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DefensephysiologyWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Defensephysiology
FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Defensephysiologyisatermusedtorefertothesymphonyofbodyfunction(physiology)changeswhichoccurin
responsetoastressorthreat.
Whenthebodyexecutesthefightorflight"reactionorstressresponse,thenervoussysteminitiates,coordinates
anddirectsspecificchangesinhowthebodyisfunctioning(physiology),preparingthebodytodealwiththe
threat.(SeealsoGeneralAdaptationSyndrome.)

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Definitions
Physiologicalreactionstothreat(orperceivedthreat)
Durationofthreatanditsdifferentphysiologicaleffectsonthenervoussystem.
Seealso

Definitions
stress:Asitpertainstothetermdefensephysiology,thetermstressreferstoaperceivedthreattothecontinued
functioningofthebody/lifeaccordingtoitscurrentstate.
threat:Whatconstitutesathreatasitpertainstodefensephysiology?Athreatmaybeconsciouslyrecognizedor
not.Aphysicalevent(aloudnoiseorcarcollision),achemicalorabiologicalagentwhichalters(orhasthe
possibilitytoalter)bodyfunction(physiology)awayfromoptimumorhealthyfunctioning(orawayfromits
currentstateoffunctioning)maybeperceivedasathreat(alsocalledastressor).
Lifecircumstances,thoughposingnoimmediatephysicaldanger,couldbeperceivedasathreat.Anythingthat
couldchangethecontinuingofthepersonslifeastheyarecurrentlyexperiencingitcouldbeperceivedasathreat.

Physiologicalreactionstothreat(orperceivedthreat)
Athreatmaybeeitherempirical(anoutsideobservermayagreethattheeventorcircumstanceposesathreat)ora
priori(anoutsideobserverwouldnotagreethattheeventorcircumstanceposesathreat).Whatisimportanttothe
individual,intermsofthebodysresponse,isthatathreatisperceived.
Theperceptionofathreatmayalsotriggeranassociatedfeelingofdistress.Physiologicalreactionstriggeredby
mindcannotdifferentiateboththephysicalormentalthreatseparately,Hencethe"fightorflight"responseof
mindforthebothreactionswillbesame.

Durationofthreatanditsdifferentphysiologicaleffectsonthenervous
system.
AcuteStressReactionThebodyexecutestheFightorflightreactiontogetthebodyoutofdangerquickly.
Whenthetimingbetweenthethreatandtheresolutionofthethreatareclose,thefightorflight"reactionis
executed,thethreatishandled,andthebodyreturnstoitspreviousstate(takingcareofthebusinessoflife
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DefensephysiologyWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

digestion,relaxation,tissuerepairetc.).Thebodyhasevolvedtostayinthismodeforonlyashorttime.
ChronicStressStateWhenthetimingbetweenthethreatandtheresolutionofthethreataremoredistant(the
threatortheperceptionofthreatisprolongedorotherthreatsoccurbeforethebodyhasrecovered),thefightor
flight"reactioncontinuesandbecomesthenewstandardoperatingconditionofthebody,chronicDefense
Physiology.Continuinginthismodeproducessignificantnegativeeffects(distress)inmanyaspectsofbody
functioning(physical,mentalandemotionaldistress).

Seealso
Hypothalamicpituitaryadrenalaxis
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