Freeze, Flight or Fight

Over countless generations, humans brains evolved a powerful mechanism to perceive and respond to threats quickly: the famous "freeze, flight or fight" (FFF) reaction. For humans today, where threats are rarely life-or-death, this instinctual reaction may not serve us as well. We can't turn the "freeze, flight or fight" reaction off (and probably shouldn't try, just in case), but we can make it work for us.

When I was a defense attorney, nothing got my hackles up more than feeling that a prosecutor or investigator was playing the system. For example, if I thought the prosecution was improperly withholding evidence, I would file a blizzard of motions to fight back against the perceived injustice. Unfortunately, this wasn't always the most productive use of my time.

I was in the grips of what psychologists call an "amygdala hijack."

Instead of giving our autonomic systems free rein over our actions, we can take steps to put our higher brains back in charge:

Know your "FFF" symptoms and acknowledge that you can't (and shouldn't try) to stop them.

- Thankfully, because the amygdala is autonomic, it has a fairly limited "toolbox" of response actions so you probably won't have to think too hard to figure out what an amygdala hijack looks and feels like for you.
- Some common signs are: sweaty palms, clammy skin, clenched jaw, and flared nostrils. Some slightly more subtle reactions may include: feelings of stupor, feelings of dread or sudden tears.
- Regardless of the specifics, the key is to notice the physical and emotional reactions that seem to arise instantaneously in non-pleasurable settings without conscious thought or reflection.

Calm the amygdala and reboot the frontal lobes.

- Use a breathing technique such as "box breathing" (link) or a double inhale/long exhale (link). Personally, I like two quick exhales. Additionally, you may want to hold a small, inobtrusive object (link) with a comforting tactile feel to calm your system.
- Ask your FFF feelings: "Is this really true? What evidence is there right now?" These questions can help your pre-frontal cortex engage which can serve as a counterbalance to the reactions flowing from your amygdala.

Ask yourself one of three questions related to the particular FFF response you are experiencing:

- Freeze: Do I need to act?
  - Sometimes a pause is the right response when feeling an amygdala hijack, even if it's not planned. On the other hand, sometimes a response is needed. Try a small step to break the circuit. It might be as simple as nodding your head-- much more may not be possible at the moment.
- Flight: Do I need to engage?
  - Leaving a bad situation quickly is sometimes the right response. But interrogating the desire to flee first gives your brain options. You don't have to have a response in mind-- just ask yourself why you want to leave.
- Fight: Do I need to center?
  - When genuinely threatened with no other options, an immediate aggressive response may be warranted. However, in a workplace or classroom setting, there generally are other options. An aggressive response without a deliberate outcome in mind generally won't return you to the status quo which is what you need in an amygdala hijack situation.
  - Mentally shift to neutral, and give yourself permission to take action in a moment.

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