What is the Fawn Response? A Deep Dive into Trauma Responses

Trauma can significantly impact an individual's mental health and behaviour, leading to various adaptive responses. Among the four primary trauma responses—fight, flight, freeze, and fawn—the fawn response is often the least understood. This blog will explore the fawn response in detail, delving into the neuroscience behind it, how it relates to attachment theory, and the other trauma responses.

The Four Trauma Responses

1. Fight: This response involves confronting the threat head-on. It is characterised by aggressive behaviour and a readiness to defend oneself. The fight response is driven by the activation of the sympathetic nervous system, resulting in increased adrenaline, heart rate, and muscle tension.
2. Flight: The flight response entails escaping from the threat. This can manifest as physically fleeing or avoiding the situation altogether. Like the fight response, it is also fuelled by the sympathetic nervous system, preparing the body for quick action.
3. Freeze: When neither fighting nor fleeing is an option, the freeze response may occur. This involves a temporary paralysis or inability to move or react. It is controlled by the parasympathetic nervous system, which slows down bodily functions, making the individual appear less noticeable to the threat.
4. Fawn: The fawn response involves people-pleasing behaviours to pacify and appease the threat. It often manifests in individuals who have experienced prolonged trauma, particularly in relationships. This response is driven by the desire to avoid conflict and ensure safety through submission and compliance.

The Neuroscience Behind Trauma Responses

The brain plays a crucial role in how we respond to trauma. The amygdala, located in the limbic system, is the brain's fear centre and is responsible for detecting threats and initiating the fight, flight, or freeze responses. When a threat is perceived, the amygdala signals the hypothalamus to activate the autonomic nervous system.

The sympathetic nervous system prepares the body for immediate action by releasing stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. In contrast, the parasympathetic nervous system conserves energy and slows down bodily functions, facilitating the freeze response.

The fawn response, however, involves more complex brain processes. It engages the prefrontal cortex, responsible for higher-order thinking, decision-making, and social behaviours. This response is often a learned behaviour from repeated exposure to traumatic situations where compliance and people-pleasing were necessary for survival.

Attachment Theory and the Fawn Response

Attachment theory, developed by John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth, explores the bonds formed between children and their caregivers. Secure attachment develops when caregivers are responsive and attentive, providing a sense of safety and trust. In contrast, insecure attachment can arise from inconsistent or neglectful caregiving, leading to attachment trauma.

Attachment traumas, such as neglect, abuse, or abandonment, can predispose individuals to the fawn response. Children who grow up in environments where they must constantly appease their caregivers to avoid conflict or gain approval often carry these behaviours into adulthood. The fawn response becomes a survival strategy, as they learn that people-pleasing is a way to maintain relationships and avoid further trauma.

The Fawn Response: A Closer Look

The fawn response is characterised by behaviours aimed at placating others to ensure one's safety and well-being. Individuals exhibiting the fawn response may:

• Prioritise others' needs over their own.
• Struggle with asserting boundaries.
• Seek constant approval and validation.
• Experience feelings of guilt or shame when unable to please others.
• Suppress their emotions and desires to avoid conflict.

While the fawn response can be an effective short-term coping mechanism, it can lead to long-term psychological issues such as low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and codependency. Understanding the fawn response is crucial for individuals and therapists to develop healthier coping strategies and foster self-empowerment.

Healing from the Fawn Response

Recovery from the fawn response involves recognising and addressing the underlying trauma and attachment issues. At VOX Mental Health, our therapeutic approaches such as trauma-focused cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) and eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR), can be effective in processing trauma and developing healthier coping mechanisms.

Building self-awareness and self-compassion are essential steps in healing. Individuals can benefit from practices such as mindfulness, journaling, and assertiveness training to reconnect with their own needs and desires. Establishing and maintaining healthy boundaries is also crucial in breaking the cycle of people-pleasing and fostering more authentic relationships. If figuring out where to start feels overwhelming, we are here to support you on this journey!

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