In the lower brain, there is not a lot of what we call “thinking” going on. It is only about “fight or flight.” Mainly, two thoughts come out of that brain: “kill him” (fight) or “run for your life” (flight). More “action-oriented” than “thinking-oriented,” the lower brain region is where instinctive behavior rules—the so-called fight-or-flight response. And when the options for “fight or flight” aren’t available, it’s as if a giant “freeze” button gets hit. We just shut down entirely. We get paralyzed. Fight, flight, or freeze are the only options when there is a high degree of stress,
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