Stress and trauma can often leave us feeling overwhelmed, confused, and out of control. You may find yourself reacting in ways that seem inexplicable—suddenly angry, paralyzed with fear, or overly accommodating. These reactions are not signs of weakness or personal failure. Instead, they are part of our body’s built-in defense mechanisms: fight, flight, freeze, fawn.
This blog post will explore these responses, shedding light on their causes and effects, and offer insights into how you can manage them for better mental and physical health.
At re-origin, we’ve helped hundreds of people learn to calm their nervous system and better manage their responses to stress to heal from chronic conditions like depression, anxiety, chronic pain, and sensitivities. Learn more about the re-origin program here.
What Are the Fight, Flight, Freeze, and Fawn Responses?
The Fight-or-Flight Response
The fight-or-flight response is an acute stress response activated when a person perceives a threat. This response, first described by Walter Cannon in 1915, involves the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the release of stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol.1 When faced with danger, the body prepares to either confront the perceived threat aggressively (fight response) or escape from it (flight response).
Mechanism of the Fight-or-Flight Response
When a threat or physical danger is perceived, the hypothalamus in the brain signals the adrenal glands to release adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones increase heart rate, blood pressure, and blood flow to the skeletal muscles, preparing the body for rapid action.2 This response can be critical during dangerous events, enabling quick reactions that could save lives.
Common Signs of Fight Response include3:
- Intense anger or agitation
- The urge to lash out
- Hypervigilance
- The desire to yell or scream
Common Signs of Flight Response include3:
- The desire to exit a situation immediately
- Avoidance of conflict or real or perceived threats
- Feeling claustrophobic or trapped
Chronic Manifestation of the Fight-or-Flight Response
When the fight-or-flight response is activated chronically due to ongoing stress or to perceived danger or threats, it can lead to numerous health issues. Prolonged activation of the SNS results in continuous release of stress hormones, which can cause high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, and anxiety disorders. Chronic stress can also impair the digestive system, leading to issues such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and other gastrointestinal problems.4
The Freeze Response
The freeze response is another acute stress response, characterized by a temporary state of paralysis or immobility. This response can occur when neither fighting nor fleeing seems possible, and it is believed to be a way of avoiding detection by predators.
Exploring Human Freeze Responses
Human freeze responses can manifest as a feeling of being stuck or unable to move or speak during overwhelming situations. This response is often observed in cases of trauma, such as childhood abuse or sexual assault.5 The freeze response involves both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems (PNS), creating a state of high alert while simultaneously immobilizing the body.6
Common Signs of Freeze Response include7:
- Feeling numb or out of body
- Holding your breath
- Shutting down in social settings; no longer speaking
- Having difficulty taking acting
- Feeling unable to move
Chronic Manifestation of the Freeze Response
Chronic freeze responses can lead to feelings of helplessness, emotional distress, and dissociation, where individuals may feel detached from their body or surroundings. This can significantly impact one’s ability to function in daily life and can be a symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Individuals may also experience numbness, emotional detachment, and difficulties in responding to new stressors or threats.5
The Fawn Response
The last acute stress response is the fawn response, which involves people-pleasing behaviors aimed at avoiding conflict and at seeking physical safety through appeasement. This response is less commonly discussed but is equally significant, especially in the context of chronic stress and trauma.
Understanding Fawn Responses
Individuals exhibiting fawn responses often prioritize the needs of others over their own, sometimes to the detriment of their personal boundaries and well-being. This response can develop as a coping mechanism in environments where the threat is not physical but emotional or psychological, such as in cases of interpersonal violence.8
Common Signs of Fawn Response include3:
- People pleasing or difficulty saying “no”
- Being unable to set boundaries
- Prioritizing others over yourself
- Avoiding conflict
Chronic Manifestation of the Fawn Response
Chronic fawn responses can lead to codependency, where individuals lose their sense of self while trying to meet others’ needs. This behavior can result in burnout, depression, and anxiety as individuals continuously neglect their own needs. Over time, this can also lead to difficulties in establishing healthy relationships and maintaining personal boundaries.8
The Role of the Autonomic Nervous System
The Sympathetic Nervous System
The sympathetic nervous system is the portion of the brain responsible for initiating the fight-or-flight response. The amygdala, also known as the fear center of the brain, is on the lookout for any threats to the body’s safety. If it notices a threat, whether true or perceived, it activates the fight or flight response.5 This prepares the body for action by releasing stress hormones that increase heart rate, redirect blood flow to essential muscles, and release energy stores.1
The Parasympathetic Nervous System
In contrast, the PNS helps the body return to a state of calm after the true or perceived threat has passed. It slows the heart rate, promotes digestion, and conserves energy, facilitating recovery and overall well-being.6
The Frontal Lobe’s Contribution to Stress and Healing
The frontal lobe, particularly the prefrontal cortex, helps regulate stress responses by evaluating threats and planning appropriate actions. It is involved in decision-making, impulse control, and moderating social behavior. Effective stress management and healing from chronic stress involve strengthening the communication between the front lobe and the autonomic nervous system, allowing the frontal lobe to exert more control over the amygdala’s reactivity.4,6
Impacts of Trauma Responses on Health
Acute and Chronic Stress
Acute stress responses are short-term reactions to immediate threats, while chronic stress involves prolonged exposure to actual or perceived stressors. Both types of stress can have significant impacts on mental and physical health, including anxiety disorders, digestive system issues, and overall health problems.4
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder is a severe condition that can develop after experiencing or witnessing traumatic events. PTSD symptoms include intrusive thoughts of traumatic memories, emotional flashbacks, and heightened anxiety, which are often linked to the body’s trauma responses.9
Seeking Professional Support
Neuroplasticity and Recovery
The concept of neuroplasticity provides a framework for understanding how the brain can recover from the detrimental effects of chronic stress. By engaging in specific practices and therapies, individuals can promote positive neural changes that support healing and resilience. Some of the ways you can use neuroplasticity to help you heal include:
- Self-Directed Brain Retraining: Self-directed brain retraining can help heal from chronic fight-or-flight responses by enabling the development of new, healthier neural pathways that mitigate stress and enhance emotional regulation.10,11
- Mindfulness Activities: Mindfulness practices like grounding techniques have been shown to enhance neuroplasticity and reduce the symptoms of chronic stress. Regular mindfulness meditation can increase gray matter density in brain regions associated with emotional regulation and executive functioning.11
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) provided by a mental health professional can help heal from chronic fight-or-flight responses by restructuring negative thought patterns and processing traumatic memories, thereby reducing stress and promoting emotional stability.9,10
- Somatic Exercises: Somatic exercises, such as deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation, can help individuals with stress management. These exercises help you heal from chronic fight-or-flight responses by promoting relaxation and reducing physiological arousal, thus creating new neural pathways that support emotional regulation and stress resilience.5,6
Managing Stress Responses and Improving Mental Health Through Neuroplasticity
Understanding the fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses is crucial for managing stress and improving mental health. By recognizing these responses and seeking appropriate support, individuals can develop healthier coping mechanisms and enhance their overall quality of life.
Neuroplasticity offers a promising pathway for healing from chronic fight-or-flight responses. By engaging in practices that promote positive neural changes, individuals can retrain their brains to respond to stress in healthier ways. Through mindfulness, CBT, physical exercise, grounding techniques, and professional support, it is possible to reduce the impact of chronic stress and enhance overall well-being.
The re-origin program has helped hundreds of people get out of fight or flight and better manage symptoms of chronic illness. Learn more about the re-origin program here.
