Why do we faint when we're overwhelmed?

Question

Why do we faint when we're in a extremely overwhelming situation? Curious. Can someone explain? Thanks!

Answer 1

Perhaps you're related to the fainting goats?

I kid, I kid (Get it? Kid, as in baby goat? lol).

Actually, fainting when overwhelmed can be caused by a sudden drop in blood pressure or not enough oxygen to the brain.

Answer 2

lack of oxygen going to the brain, would be my guess. Your heart and body works harder than normal.  Slow down breath life in.

Answer 3

I dont.

Answer 4

The only time I've ever fainted is when my back was out of alignment due to a water-skiing accident then went back into alignment later that same day.  It felt like I had 8 hours of sleep in 2 seconds. It was great (except the red mark on my cheek from hitting the concrete).  

Fainting is loss of blood-flow to the the brain (blood pressure drop).  Shock is when the body pulls blood into the core, sometimes even to the detriment of upper level thought and consciousness. Usually shock is physically induced, but can be induced due to a mental reaction.  But of course, some things about the human body are still unknown, especially when mental reaction and faith are thrown into the mix.

Answer 5

This has never happened to me.

Answer 6

we watched too many cartoons, growing up.

Answer 7

Sensory/information overload.

The mind just shuts down like your computer freezes when it's overloaded.

Answer 8

Fainting has many different causes.

Vasovagal syncope: Also known as the "common faint," this is the most frequent cause of syncope. It results from an abnormal circulatory reflex. The heart pumps more forcefully and the blood vessels relax, but the heart rate does not compensate fast enough to maintain blood flow. People older than 45 years rarely experience a first "common faint." Causes of vasovagal syncope include the following:

Environmental factors - Most commonly in a hot, crowded setting

Emotional factors - Stress or the sight or threat of injury

Physical factors - Standing too long with locked knees