The Four Trauma Responses—Fight, Flight, Freeze, and Fawn
Learn about how trauma can impact one's sense of safety through different trauma responses.
Anna Lacey, LCSW 79375
8/12/20261 min read
The Four Trauma Responses—Fight, Flight, Freeze, and Fawn
The Four Trauma Responses: Fight, Flight, Freeze, and Fawn
When the nervous system detects danger, it can activate a protective response before we consciously understand what is happening. We may become angry and defensive, feel compelled to escape or stay busy, go numb and lose access to our words, or focus intensely on keeping someone else happy.
These patterns are commonly described as fight, flight, freeze, and fawn. They are not character flaws or deliberate choices. They are survival strategies that developed for a reason—and may continue appearing when present-day situations resemble earlier danger.
In this article, I explore how each trauma response can appear in everyday life, the fears and beliefs that may exist beneath it, and how compassionate awareness can help us develop greater freedom and choice.
To learn more, click here.
Related articles:
https://letthelightintherapy.com/why-you-shut-down-emotionally-and-whats-actually-happening
https://letthelightintherapy.com/what-is-an-emotional-flashback
https://letthelightintherapy.com/why-just-let-it-go-doesnt-work-for-complex-ptsd