Navigating Stress: Fight, Flight, and Freeze Response

I sang at a concert many years ago. While I was waiting to sing I experienced flight, fight, and freeze responses in different stages. Of course, this happened more than 15 years ago, and you tend to over-dramatize it because you want to tell a good story, right? But no, I am pretty sure I experienced it.

I sat in the first row, waiting for my turn to sing. I was wearing a burgundy-colored dress. Very chic, said the vocal coach that gave me an acceptance look as soon as she saw me. The black folder with sheet music was almost slipping out of my hands. I was sweating like a maniac. My heart lifted my chest with every beat. My breath was shallow. I felt nauseous, my pupils dilated, and my mouth was getting dry.?

I was experiencing the flight or fight response. It′s like being inside a bubble. Everything happens in slow motion - you′re trapped in fear. When I first entered the auditorium I noticed the exit door at the back. My exit door in case I needed to escape. For a brief moment, I saw myself running out through that door. I saw myself from behind, my chic burgundy-colored dress disappearing into the night…

I was experiencing flight or fight responses.

The stress I felt was illogical - the logical part of me knew that. I was safe in the auditorium. The concert was organized by a Voice Forum and consisted of voice teachers and their most promising students. It was a beautiful evening and the sun was slowly disappearing. I had some family members in the audience - they were there to support me. It wasn′t dangerous. Just a lovely moment of art organized by music lovers for music lovers.?

So I stayed.?

I went up on stage and delivered. As soon as I sang the first tone, after a deep breath that calmed me down - I freed myself from the flight & fight response and let muscle memory take over. I was Liu and interpreted the aria: Signore Ascolta from the opera Turandot, by Puccini. Thanks to my preparation I pulled it off. This is, I believe, the preferred response when you're performing.

Now, there's also the freeze response. I mentioned that I had to navigate fight, flight, and freeze responses. I need to correct that now that my memories are coming alive. Before I sang I was supposed to give an introduction to my piece. Since I thought it was too long I decided to cut half of it. I knew that my voice teacher (very chic) was against me doing this. We had discussed it but couldn't agree. So after the concert, I told her that I had “frozen” at that moment. But it was just an excuse (artistic freedom if you like. :)

So, it wasn’t a freeze response - that’s more severe and I wouldn’t have been able to move and take action if I was going through that. Children that experience trauma and feel unprotected can suffer from it.

Anyway, can something be learned from this?

This is what I’ve learned: To perform in front of an audience is unnatural to humans - the sympathetic nervous system sees it as a threat and something we need to fight against, run away from or play dead. It's not inherent in humans to perform in front of big crowds.

But if we decide to perform it’s our responsibility to create a safe environment for ourselves and our audience. We deal with the uncomfortableness of it. We expose ourselves to the threat, handle it and show our audience that it’s okay.?

We need to be prepared before coming on stage. And if we focus on our why, and our purpose - we can still do it.

And do it well!