The primary function of the brain is not to keep one happy or calm, but to keep one alive. Fight, flight, freeze, and fawn are natural ways our bodies react to real or imagined danger.
Key Takeaways
- Fight: Responding to threat by aggressively confronting or standing up to it.
- Flight: Escaping or avoiding danger by physically removing yourself from the situation.
- Freeze: Becoming immobile or unable to act when faced with a threat.
- Fawn: Trying to please or appease the threat to avoid conflict or harm.
The fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses are types of trauma responses and stress responses that occur when the brain perceives a threat.
These are part of the body’s automatic defense system, known as the autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary functions like heart rate and respiration.
The fight-or-flight response is the most well-known, involving either confronting (fight) or escaping (flight) a threat.
The freeze response involves becoming still or numb, while the fawn response involves appeasing or submitting to avoid harm.
These behaviors are deeply rooted in human behavior and evolution, designed to enhance survival in dangerous situations.
