fawn

Most people know fight, flight, and freeze. Almost nobody talks about fawn, and it might be the most misunderstood one of all.#Trauma #PTSD #ChronicPain #fawn #Anxiety #MentalHealth #Healing #MightyTogether Fawn is when your survival strategy becomes disappearing into whoever you're with. Less noise. Fewer needs expressed. More agreement. More performance of contentment. Not because you wanted to, but because compliance had the best historical record of reducing harm.That's not weakness. That's a sophisticated survival strategy built by someone with no other tools available. But here's what fawn does that the others don't. Fight leaves your sense of self intact, you resisted. Flight leaves it intact, you moved. Even freeze leaves it intact, something in you went elsewhere while your body waited it out. Fawn dismantles the self in the process of deploying it, because when your survival strategy is becoming what the threat needs, you spend years being not yourself.

And it doesn't stay in childhood. It comes with you. Into relationships, workplaces, friendships, every room where someone has the power to hurt you or withdraw approval. Someone raises their voice and you're already smiling before you've thought anything. Someone expresses displeasure and you're already apologising before you've asked whether it was even your responsibility.

If you've ever wondered why you can't tell where the performance ends and you begin, this might be why.

#Trauma #PTSD #MentalHealth #Healing #MightyTogether

Everyone responds to trauma differently. That’s why I’m interested in knowing more about how you typically respond to triggers or trauma using the emojis below.

Fight: 🥊

Flight: 🛩

Freeze: 🧊

Fawn: 🦌

I’ll go first: I start off a 🧊 and then turn into a 🦌

You can learn more about the four trauma responses in this Mighty story: themighty.com/2020/01/fight-flight-freeze-fawn-trauma-responses

#PTSD #PTSDSupportAndRecovery #Trauma #triggers #traumaresponses #fight #flight #freeze #fawn

We all respond to trauma in different ways. Most people are familiar with the fight, flight, and freeze responses. But some of us may experience a fourth response called fawn.

Check out Juliette’s story on the four trauma responses here: themighty.com/2020/01/fight-flight-freeze-fawn-trauma-responses

Were you aware of all four trauma responses? Let us know what resonated with you in the comments below.

#PTSD #Trauma #fight #flight #freeze #fawn

I have recently gotten back into therapy and found a phenomenal therapist who helped me to recognize that I have CPTSD from childhood trauma. I exhibit the 'fawn response' in my dealings with people. The 'fawn response' is an instinctual response associated with a need to avoid conflict and trauma via appeasing behaviors, like people pleasing. I have a very difficult time being assertive when it comes to my needs and beliefs. I even do this with my psychiatrist whom I've been with for almost 10 years and absolutely love. But in the past few years he just kept adding more medication to an already large load of pills that I take every day. I've been having a lot of physical issues/side effects from this medication and have gone through soooo many medical tests to rule out everything except my meds as the culprit. I was so anxious and beside myself with the prospect of telling my psychiatrist that I wanted to get rid of some of my meds, because in the past when I've talked about it he has disagreed and I just went along. But this time I was forceful and assertive and all my fears about being that way were unfounded as he was very understanding and agreed to take me off 2 of my medications. It was a huge step for me and it really paid off. I've learned it's never too late to change and you should always advocate for yourself. As my therapist said my doctors are there to help but they do not dictate my life. #fawn #CPTSD