How to Soothe the Fight, Flight, Freeze, and Fawn Response 

Fight, flight, freeze, and fawn are commonly known as stress responses. The nervous system activates this response to protect you from danger. Unfortunately, due to daily stressors, our minds and bodies now assume danger in anything that causes worry or stress. We no longer fear apex predators; we are anxious about mortgages or rent, utilities, car payments, medical bills, student loans, work, and relationships.

The body responds to these stimuli by activating the sympathetic nervous system, eliciting one or more of these responses.

Understanding the responses

Understanding the responses can lead to better managing the experience when activated. While the fight, flight, and freeze responses have been known for some time, the fawn response is newer and comes from the study of nervous system responses.

Each response is the body’s way of trying to protect itself and presents differently for everyone. However, each response has common experiences. The fight response does not always mean fight in a physical sense. It can look like being irritable, defensive, feeling anger, and/or aggression.

The flight response can look like avoiding, panicking, chronic worry, and/or wanting to run away or flee. The freeze response can look like depression, feeling stuck, dissociation, feeling like your mind “goes blank,” feeling confused, and/or being passive. The fawn response can look like avoiding conflict, people-pleasing (or codependency), and/or difficulty with setting healthy boundaries.

All of these responses are not necessarily unhealthy. Most of them can be helpful when the situation requires it. When there is continuous or constant activation, it can lead to unhelpful or unhealthy experiences.

Why the Sympathetic Nervous System Cannot Stay Stuck in Overdrive

The sympathetic nervous system can get stuck due to chronic stress or severe trauma. When the stress response kicks into overdrive, you can experience physical, emotional, and mental issues.

Chronic stress can cause the following symptoms and conditions (and is not exhaustive):

• Chronic high blood pressure
• Increased risk of heart disease
• Rapid heart rate or palpitations
• Tension headaches
• Unexplained aches and pains
• Digestive problems, like Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Heartburn and acid reflux
• Dizziness and fatigue
• Weight changes
• Appetite changes
• Sleep issues
• Higher risk for Type 2 diabetes
• Anxiety disorders
• Depressive disorders
• Weakened immune system

The body attempts to compensate by maintaining the mode (fight, flight, freeze, or fawn). The most effective way to mitigate these stress responses is to activate the parasympathetic nervous system to calm the mind and body.

Soothing the Fight, Flight, or Fawn Response Immediately

Heightened anxiety and panic attacks, the results of an overactive nervous system response, can seem scary and interfere with your daily activities. When stress triggers a response, you need a method or strategies to help ground you in the present and bring your nervous system back into alignment.

The following methods can help soothe these responses. Practice each one several times to see how it works for your situation. The more often you use the strategies, the easier they will be to remember.

5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique

The 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique is a simple activity that uses the five senses to keep you in the present and help calm anxious thoughts. With this method, you must concentrate on the items in your environment. You can implement this technique when you feel anxious or at the start of a panic attack.

Take note of your environment. Name five things you see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. Take your time noticing each of the five senses. Note the texture of an item or the aroma.

Deep Breathing

Deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, thereby slowing the heart and respiratory rates. When people become panicked, they tend to breathe more shallowly and faster as they prepare to protect themselves from danger. Unfortunately, this reaction can make you feel dizzy and out of control. Deep breathing regulates these processes.

Try a simple deep breathing exercise. One exercise is the box breathing, which can be done by inhaling deeply through the nose for the count of four. Hold the breath for four to seven beats, and then exhale through the mouth for the count of four to eight.

Another breathing exercise is to inhale deeply through your nose for four seconds, hold for seven seconds, and exhale for eleven seconds. Both exercises can be repeated as necessary. As you inhale, feel your lungs expand to maximize benefit.

Dive Reflex

The dive reflex is elicited by submerging the face in cold water or by splashing cold water on the face, thereby activating the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is part of the parasympathetic nervous system, also referred to as the rest-and-digest system. This nervous system regulates breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, and digestive function.

To activate the vagus nerve with the dive reflex, submerge your face in cold water for about 30 seconds, ensuring that the skin around your nose and under your eyes is covered. If you would prefer not to submerge your face, you can use a cold pack or a very cold washcloth to cover the areas. Consult a physician before attempting the dive reflex if you have cardiac issues.

Humming a Tune

Have you ever heard someone hum when stressed? Perhaps they were working behind the counter in a busy store or pharmacy, humming while working quickly. Humming activates the vagus nerve through the vibrations coming from the throat. Some people find that humming a tune or singing helps them relax when they are anxious.

When you hum, make sure you can feel the vibration in your throat. You can also make more of a buzzing sound. This vibration “wakes” up the vagus nerve. Most people don’t notice humming, especially when the radio is on or in a hectic crowd, such as while shopping.

Shifting Out of the Freeze Response

Learning to help your nervous system “thaw” and return to alignment after a freeze response will help you get back into your daily routine more quickly. The more you practice these response methods, the faster you will regain control.

Practice is progress. It may not seem that a method is working at first, but consider that even a slight improvement is better than none, and you can build on these small beginnings.

Take Note of Your Environment

During a freeze response, your mind may “zoom” out. You need to “zoom” back into focus by taking note of your environment. Look around and use the 5-4-3-2-1 technique, if possible. Suppose you cannot, try the grounding method on a smaller scale. Reach out and touch one or two items, noting the texture. Name what you hear. Is there a scent you can identify? They now produce small tubes containing essential oils that you can sniff to activate the parasympathetic nervous system.

Make Small Movements to “Thaw”

Sometimes even the smallest movements seem monumental during the freeze response. Try micro-movements initially to help you “thaw.” For example, move your eyes around the room to take in your environment, slowly move one finger at a time, stretching each, or rub a finger against your thumb on the same hand.

Move Your Body When Ready

When you feel you can move your body, use graceful, soft movements rather than hurried reactions. Stand and stretch, move your feet in a shuffle, or do a few marches. Your mind and body are coming back into alignment and need a few minutes to catch up. Don’t try to rush it.

Long-Term Help

The most effective way to treat these responses is to prevent them through lifestyle interventions. Small changes can bring significant results. One new habit could make the next panic attack more manageable. These changes can facilitate emotion regulation, improve physical health, and manage symptoms.

Connect with Others

Anxiety and depressive disorders can keep you from wanting to spend time with others. Many people avoid locations, people, or situations that can trigger panic attacks. However, God did not create you to live in a vacuum. Socialization and connection with others can help shoulder the burden, lift mood, and nurture relationships. Choose a few trusted people to turn to when you feel anxious. Call them or invite them over for coffee or a snack.

Take Exercise Daily

Exercise is a natural anti-anxiety and anti-depressant medication. Engaging in daily exercise will improve physical health while lowering stress hormones and releasing endorphins. These endorphins and other brain chemicals boost mood and regulate emotions. Aim for at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise (thirty minutes on five days per week). When you feel anxious, even a 10-15-minute session could relieve stress and improve your mood.

Seek Professional Help

Professional help is one of the best ways to begin the journey to managing your experience. Seeking help from a medical doctor to ensure there is not anything off or missing physically can assist in maintaining proper responses.

In the same way, seeking help from a mental health practitioner can help you get to the root of your anxiety, manage triggers and symptoms, and learn how to move forward. A counselor will customize a plan for you based on your specific circumstances and assess regularly.

Calming Stress Responses are Possible

You can regulate your body’s stress responses. It takes practice, but you can prevent and manage the freeze response as well as the fight-or-flight response. Contact our office today to consult with a Christian counselor about the best ways to lower your anxiety and worry with counseling and lifestyle interventions.