Stuck in Fight Flight or Freeze?

It’s been another crazy couple of weeks added on to the last crazy 2 years !!  The landscape seems to change daily and we could feel less and less in control of all aspects of our lives.  In the clinic  I keep hearing things like:

” I can’t handle stress like I use to” or I feel “Fight, Flight and Freeze all in one day” or I am so tired and my joints hurt” or “I feel swollen of puffy” or my “Blood Pressure is High” or I can’t seem to lose weight” or I have IBS type symptoms”  or my hormones are all over the place” and the list goes on.

Here is the other thing I am noticing:

Patients are stuck in flight or fight and it feels normal!!! IT’S SUBTLE,  it occurs over decades and is insidious. You often can’t see yourself.

 Me have my hand up… I was raised as a tough little soldier and still have a hard time sitting still after many many years of Yoga and Breath Work practice!

HINTS THAT YOU MIGHT BE Stuck in Fight Flight or Freeze?

Do you overwork?
When you’re hurt, you bury your feelings and proceed to help others and neglect self care or WORK MORE? 
Do you talk fast & never breathe properly?
Are you always in your head & disconnected from your body?
You’re always thinking, analyzing, chewing on something 
You can’t go to sleep or stay asleep
You aren’t ok being still 
If you stop you feel like you might cry 
You’ve had a traumatic childhood or continuous stressors in your life 
You feel fearful & pessimistic. 
You feel like you don’t belong or are you indecisive and can’t make a decision

MALADAPTIVE STRESS RESPONSE

This kind of trauma will stop proper hormone production. Stop proper digestion. Stop your happiness/joy & cause disease over time. 

How to REST and REPAIR

First is takes time and daily attention.

• Spend Time in Nature
• Allow your eyes to look to the Horizon. Panoramic or peripheral vision is associated with activation of the parasympathetic nervous system.  We experience feeling safe and calm and with having a broad yet flexible awareness of your surroundings. A great practice if you sit at a computer all day long.
• Meditation and Journaling helps us organize our thoughts and forces us to look inside and deal with our feelings.
• Movement that is intentional and slow like Yoga or Zone 2 training
• Slow down when you eat.
• Limit Caffeine Intake
• Scream and Laugh… Yep… these activities stimulate Vagal Activity
• Breath-work : Every cell in our body needs adequate Oxygen to be healthy!

I have provided a link to my Breath-work Blog for you for more information about my favorites and how to pick your favorite.

“Breath-work changes your state and therefore your environment”

If you are feeling stuck in Flight, Fight or Freeze and you need support please contact me.

Here to help educate and empower you to live your best life

Have a Healthy Week

Dr Pia