We humans don’t come with an instruction manual. If we did, I suspect we’d do a better job of getting through life with less pain and more joy.

Human behavior has evolved over time. What worked for us humans a few thousand years ago may not be as helpful today. So while our behavior adapts to the changing times and environment, it’s thought that it never completely forgets its evolutionary roots.

One of the driving forces of some human behavior is something called the “fight or flight response” (also known as the acute stress response). This is the psychology term that describes one of the ways we can react when under stress.

Understanding the purpose of the fight or flight response can lead to greater insights into our own behavior when we’re stressed out.

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