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🛡️ Trauma & Resilience
What is your trauma response?
Fight, Flight, Freeze or Fawn — which runs your life?
Rate how much each describes you: 1 (not at all) to 5 (exactly me).
1I become confrontational or aggressive when I feel threatened.
2I withdraw, avoid conflict, or literally leave situations that feel unsafe.
3I shut down, go numb, or dissociate when overwhelmed.
4I people-please or prioritize others' needs to keep the peace.
5I need to be in control and can't tolerate feeling powerless.
6I stay busy, overwork, or overthink to avoid dealing with emotions.
7I procrastinate and feel unable to take action even when I want to.
8I have difficulty saying no and feel responsible for others' emotions.
9I feel hypervigilant — always scanning for threats or danger.
10I lose myself in relationships, becoming whoever the other person needs.
Pete Walker's 4F trauma responses
Pete Walker identified 4 survival responses that develop from childhood trauma. Most people have a primary and secondary type.
The 4 types
- Fight (items 1, 5, 9): Control, anger, perfectionism. "If I'm in charge, nothing bad can happen."
- Flight (items 2, 6): Overwork, avoidance, anxiety. "If I stay busy, I don't have to feel."
- Freeze (items 3, 7): Shutdown, dissociation, paralysis. "If I don't move, the threat will pass."
- Fawn (items 4, 8, 10): People-pleasing, codependency. "If I make everyone happy, I'll be safe."
Research
- The Fawn response was added by Walker — classical psychology only recognized Fight/Flight/Freeze
- Fawn is the most misunderstood — often mistaken for "being a nice person"
- Trauma responses are adaptive — they kept you safe once, but may harm you now
- 70% of adults have experienced at least one traumatic event (WHO)
Note: This is educational, not diagnostic. If trauma affects your daily life, consider a trauma-informed therapist.
Sources: Walker (2013, Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving), Van der Kolk (2014, The Body Keeps the Score), Porges (2011, Polyvagal Theory).