Survival Responses
Your nervous system triggers natural survival responses when it senses danger or threat — even perceived danger (emotional, relational, etc.). They're automatic — meaning you don’t consciously choose them.
Originally, they helped humans survive things like predators. Today, they can still get triggered by stress, conflict, or trauma — even when there’s no literal life-or-death threat.
Your nervous system triggers natural survival responses when it senses danger or threat — even perceived danger (emotional, relational, etc.). They're automatic — meaning you don’t consciously choose them.
Originally, they helped humans survive things like predators. Today, they can still get triggered by stress, conflict, or trauma — even when there’s no literal life-or-death threat.
Fight
Goal: Overpower the threat.
Response: Anger, aggression, confrontation, pushing back.
Looks Like: Yelling, arguing, physically defending yourself, intense energy.
Triggered by: Feeling cornered but powerful enough to resist.
Flight
Goal: Escape the threat.
Response: Running away (literally or emotionally), avoidance, panic.
Looks Like: Leaving a situation quickly, ghosting, busying yourself to avoid emotions.
Triggered by: Feeling overwhelmed but believing you can "outrun" the danger.
Freeze
Goal: Play dead — become invisible.
Response: Shut down, dissociate, feel stuck, numb out.
Looks Like: Zoning out, difficulty speaking, paralysis in decision-making, emotional numbness.
Triggered by: Feeling trapped or helpless — "no way to fight or flee."
Fawn (less talked about but very common, especially with trauma)
Goal: Appease the threat to stay safe.
Response: People-pleasing, caregiving, abandoning your own needs to avoid conflict.
Looks Like: Over-apologizing, saying yes when you want to say no, suppressing feelings to keep peace.
Triggered by: Feeling like survival depends on keeping others happy.
Key Points:
Everyone uses some mix of these responses depending on the situation.
Chronic trauma (especially in childhood) can cause one response to become a default pattern, even when it's no longer helpful.
Learning your default survival response can help you recognize when you’re triggered and begin to respond differently.
Example:
Fight: Yelling during an argument to feel in control.
Flight: Avoiding hard conversations by staying "too busy."
Freeze: Feeling numb and detached during conflict.
Fawn: Saying "I'm fine" and doing whatever it takes to keep someone from getting angry.
Contact Bee Blissful today if you would like to learn how to self-soothe these your survival response.