 2002). A lot of research has stated the importance of social support to act as a buffer against stress, and can help prevent burnout, (Etzion, 1984). For example, good communication with your partner can decrease marital problems and stress. Social support works by motivating the individua l and adding need-fulfilment. Women have better interpersonal skills so seek social support and therefore are less prone to stress in this particular way. Norris and Murrel (1990) suggest that low social support and a stressful aliveness event e.g. death of a loved one is more likely to cause long-term stress. However, they state the complexity of the term social support as there are many different varieties and of differing levels. Another coping dodging is to gain a new activity this gets you out, having fun and keeping that persons mind off the stressor(s) (Norris and Murrel, 1990). This shows that social support is important and lack of it can help to cause the negative effects of stress, (even more so when faced with a stressful life event). Therefore, suggesting that the fight or flight response can make psyche ill in the wrong circumstances. However, other things must be taken into account individual differences e.g. what strategy suits them best and if they have a new ho bby.Findings from studies show that both cognitive diathesis and the stress component (more environmental causes) go together to help suggest why people get stressed. Research shows that stressful life events trigger the susceptibility to stress this put with other more biological factors like low self-esteem can make the person more vulnerable. This shows how the diathesis-stress deterrent example can help relieve that its not just one factor that contributes to the fight or flight response making an individual ill, its a peck of factors (both environmental and biological) that help explain the negative effects of stress. If its biological causes then some coping strategies used to combat the responses of fight or flight will not work as effectively as treatments that focus on genetic influences e.g. a hereditary hardy personality. However, it might be too earliest to come to this conclusion because more research needs to be done in this area, but its an effective explanation t hat takes an eclectic approach to explain that the fight or flight can have its benefits but with the wrong diathesis and vulnerability to stress can show that a person can be made ill, (Zvolenskya, Kotovb, Antipovac Schmidtd, 2003).Nevertheless, there might be a problem with the fight or flight response itself not the modern day man. It hasnt been updated even though our stress response has changed and ignores research carried out since it was coined by Cannon in the 1920s. It mischaracterised the order in which the responses occur. A new sequence by Gray can explain the responses better for more modern times, it begins with the freeze response so the person/animal remains undetected. Then an attempt to flee and then a find to fight occurs. Another model is the stop, look, listen approach which might be more valid today and is used in many military operations, which to a fault relates to the freeze response. Additionally, the fright response (tonic immobility) or in other words playing dead is reached. This updates the fight or flight response to be freeze, flight, fight or fright. This revelation shows that there is a problem with the fight or flight response, that its responsible for illness in the modern day man/women encountering stress and that it needs adapting to new scenarios that could be encountered now, (Does fight or flight need updating?).The evidence suggests that the fight or flight response can be beneficial, but with the wrong circumstances and if the stress is prolonged then it can make an individual ill. Nevertheless, this can be affected by certain modifying effects for example, if the person has suitable/effective coping strategies. Other aspects of the argument, like whether the fight or flight response needs updating is important to take into account. Its button up unclear what causes stress is it biology or environmental causes? Therefore, more research needs to be done on the causes so the treatments can be looked at for reliabil ity and validity. Additionally, then more information will be available on whether the fight or flight response does cause illnesses or is it a positive relationship.Word count 1340/1320. Citations- 116.