"The core element of stress, the very foundation of stress, is fight-or-flight syndrome," Glenn said. "Without fight or flight we would not survive as a species. For members of the armed forces, this is how it works: you learn of an upcoming deployment and your energy begins to shift; you start to ramp up mentally, you disengage from your family little by little and you adopt an aggressive mindset to prepare for the hostile environment you're going to be immersed in. As you adopt that mindset and your energy shifts, you begin to produce more adrenaline, glucose and cortisol, which are the very basis of the fight-or-flight response."
Glenn went on to explain that cortisol is the key factor of PTSD. Therefore, individuals who are exposed to high-threat situations that require their bodies to enter into a no-holds-barred state of fight or flight for an extended period of time are more likely to experience unpleasant symptoms, similar to withdrawal, upon returning to an environment with nonthreatening conditions...."
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