We’ve all heard of the fight or flight response, but did you know there are actually four common reactions to stress or danger? Along with fight and flight, we also have the freeze and fawn responses. These are natural survival mechanisms that our bodies use to protect us when we feel threatened. However, when these responses get triggered too often—especially in situations that aren’t life-threatening—they can start to negatively impact our mental and physical health.
The Four Survival Responses:
Fight: This is when we respond to a threat with aggression or defensiveness. Our body gets ready to protect itself, and we might feel a surge of energy or anger.
Flight: This is the urge to escape or avoid the situation. Our body is telling us to run or distance ourselves from whatever is causing the stress.
Freeze: In this response, we become immobilized. Our body shuts down, making it hard to act or make decisions. We might feel numb, disconnected, or paralyzed.
Fawn: Fawning is the lesser-known response, where we try to please or placate the threat in hopes that it will go away. This can look like people-pleasing, avoiding conflict, or suppressing our needs to keep others happy.
While these responses are useful in true danger, many of us find ourselves stuck in these survival modes even in everyday stressors—like at work, in relationships, or during moments of anxiety.
How Nervous System Regulation Helps
Nervous system regulation is about teaching your body to return to a calm, balanced state after it’s been triggered by stress or danger. It’s a way to help your body realize that the threat has passed and that you’re safe now. Here are a few ways to regulate your nervous system and manage these survival responses:
1. Breathwork
One of the simplest and most effective ways to regulate your nervous system is through breathwork. Deep, slow breaths signal to your brain that you’re not in immediate danger, helping to calm the fight or flight response. For instance, box breathing—where you inhale for four seconds, hold for four, exhale for four, and hold again for four—can soothe your nervous system quickly.
2. Grounding Techniques
Grounding helps bring your focus back to the present moment, which can be particularly useful in managing the freeze response. When you’re feeling disconnected or overwhelmed, try grounding by focusing on your senses. Notice what you can see, hear, touch, or smell. This helps your brain reconnect to your body and the environment around you.
3. Movement
When your body is in a fight, flight, or freeze state, movement can help release built-up energy. Even gentle movement like stretching, yoga, or walking can regulate your nervous system by getting the energy moving again, helping your body return to a calm state.
4. Self-Compassion and Boundaries
For those who tend to fawn, it’s essential to practice self-compassion and set boundaries. Learning to say “no” and recognizing your own needs can help reduce the fawning response and regulate the nervous system in stressful social interactions.
Finding Balance
Our survival responses are natural and protective, but when they’re triggered too often, they can lead to chronic stress, anxiety, or burnout. By practicing nervous system regulation techniques, we can bring our bodies back into balance, helping us feel calmer, safer, and more in control of our responses.
If you find yourself frequently in fight, flight, freeze, or fawn mode, try incorporating some of these techniques into your daily routine. Nervous system regulation is a powerful way to manage stress and build resilience, helping you live more peacefully in the present moment.
