Understanding the 4 Different Stress Responses

So you read all about Stress Response Cycles and now you are wondering what the different response types there are.

If you haven’t yet read about stress response cycles, head over to the full article here. 

In this week's blog, we will discuss the 4 different stress response types. The hope is that this allows you to understand what they look like and why they are happening while you are in a neutral state. 

Then, when stress is triggered, you can more readily identify which response you are experiencing and respond accordingly. 

Let’s dive in, shall we?

Fight Response

Fight and flight are the most commonly known stress responses. When a stressful event occurs, your sympathetic nervous system activates and determines how to respond to the threat.

For fight, that means you may get defensive, be ready to fight (verbally or otherwise), engage in more competitive behavior, or overthink scenarios where you may have to fight for survival.

^{Your body thinks it's getting ready for battle, even if it's not!}

Flight Response

When experiencing a flight response, reactions may show up as isolation for fear of being around others or in an attempt to get away, feeling the need to get away or flee, avoiding conflict or people pleasing, nervousness or anxiety around certain activities, overworking yourself, or showing perfectionist or over-achieving tendencies.

Freeze Response

The freeze response is a little less known than the other two we have already discussed. 

Freeze can show itself as brain fog, numbness, or an inability to get anything done. 

You may find yourself in a doom scroll on social media or not be able to leave the couch almost as if paralyzed. You may have difficulty making decisions or taking action on tasks or activities. 

Overall, the freeze response is trying to have you stay still in the face of danger. Think freezing when something startles you or hoping that no one notices you.

^{Have you ever felt the brain fog or the inability to get things done?}

Fawn Response

Fawn response, like the freeze response we discussed above, is a stress response not as many people know about. This response is used to placate or calm an aggressor to try and mitigate any danger.

The fawn response is the ultimate people-pleaser. It often shows through minimal boundaries, codependency, loss of self, being taken advantage of, inability to speak up, or even overly flattering language.

Wrap Up

To understand which response we are experiencing (because it's not always the same one or can have some overlap), we have to know what it looks like. For instance, if I am noticing that I feel stuck and am having trouble concentrating or doing activities, I may be in the freeze response. But if I feel like isolating or getting away from things, I may be in a flight response.

But, we can’t let these responses stop us from living fulfilling lives. Instead, we can identify the type of response we are experiencing and use that knowledge to help us process stress and move forward more easily. 

For more stress management resources, check out the FREE Stress Relief Toolkit. Inside, you will find a variety of resources and strategies to help you mitigate stress and work through the stress response cycle. Plus, new resources are added every month at no cost to you! Check it out today!