“Dealing with your STRESS is a separate process from dealing with the things that cause your stress. To deal with your STRESS, you have to COMPLETE THE CYCLE.”
Emily Nagoski, PhD/Amelia Nagoski, DMA
Burnout: The Secret To Unlocking The Stress Cycle
What we refer to as “Stress” can be broken down into three parts:
- STRESSORS: the triggers that activate the stress response in your body. Triggers can be both external and internal. These stressors cause a stress response in our body.
STRESS RESPONSES: we experience a stress response anytime our Central Nervous System registers any stressor as too much, too fast, or too soon. We may go into Fight, Flight, Freeze, or Fawn. STRESS CYCLES: our goal is to complete the stress cycle in our bodies by giving ourselves what we really need to either calm down or to re-energize. When we get triggered by a stressor, our
FLIGHTFREEZEFAWN“The FIGHT response happens when you feel you're in danger, but you believe you can overpower the threat.“
You feel like punching someone or somethingYour jaw is tight, or you grind your teethYou glare at people or talk to them with anger in your voiceYou feel like stomping or kickingYou feel intense angerYou feel like killing someone, perhaps even yourselfYour stomach feels tied in knots, or you have a burning feeling in your stomachannoyedfrustratedangryirateenraged“When you believe you can overcome the danger by running away, your brain prepares your body for FLIGHT.”
You feel numbness in your extremitiesYour eyes dilate and dart aroundYou constantly move your legs and feetYou're fidgetyYou're tenseYou feel trappedYou exercise excessivelyworriedanxiousscaredfrightenedterrified“When you feel neither running nor fighting is the best choice, you can freeze instead:”
You have numbness in your bodyYour skin is paleYou feel stiff or heavyYou have a sense of dreadYour heart is poundingYour heart rate may decreaseYou feel yourself tolerating the stressnumbimmobilizeddisconnectedpetrified“When you've tried fight, flight, or freeze several times without success, you may find yourself using the fawn response… your only hope of survival might be compliance and helpfulness… you are more concerned about making them (people who’ve triggered you) happy than about doing what's right for you.”
(“Fight, Flight, Freeze: How To Recognize It And What To Do When It Happens.”
If you know that you need help identifying your stressors, managing stress responses, and/or closing your stress cycles, email me to schedule a complimentary happy hour call.
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