Panic Pattern: Fight or Flight

Fighting for your life with an attacker, running from a heard of buffalo or dealing with an unreasonable boss or partner—all can put you into a stressful panic pattern.

The human body is uniquely equipped to face emanate danger. Within moments, your body will marshal the energy to think faster and focus intently. You can instantly make a decision to “confront and fight” or “avoid and take flight.” At that very moment, your body can hit harder, see and hear better, jump higher and if necessary, run faster than ever before. 

To accomplish this extraordinary feat, your heart starts pumping faster (2-3 times faster) supplying nutrient-rich blood to the major muscles in your arms and legs, while the tiny blood vessels below the skin surface close down to sustain a surface wound. As this occurs, your skin turns pale and clammy. You sweat more to cool the hard-working muscles and make them more efficient. Even your eyes dilate so you can see better.

To help sustain this mode, the body systems not needed to encounter the threat immediately shut down. Digestion and sexual function stop and even our immune system is temporarily halted. Excess waste can even be eliminated to make you light on your feet and possibly deter an intruder.

When the danger passes, it is essential that you rest to de-stress your body, restore your energy and bring all blocked functions back on line. And, that is what this article is all about.

In our Scottsdale world, your peril may come in a far different form than a wild beast or terrorist. It may come in the form of an unreasonable boss, a festering business problem, a domineering partner, relative or even a relentless government official (non-local, of course). Such stress can be just as devastating and have a longer lasting affect on your body.

In such instances, you cannot run away or immediately combat the threat. While you may be able to use your super powers to handle an immediate single event, you probably will not be able to physiologically relax. Therefore, you continue to remain in a structurally sheltered position (similar to a fetal post) that keeps you in the flight-or-fight mode. This is known as the “panic pattern” and can eventually become “locked” in place, with pain radiating from the neck, across the upper back, over your shoulders and down into your arms.

As this state of unresolved hyper-vigilant stress develops, it causes a buildup of stress hormones resulting in panic attacks of aggression, anxiousness, irritability and exhaustion. Eventually, your immune system is weakened and various stress disorders may develop, such as headaches, high blood pressure, sexual dysfunction, insomnia, chronic fatigue, depression and heart disease. It can also contribute to the intensity of allergies, shortness of breath, autoimmune disorders and premature aging.

A study of 3,369 healthy post menopausal women, age 51-83, found those who had panic stress attacks to have four times greater chance of heart attacks with a two times greater risk of death. A similar Harvard study notes that anxiety in men is becoming the greatest risk factor, increasing the chance of cardiac arrest by a factor of six.

While prescription drugs are frequently used to temporarily mask anxiety, they also dehydrate the body, dull the senses and may have other serious side effects. Therefore, more individuals are seeking a natural way to unlock the panic pattern.

A short series of gentle physical adjustments made to the coccyx (tailbone), allows it to return to its normal posture position. This releases tension on the meningeal system (the meninges surrounds/protects the brain and spinal cord are anchored to the coccyx and tightens to gird you for battle). A second set of relieving adjustments are made to the sternum (breastbone) which can also become frozen under stress, as it moves forward to protect your lungs and heart.

While the true cause of your nagging emotional peril may not be possible to resolve quickly, if ever, you owe it to yourself to keep your body in the best possible working condition. By releasing the lock on your panic pattern, you will be better equipped to think and act creatively, thus gaining more control over your life. It’s good health sense.

Dr. Dan Secrest is a practicing physician at Secrest Family Chiropractic on Hayden & Osborn Roads in Scottsdale and mentors doctors around the globe. He is the former radio host of his own talk show in Phoenix and has appeared on radio, TV and in the local press. The advice given in this column is for informational/entertainment purposes only and you should consult your physician before proceeding. Should you have a health question or other inquiry, you may contact Dr. Dan through this web site at info@SecrestFamilyChiropractic.comor through his office at 480-994-4411