What Happens when we get stuck in fight or flight?

When we get stuck in the fight-or-flight response, our nervous system remains in a heightened state of stress, even when there is no immediate danger.

This can lead to chronic anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia, digestive issues, muscle tension, and a weakened immune system. Essentially, the body stays in survival mode, keeping stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline elevated, which can be exhausting over time.

Why Do We Get Stuck in Fight-or-Flight?

• Unresolved Trauma – Past experiences can keep the brain hyper vigilant, expecting danger even when it's not there.

• Chronic Stress – Ongoing work pressure, relationship issues, or financial worries can train the body to stay in a stressed state.

• Nervous System Dysregulation – If the body doesn’t know how to return to a relaxed state, it stays in fight-or-flight as a default.

• Negative Thought Patterns – Persistent anxious thinking reinforces the stress response.

  
  

How Hypnotherapy Helps Break the Cycle

Hypnotherapy works by accessing the subconscious mind, where automatic responses like fight-or-flight are stored. It helps retrain the nervous system and release deep-seated fears or traumas that keep you stuck in stress mode. Here’s how:

1. Induces Deep Relaxation – Hypnosis shifts the brain into a calm, focused state (similar to meditation), signalling the body to switch from fight-or-flight to the parasympathetic rest-and-digest mode.

2. Reprograms Subconscious Patterns – By addressing limiting beliefs and fears, hypnosis can change automatic reactions to stress.

3. Releases Stored Trauma – Guided imagery and suggestion techniques can help re frame traumatic memories and reduce their emotional charge.

4. Enhances Mind-Body Awareness – Hypnotherapy strengthens the connection between the mind and body, making it easier to recognize and regulate stress responses.

5. Builds Emotional Resilience – Hypnosis helps instil positive coping mechanisms, so triggers no longer send you straight into fight-or-flight.

   
   

Over time, with repeated sessions, hypnotherapy can help restore balance to the nervous system, allowing the body to experience calm as the new normal rather than chronic stress.