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begins with the adrenal glands (a member of the endocrine system) increasing its secretion and output of specific hormones-adrenaline, non-adrenaline & epinephrine, which in turn activates the sympathetic nervous system (a part of the autonomous system). Electric impulses from this system stimulate a specific area of a portion of brain called hypothalamus. There are cells of this system in the hypothalamus and its nerves go to the heart, blood vessels, intestines and bladder, releasing non-adrenaline at their endings. This results in what is called sympathetic dominance and the appropriate physiological changes viz. rise in bloodpressure, acceleration of heart-rate, increased metabolic activity and respiration and a rise in blood sugar. All this is in the preparation for 'fight or flight (FOF)'. Thus the response to a stressful situation is an integrated action of the nervous and endocrine system.
A Bliss turned into a Curse
All animals including human beings possess this innate mechanism and its response which prepares one for fight for flight (FOF) is involuntary. Appropriate physiological changes include increased blood-pressure and heart-rate; increased rate of breathing and body metabolism; marked increase in the flow of blood to the muscles of arms and legs. When stressful situations regularly reccur, the 'FOFmechanism' is repeatedly activated and will ultimately resuIt in hypertentions (permanent high blood-pressure), ulcers and various other maladies indicative of unbalanced increased sympathetic activity. The mechanism was indeed a bliss for our primitive ancestors. Its successful use being a matter of survival, their reactions were highly developed and we, naturally, had to inherit these highly developed reflex actions. But unfortunately there are significant differences between the ancient and the modern environments. We chronically trigger the FOF mechanism but the response is not used, as it was intended, in running or fighting. Though the conditions needing behavioural adjustment are
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