Final answer:
The term for being wild or distraught with extreme emotions like fear or anxiety is 'panicked.' This emotional state triggers fight-or-flight responses and involves a chaotic, intense reaction to perceived threats, including various physical symptoms.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term for being wild or distraught with fear, anxiety, or other emotion is 'panicked.' When someone is panicked, they may experience a surge of fight-or-flight responses, induced by sympathetic nervous system activity, which can cause them to either flee from a threat or confront it. Feelings of panic are often associated with anxiety and involve intense fear and physical reactions such as increased heart rate, sweating, trembling, and a sense of loss of control. Fearful, terrified, and distressed are also terms related to intense emotional states, but 'panicked' specifically conveys a sense of chaos and extreme reaction.
Historically, Sigmund Freud's work with 'hysterical' patients – a term now seen as outdated and inaccurate – led to an understanding of certain symptoms of panic as indicators of psychological trauma rather than physical issues. Today, we recognize panic in broader terms, acknowledging that both men and women can experience these powerful emotional and physical responses.
Moreover, the reaction to panic is not limited to fight or flight; rather, it can include the states of 'fright' and 'freeze,' reflecting a more nuanced understanding of human reactions to extreme stress or threats.