Fight Or Flight (CYP)
This handout helps children and young people understand what happens in their body and brain when they feel scared or in danger, using simple words and pictures to explain the “fight or flight” response.
Fight or Flight (CYP)
This Fight Or Flight tool shows how your body reacts when you feel scared. It can help you understand the normal things that happen inside you when you're frightened.
Overview
The fight or flight response is an automatic, evolutionarily conserved physiological reaction to perceived threat or danger. It involves activation of the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system, leading to changes such as increased heart rate, rapid breathing, pupil dilation, and the release of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. These changes prepare the body to either confront (fight) or evade (flight) a threat.
While adaptive in short-term situations, repeated or inappropriate activation of this response – especially in the absence of actual danger – is associated with anxiety disorders and other stress-related conditions. This handout, specifically designed for children and young people, offers a clear explanation of the fight or flight response, supporting psychoeducation and therapeutic work focused on anxiety, trauma, and emotional regulation.
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