Fight or Flight Essay

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Impact on Behavior
When a human is under stress the adrenal glands secrete epinephrine , which is also known as adrenaline (S-cool, 2011) and other stress hormones, like cortisol which is used for long term flight or fight. Adrenaline activates the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) (Plesman & Nutr, Anxiety and the Autonomic Nervous System, 2011). The SNS can then cause anhedonia, which is an inability to feel any pleasure, increased pupil dilation, increased focus, shaking, trembling, dizziness, nausea , fear of vomiting, restless legs, excessive sweating, repetitive thoughts and more. All of these symptoms prepare us for short term flight or fight, where nausea and fear of vomiting could help you ran away before public speaking , the trembling and shaking can help increase your energy levels or being more focused can help you in most situations. So the impact adrenaline has on behaviour can make people more restless, more energetic and ready to fight or flee.

Abnormal Function
Adrenal insufficiency or dysfunction is when the adrenal gland is produces less hormones than it should be, this includes adrenaline. This can be from being overused or having a bad diet. If there is too little adrenaline then the will have an inability to prepare the body for action when faced with stressful or physically painful activities. This means the whole process is cancelled, so the SNS isn’t activated, the body can’t prepare itself to put up a fight and can’t run away. The cortisol isn’t supplied either as there would be an insufficiency of it.
People with adrenal insufficiency normally have the same symptoms as somebody with a low blood sugar level, so anyone who is tired, allergic, is weak, has insomnia, frequent infection, has a low blood pressure or is intolerant to cold. This can be confirmed with blood tests or a more accurate hair mineral analysis. According to research (Eck 2010) less than 25 mg% of sodium, 10 mg % of potassium, a sodium/potassium ratio less than 2.5:1, a sodium/magnesium ratio less than 4.17:1 and a calcium/potassium greater than 10:1 all indicate adrenal insufficiency in a hair mineral analysis. The only treatment for it is cortisone replacement therapy or healthy eating. This includes a wholesome diet, taking simple supplements when needed like, vitamins A, C, E , pantothenic acid, manganese and zinc. Other supplements based on the hair mineral analysis may also be recommended. The correction though varies in time between a few of months to several years.
Even though the adrenaline is being released, so little of it is and is able to activate the SNS like it usually would if was working properly. This means that the SNS doesn’t fill us with energy ready to run away or fight and it doesn’t make us more focused with what is happening around us like it usually would. This also means we will have no way to be able to use our flight or fight instincts.
Bibliography
Buzzle. (n.d.). Adrenal Fatigue System. Retrieved May 17, 2012, from Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/adrenal-fatigue-symptoms.html
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