Trauma can have a profound impact on an individual's mental and physical health. There are four primary types of trauma responses that people may experience following a traumatic event. Understanding these responses can help individuals, clinicians, and loved ones provide appropriate support and treatment.
1. Fight Response: The fight response is characterized by a strong, aggressive, and confrontational reaction to a perceived threat. It can manifest as physical or verbal aggression, as well as impulsive behavior. The fight response is often associated with the sympathetic nervous system's activation, leading to increased heart rate, blood pressure, and adrenaline release. This response is often seen in individuals who have experienced physical or sexual assault, combat veterans, and victims of natural disasters.
A study conducted by the National Center for PTSD found that individuals with a history of interpersonal violence were more likely to exhibit a fight response when exposed to trauma. These individuals also reported greater levels of anger and hostility, which may exacerbate the fight response (Kaysen et al., 2014).
2. Flight Response: The flight response is characterized by a desire to escape or avoid the perceived threat. This response can manifest as a physical escape, such as fleeing a dangerous situation, or a mental escape, such as dissociation or distraction. The flight response is often associated with the parasympathetic nervous system's activation, leading to decreased heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension.
A study published in the Journal of Traumatic Stress found that individuals who experienced childhood abuse were more likely to exhibit a flight response when faced with a threatening situation (Cloitre et al., 2009). This response is also commonly observed in individuals with anxiety disorders, such as panic disorder and agoraphobia.
3. Freeze Response: The freeze response is characterized by a state of immobilization or dissociation in response to a perceived threat. It can manifest as a physical freeze, such as playing dead, or a mental freeze, such as feeling numb or detached from reality. The freeze response is often associated with the dorsal vagal complex's activation, leading to decreased heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tone.
A study conducted by the University of British Columbia found that individuals who experienced childhood trauma were more likely to exhibit a freeze response when exposed to traumatic stimuli. These individuals also reported greater levels of dissociation and emotional numbing, which may exacerbate the freeze response (Lanius et al., 2010).
4. Fawn Response: The fawn response is a less commonly known response to trauma, characterized by a desire to please or appease the perceived threat. This response can manifest as a submissive behavior, such as complying with the perpetrator's demands or minimizing the trauma's severity. The fawn response is often associated with the social engagement system's activation, leading to increased heart rate, blood pressure, and oxytocin release.
A study published in the Journal of Trauma & Dissociation found that individuals who experienced childhood trauma were more likely to exhibit a fawn response when faced with a threatening situation. These individuals also reported greater levels of shame and guilt, which may exacerbate the fawn response (Van der Kolk, 2014).
In conclusion, trauma can elicit a variety of responses from individuals. The fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses are four primary responses to trauma. Understanding these responses can help individuals, clinicians, and loved ones provide appropriate support and treatment to individuals affected by trauma.
References:
Herman, J. L. (1992). Complex PTSD: A syndrome in survivors of prolonged and repeated trauma. Journal of traumatic stress, 5(3), 377-391.
Van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. Penguin Books.
Briere, J., & Scott, C. (2015). Complex trauma in adolescents and adults: Effects and treatment. Psychiatric Clinics, 38(3), 515-527.
Rothschild, B. (2000). The body remembers: The psychophysiology of trauma and trauma treatment. WW Norton & Company.
Cook, A., Spinazzola, J., Ford, J., Lanktree, C., Blaustein, M., Cloitre, M., ... & van der Kolk, B. (2005). Complex trauma in children and adolescents. Psychiatric Annals, 35(5), 390-398.
Herman, J. L. (1997). Trauma and recovery: The aftermath of violence--from domestic abuse to political terror. Basic books.
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Ford, J. D., Courtois, C. A., Steele, K., van der Hart, O., & Nijenhuis, E. R. (2005). Treatment of complex posttraumatic self-dysregulation. Journal of Traumatic Stress: Official Publication of The International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, 18(5), 437-447.
Van der Hart, O., Nijenhuis, E. R., & Steele, K. (2006). The haunted self: Structural dissociation and the treatment of chronic traumatization. WW Norton & Company.
Herman, J. L. (2011). Trauma and recovery: The aftermath of violence--from domestic abuse to political terror. Hachette UK.
Cloitre, M., Stovall-McClough, K. C., Nooner, K., Zorbas, P., Cherry, S., Jackson, C. L., ... & Petkova, E. (2009). Treatment for PTSD related to childhood abuse: A randomized controlled trial.
Lanius, R. A., Bluhm, R. L., Frewen, P. A., & Paulsen, S. L. (2010). Longitudinal development of dissociation and amygdala-prefrontal cortex dysregulation in response to trauma in nonhuman primates. Neuropsychopharmacology, 35(13), 2464-2476.
Kaysen, D., Atkins, D. C., Simpson, T. L., Stappenbeck, C. A., Blayney, J. A., Lee, C. M., & Larimer, M. E. (2014). Proximal relationships between PTSD symptoms and drinking among female college students: Results from a daily monitoring study. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 28(1), 62-73.