Understanding Trauma Responses
When someone has a history of trauma, their brain might become more likely to activate fear responses. The four fear responses are fight, flight, freeze, and fawn. These responses are how our brain keeps us safe in potentially dangerous situations. Understanding the mechanisms behind them can help us be aware of and regulate our emotions in an appropriate and healthy way.
Fight: When the brain perceives danger, it might choose to try and fight off the threat. When we experience the fight response, our brain is trying to ward off danger by defeating it. If the danger is real and can be overcome with physical strength, this can be an effective tool to keep us safe. But when the perceived danger is not truly a threat, this response can get us into trouble.
Flight: If our brain does not feel that it can successfully fight off danger, it may decide to try and escape, triggering a flight response. This fear response involves trying to get as far away from the dangerous situation as quickly as possible. If the danger is something that can be outrun, the flight response can be effective.
Freeze: Another way our brain attempts to protect us from danger is to try to be very still and quiet until the danger passes. The freeze fear response shuts down the body's ability to move, causing the person to literally feel frozen or stuck until the fear passes.
Fawn: Fawning is a fear response where the brain decides to try and please whoever is triggering the fear to prevent them from causing harm. If someone complies with an aggressor to reduce the risk of physical harm, they are not consenting to abuse. Their brain is simply trying to keep them as safe as possible in a bad situation.
Frequent, intense fear responses when there is not an actual threat can be a sign of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). With PTSD, fear responses can occur when there is no danger or may be more intense than the situation requires. Fortunately, PTSD can be effectively treated through trauma-focused therapy and medication. To learn more about how trauma-focused therapy can help you manage overwhelming trauma responses, contact Colorway Wellness today!