Fight-or-Flight Consciousness Questions for Contemplation

Let’s contemplate the effects of fight-or-flight triggers. I would like to begin with the most powerfully affected systems associated with the amygdala, emotions. Fight-or-flight triggers can result in a wide variety of extreme, reactive emotional responses. Our experience can be fear or pain. It can be anger, sadness, judgment, depression, anxiety, or any other emotion you experience as suffering. These emotions are all of our uncomfortable feelings. What is the worst emotion you experience in fight-or-flight? How severe does it get?

Our attempt in this program is to strike a balance between understanding the emotional responses we have are not our fault and knowing they are something we can change. It is not effective to address our issues at the level of emotion. How do you feel knowing the emotions you have are not your fault? Have you tried to change your reactions in the past, but been unable to do so? Can you grasp the concept that it is not the emotion you need to change, but the trigger?

During early development, thoughts are something we both inherit and adopt from the environment around us. They are also a direct result of being triggered. Good triggers, good thoughts. Bad triggers, bad thoughts. What repetitive or compulsive thoughts do you wish you didn’t have when triggered? Are there any thoughts you have that cause shame or guilt? Are there thoughts you wish you could avoid?

Monkey-mind is a tendency in many humans to ‘over-think.” A desire to analyze can be a sign that we are triggered. Do you have an uncontrollable urge to ruminate? Habitual thoughts can be as prevalent when triggered as habitual behavior. Do any of your thoughts seem like they do not belong to you or worse, have you let the thoughts you have define you? What if you were capable of thinking in an entirely different way?

Finally, let’s look at the more physical effects of fight-or-flight. As the brain shuts down systems in the body, over time we can experience a lot of physical symptoms. We might experience a common head cold to pain or fatigue, or something more tragic. Whether it is mild or severe, overactive triggers have an adverse effect on our health. It might be an inability to sleep or chronic headaches. It can be everything from mild tension in the body to cancer or autism. Are you suffering any physical conditions you wish you could cure? Are your conditions mild or have they become severe? What might your life be like if you could be free of that suffering?