Anytime someone perceives a stressor, a physiological change occurs. This physical response prepares a person for “fight or flight,” which is a strategy for survival. It creates a heightened state of excitement, tension, and readiness.Heart and respiratory rates increaseSugars and fats are released into circulation (for quick energy)Blood vessels to the extremities constrictBlood pressure risesMuscles tense (for quick action)Digestive system becomes less activeSense of sight and fear are heightenedSweating occursAdrenalin and noradrenalin are releasedIf the person facing the stressor has appropriate resources to resolve the situation, these physiological effects rapidly diminish and the body returns to the pre-stressor state. If the person lacks the resources to resolve the situation, the body stays in the condition described above. Continued stressors that exceed an individual’s capacity to resolve, result in the person being in an almost continual state of high excitement and tension.Over time, this state degrades one’s physical condition, as it puts the body under a very heavy load. At this point, one begins to see quite a few outward signs and manifestations of this state of continuous fight or flight.