ANXIETY SYMPTOMS AND 'FIGHT OR FLEE'
Physical anxiety symptoms result from the body re-directing resources to the major
muscle groups (legs / arms / chest) to provide them with an energy boost to prepare
us for action (ultimately to fight or flee).
* Our breathing becomes more rapid to get more oxygen for these muscles into the blood.
* Our heartbeat speeds up to get the blood to the muscles quicker.
* Blood is diverted from the brain (making us light-headed and dizzy) and the stomach (causing 'butterflies').
* Energy cannot be wasted processing any half-digested food in our system so we need to get rid of it quickly - either through the mouth
(feelings of nausea) or the other end (wanting to go to the toilet).
* Other 'energy-wasting ' systems (unnecessary in time of danger) are shut down eg. saliva production, giving us a dry mouth and difficulty
swallowing.
* We sweat more to cool down all this energy production.
* The energy boost to the muscles makes them 'jumpy'/ 'jittery'/ 'jelly-like'/ on-edge ready for action.
 
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Needing the Toilet / Nausea It takes many hours and numerous body resources to extract the nutrients and process the waste from any food that we have eaten – time and resources we can't spare in an emergency. As such, any half-digested food needs to be got rid of quickly either from the mouth or the other end. It probably depends on where the food is sitting in our system (the top half or bottom half) as to which way is possible to expel it. |
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Nausea Anxiety |
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This fight-or-flight response also explains why we often have no appetite or feel sick at the thought of food when we are anxious, and
it is something we can experience when we are mildy nervous, very anxious or panic-stricken:- .  |
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