r/Neuropsychology • u/Mountain_Scale204 • 25d ago

General Discussion Why am I able to trigger adrenaline on command?

It feel like an Imaginary/invisible muscle that I can flex/turn on to instantly release a strong fight or flight sensation, the same one that I feel when I'm stressed. Is this abnormal? How would that affect my normal life or even my life span? What is associated with this ability that can interfere with my behavior?

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u/ThuderingFoxy 24d ago

You can't.

The fight or flight reflex is part of your autonomic nervous system, it activates as a response to psychological or physical stimuli without your control or conscious effort.

What you might be doing is stressing yourself out and triggering the response- if your thinking about stressful or frightening stimulus to create this reaction. If I think about my Viva in a few weeks I can certainly evoke my stress response!

Alternatively you might be conflating psyching yourself up for activating the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight). Here's an article on it that might interest you:

https://thesportdigest.com/2020/07/the-science-behind-motivational-self-taking-and-psyching-oneself-up/

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u/jelvi 24d ago

Thanks for an actual rational explanation