In fact, an overactive trauma response - getting stuck in fight, flight, freeze, or fawn, in other words - may happen as part of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD). Overactive trauma responses are pretty common among survivors of trauma, particularly those who experienced long-term abuse or neglect. In a nutshell, this means day-to-day occurrences and events most people don’t find threatening can trigger your go-to stress response, whether that’s fight, flight, freeze, fawn, or a hybrid. It’s also possible to have an overactive trauma response.

keep quiet about how you really feel to avoid starting a fight.

freeze when you hear an unexpected noise in the dark.

flee from the path of a car running a red light.

argue with a co-worker treating you unfairly.

These hormones trigger physical changes that help prepare you to handle a threat, whether it involves actual physical or emotional danger, or perceived harm. When your body recognizes a threat, your brain and autonomic nervous system (ANS) react quickly, releasing hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. We’ll explain these four trauma responses in depth below, plus offer some background on why they show up and guidance on recognizing (and navigating) your own response.Īs you might already know, trauma responses happen naturally. The fawn response, a term coined by therapist Pete Walker, describes (often unconscious) behavior that aims to please, appease, and pacify the threat in an effort to keep yourself safe from further harm. You can think of the freeze response as something akin to stalling, a temporary pause that gives your mind and body a chance to plan and prepare for your next steps.īut your response to trauma can go beyond fight, flight, or freeze.

Maybe you’ve also heard this called fight, flight, or freeze. In basic terms, when you encounter a threat, you either resist or retaliate, or simply flee.

This probably isn’t news to you.īut did you know four distinct responses can help explain how your experiences show up in your reactions and behavior?įirst, there’s fight-or-flight, the one you’re probably most familiar with. Trauma, whether it’s momentary or long term, affects people in different ways. Share on Pinterest Justin Pumfrey/Getty Images

Pete walker ptsd