Understanding Fear: The Difference Between the ‘Threat Response’ and the ‘Challenge Response’

Scientific studies using functional MRI of the brain show that fear is a driver for chronic pain and other neuroplastic symptoms. In fact, fear is usually behind our desperation to find an answer, our excessive focus on a symptom or when we brace ourselves to try and cope with or avoid things that we know will cause pain.

Fear is an emotion that is deeply embedded in our psyche, designed to keep us safe. It’s an unconscious, primal response that alerts us to potential dangers in our environment, triggering physiological changes to prepare us to act quickly. But fear isn’t just one-dimensional; it can prompt us to either retreat or rise to the occasion, depending on how our brains perceive the situation. This distinction in response is often referred to as the “threat response” versus the “challenge response.” Although subtle, the difference between the two can have a significant impact on our mental and physical well-being.

The Threat Response: Survival at All Costs

When we face a perceived danger, our bodies may go into a “threat response.” This reaction includes the “fight-or-flight” response, and it’s one that evolved to help us survive in the face of real, immediate threats to our safety. Imagine encountering a wild animal on a hike or narrowly avoiding a car accident. The brain registers the danger and sends a cascade of signals through the nervous system, leading to a rapid release of adrenaline, cortisol, and other stress hormones. The heart rate increases, the muscles tense, and non-essential functions—like digestion—temporarily shut down. These physiological changes are meant to prepare us to escape or confront the danger head-on.

In today’s world, however, the threats we encounter are rarely physical. Instead, we experience stress from social and relationship interactions, work pressures, financial worries. Yet even these abstract threats can trigger the same primal threat response. Our bodies react as though they are facing a physical danger, which can be taxing when experienced frequently. In fact, chronic activation of the threat response is linked to various health problems, including chronic pain and other neuroplastic conditions, heart disease, immune system dysfunction and mental health disorders.

The Challenge Response: Turning Stress into Motivation

On the other side, there is the “challenge response,” which arises when we encounter a demanding situation but perceive it as something we can handle. In a challenge response, the body’s reactions still include increased heart rate and energy, but there are notable differences compared to the threat response. Instead of releasing cortisol (the “stress hormone”), the body produces a mix of adrenaline and dopamine, which leads to heightened focus, excitement and a sense of readiness.

Think of an athlete standing on the starting line before a race or a public speaker moments before stepping on stage. The physiological activation is there, but it’s a state of arousal that enhances performance rather than constricting it. The challenge response supports learning and resilience, helping us to stay engaged and energized in the face of difficulty.

What Makes the Difference?

What determines whether we respond to a stressful situation as a threat or a challenge? The answer lies largely in our perception and context. If we believe a situation could harm us, or that we lack the resources to handle it, we’re more likely to experience a threat response. On the other hand, if we see a situation as an opportunity for growth and feel prepared to face it, a challenge response is more likely.

Our individual experiences, personality traits and beliefs, including beliefs about ourselves, play a crucial role. For example, people with a strong sense of self-efficacy—meaning they believe in their ability to overcome obstacles—are more likely to experience a challenge response. Past experiences also contribute: if we have succeeded in similar situations before, we’re more likely to view new challenges as manageable.

Why Cultivating a Challenge Response Matters

Understanding and nurturing a challenge response can have profound benefits. Physiologically, the challenge response doesn’t carry the same health risks as the threat response. Rather than overwhelming the body, it promotes resilience by reinforcing positive coping mechanisms. Over time, regularly engaging in a challenge response can make us more confident and better able to handle future stressors.

Psychologically, a challenge mindset fosters growth. By viewing stressful situations as opportunities to learn, we become more adaptable and open to new experiences. This mindset shift also helps break the cycle of chronic stress. When we learn to interpret stress as something beneficial, we lower our baseline levels of anxiety and improve our overall well-being. This is why educating yourself about pain science if you have chronic pain, and then reframing any fears related to the pain, your body and movement, helps to move you away the threat response to a challenge response. This in itself helps remove the need for the pain as a protective response from what was being perceived as a threat.

Moving from Threat to Challenge: Practical Steps

1. Reframe the Situation: The first step is to change how we perceive stress. Instead of focusing on potential failure, try seeing the situation as a chance to test your abilities and grow. Studies suggest that even small shifts in mindset can lead to big changes in how we experience stress. (this is why education is so important in working with a mindbody condition in order to be able to reframe our understanding of the pain/symptom we are experiencing by recognising that an activity/movement etc is safe and we are not going to damage ourselves)
2. Build Self-Efficacy: Reflect on past successes and remind yourself of the strengths that have helped you overcome previous challenges. Cultivating a belief in your capabilities can reduce feelings of helplessness and encourage a challenge response. (keeping an evidence list of previous successes can help here, no matter how small)
3. Practice Mindfulness and Emotional Awareness: Recognizing the early signs of a threat response can help us intervene before stress escalates. Techniques like deep breathing, grounding exercises, and mindfulness help regulate emotions and provide clarity on whether a threat is as serious as it appears. (somatic exercises can also help here, such as our Pause-Breathe-Feel-Reassure strategy to identify, acknowledge and then disrupt any early signs of a threat response so you are able to regain a feeling of safety)
4. Seek Social Support: Humans are wired for connection, and social support can buffer the impact of stress. Sharing your challenges with others not only reduces isolation but can help shift your perspective from fear to motivation. (many people tell us that when they are with friends their pain/symptom eases or even calms down completely)

Embracing Fear as Fuel for Growth

Fear, when left unchecked, can limit our potential and cause us to shrink from opportunities. But by understanding the difference between the threat and challenge responses, we can learn to harness fear in a productive way. With practice, we can train ourselves to see difficult situations as challenges rather than threats, transforming fear into a powerful motivator for growth and resilience. After all, it’s not the presence of fear that matters most, but how we respond to it that truly shapes our lives.

Example

Up until a few years ago I rarely swam, or did watersports, in the UK because I hated being cold and especially being in cold water. At the start of the lockdown due to Covid, I decided I wanted to challenge myself and so I signed up for an online course of breathwork and cold water immersion. I buddied up with a friend for support and we both completed the course and, although we started with cold showers, we soon started swimming outdoors. I moved on to do a Wim Hof course and by then I was easily able to immerse myself in ice water for a few minutes and since then have been swimming outdoors throughout the year, whatecer the weather. The difference between then and now is that initially the fear I experienced was part of the threat response, whereas through education and practise I was able to overcome my old beliefs and develop an attitude that was built on the desire to challenge myself. By doing this I learned to relax, rather than panic, which has helped me when facing other fears since then.

Every client with chronic pain or other persistent symptoms has fear about something related to their symptom, the future or an activity etc. This is why education and supporting them to move from a threat response to a challenge response can help so much in their recovery.

Georgie Oldfield MCSP
Physiotherapist & Founder of SIRPA