THE FIGHT-FLIGHT-FREEZE-FAWN RESPONSE

The fight-flight-freeze and fawn responses are the most characteristic behaviours we display under threatening conditions. Normally speaking, these responses, being evolutionary advantageous, are short-lived and not part of our normal state. But for a trauma carrying person, they become normalised and invisible to both oneself and others. 

 Dr. Julie Yau's makes the point clear:

I once counseled this gentleman who was experiencing a lot of disruptive shame for not having been able to react, speak, and defend himself from a mugger. Some looking back into his life brought to light that when he was younger he had been sexually assaulted and, powerless as he was as a child, had not been able to respond other than by going into a freeze response, a response which had become his default reaction to overpowering forces

Are there instances where you suddenly wern't able to move or speak? Or perhaps situations where you took refuge in the mind, dissociating yourself from painful memories by day-dreaming or rationalising ad-infinitum? 

While nightmares, intrusive flash backs, being very easily startled or angered, and even difficulties sleeping, are some of the most known intrusive symptoms occurring after a traumatic event, less known to the public, are symptoms like those related to avoidance (avoidance to drive, to be in crowds, meet other people, relate intimately), as well as those related to a sudden shift in our view of the world, self, and others, a loss of trust, warmth, or joy for people, self and the world at large. This may extend to include severe signs of dissociation, such as the progressive need to build a very strong public facade, or  experiencing sudden unexpected shifts in personality called splits:

I was shocked when I became conscious of a "split" that I had - a young eight-year old version of me who would show up in times of great distress. I didn't believe it when other people would tell me, but an incident in the emergency room finally woke me up

Such mechanisms are not uncommon and most of us ignore them or are too ashamed to confront them verbally with someone. I myself experienced this side effect of trauma, turning into a 2 years old child at unexpected instances of contact with my intimate partner. Not hapazardly, two years old was the exact age at which I had experienced the sudden suicide of my mother, an event that had left a profound neurological scar. 

The fight-flight-freeze and fawn responses are threfore temporary for those who are not traumatised, and normalised in those that carry unresolved trauma. Here is a brief description of them:

For those who tend to remain in this cluster of behaviours, what is important to understand is that these are valid and natural behaviours for a brain that is locked into a fight strategy of survival. Persons carrying this cluster of behaviour are often diagnosed as Narcisisstic, Sociopathic, or having Conduct Disorders, but their inability to relieve themselves of a constant looking out for the enemy, as well as their low trust in others, are foundational signs of a traumatized brain.

The Freeze response is a different posture altogether in that it is physiologically related to different mechanisms of defense. This posture shares with the Fight and Flight the fact of feeling under continuous threat, but the reactions here are a lot more subtle and dissociated. People locked in this position are often diagnosed as Clinically Depressed, Schizophrenic, having Attention Deficit Disorders without Hyperactivity, or Dissociative Identity Disorder. Behaviours associated to this posture, contrary to the Fight and Flight position, are often culturally stigmatised and attract aggression and denial from others, particularly traumatized others, under the common excuse that they are low producers. In other words, this traumatic response carries an extra burden of stress on its shoulders because of its lack of alignment with culturally valued traits such as hyperactivity and productiveness.

The Flight response is the opposite of the Fight state, but shares with the Fight response the fact that the person becomes overly apprehensive and agitated. People whose system is locked in this type of response are often diagnosed as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Bipolar, ADHD, Panic Disorder, and Mood Disorder. This response can be easily masked by frequent movements from job to job, person to person, and place to place, because under several circumstances these behaviours are socially praised.

Suggested by M.A. Peter Walker, the Fawn posture points to overly servile behaviour, cringing, and flattering. This response differentiates itself from the other in that it is acted out in co-dependency with others. This trauma response is associated with a constant inability to express one's rights, needs and boundaries in relationships. Like with the Freeze response people who take this posture are incapable of asserting themselves with others and thereby attract and accept exploitation, abuse and/or neglect. We often find the fawn response in narcissistic co-dependencies, and can be masked by professions like nursing, teaching, volunteering or many other activities where being servile towards others is seen as normal and good.

The fight-flight-freeze-fawn response are the most commonly talked about responses, and are those we also commonly observe in other animals. Without an understanding of how trauma works, and how these responses become normalised and invisible to ourselves, they are difficult to spot, but I hope the graphics and summaries above help in beginning to see how you or someone you love, may have normalised one of these responses.

Wishing you well,

Your Shrink in Bansko