Fight, Flight, Freeze, Fawn - Trauma Response

Have you heard of "fight or flight"? It means that when you are in a scary or dangerous situation, you either fight the problem or run away from it. Sometimes, you might do a little of both.

But did you know that four different things can happen when you're scared? Your brain decides what to do based on what it knows to keep you safe. The four things are: Fight, Flight, Freeze, and Fawn.

Understanding this can help people who have faced danger feel better about how they reacted. Especially when someone asks them, "Why didn't you ____?"

• Fight means you choose to fight back.
• Flight means you run away to a safer place.
• Freeze means you stay still and can't move.
• Fawn means you try to talk your way out of the situation.

Sometimes, these reactions can happen together. For example, you might first try to talk to someone and then freeze up. Or maybe you freeze and then later manage to run away. There's no right or wrong way to react, and you don't really have control over it. Your brain makes the choice, and your body follows.

Sometimes, these reactions happen alone. You might only do one thing until the danger is gone or changes.

This is also why police officers practice a lot for different tough situations. They train their brains to know what to do in an emergency.

The more we learn about how our brains and bodies work together, the better we can help ourselves stay safe and healthy. It also helps us understand that our brains are doing their best with what they know, just like we are doing our best with what we have!

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