Types of stress response

1. Fight response 

2. Flight response 

3. Freeze response 

4. Fawn response 

The fawn response is a stress response that involves prioritizing others' needs over one's own, often to avoid conflict or criticism. It's characterized by people-pleasing behaviors and a tendency to please and appease others to maintain harmony and avoid perceived threats. This response can be linked to trauma, particularly in situations where individuals have learned to prioritize others' needs for survival or to avoid harm. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Key characteristics of the fawn response: [2, 3]

• Prioritizing others' needs: Individuals may consistently put others' needs before their own, neglecting their own desires or requirements. [2, 3]
• People-pleasing: They may go to great lengths to avoid conflict or disapproval by being agreeable and accommodating to others' needs. [2, 3]
• Seeking approval: They may be excessively concerned with gaining approval from others, even if it means compromising their own values or needs. [3, 6]
• Difficulty with boundaries: They may struggle to set and maintain personal boundaries, making it difficult to say "no" or assert their own needs. [3, 6]
• Codependency: This response can contribute to codependent behaviors, where individuals rely heavily on others' approval or validation for their self-worth. [2, 3]

How it relates to trauma: [4, 5]

• Trauma as a trigger: Fawn responses are often linked to traumatic experiences, particularly those involving abuse or neglect, where individuals learn to prioritize others' needs to avoid harm. [4, 5]
• Survival mechanism: In some cases, fawning can be viewed as a survival mechanism, where individuals have learned to appease others to avoid potential harm or conflict. [4, 7]
• Complex PTSD: The fawn response is often associated with complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD), where individuals have experienced prolonged or repeated trauma. [8, 9]

Recognizing the fawn response: [6]

• Difficulty saying "no": They may struggle to refuse requests, even if it means sacrificing their own time or energy.
• Over-seeking approval: They may constantly seek validation or reassurance from others, even when it's not necessary.
• Emotional neglect: They may neglect their own emotional needs or desires, focusing instead on others' feelings or needs.
• Feeling overwhelmed: They may feel overwhelmed by the needs of others, making it difficult to maintain their own emotional well-being.
• Dissociation: They may feel detached from their own feelings or emotions, making it difficult to understand or manage their own reactions. [6]