Sanctuary for Heart Magic

A NERVOUS SYSTEM IN FIGHT, FLIGHT, FREEZE & FAWN

Autonomic nervous system responses

Most people have heard of the fight and flight responses, others might have heard of the freeze response and still others the fawn response. While this terminology is familiar let’s explore what these responses mean and how they feel in the body. First off fight, flight, freeze and fawn are autonomic neurological survival responses to the detection of threat. They are built into our nervous system as an attempt to keep us alive in life threatening situations. This could be survival of our physical body, but also survival of our emotional, mental and social bodies. This means when we feel like we don’t belong, might be rejected, aren’t smart enough or won’t be loved these responses get activated in order to keep the less physical, but equally important aspects of ourselves, alive. In addition to these 4 better known autonomic responses, there are at least three others at play which I will introduce as a means to explore other survival mechanisms through a larger neurological lens.

Neurological survival responses are highly intelligent. 

They have our best interest at hand, mostly. Their perspective is narrowly focused, with survival being their prime function. This means they are not focused on growth, connection, flexibility, authenticity, overall vitality, self-awareness and most importantly, presence. While those things are important to us as a whole human, to our neurological survival responses those things are not relevant. The way our survival responses are intended to work is that they activate when needed and then dissipate when the threat is no longer detected. In the well regulated system this is how they function, however very few nervous systems are well regulated. Dysregulation is entirely more common. Along with that many expressions that look like regulation on the surface, are actually highly evolved survival mechanisms. This makes it a bit tricky when assessing whether or not our system is in a neurological protective response or we are healthy and present.

In the dysregulated nervous system, survival mechanisms stay engaged even after the threat is gone. 

This means they become more of a pattern with which we operate within, rather than a threat response that dissipates. This entails continued production of stress chemicals & hormones, oscillating hyper-focus & hypo-focus, body tension and an inability to fully relax even when that is deeply desired. There is also a general lack of energy, drive and capacity for connection with self and others. We accommodate to this thinking it’s “normal” or even healthy, simply because we might not have a physical symptom or some disease screaming in our body. None of this is normal. While dysregulation is happening in the majority of most people’s bodies, that still doesn’t make it normal. I would call this the “pre-condition” or “pre-disease” state. It is what happens before the body has no other choice but to break itself down as a last attempt to survive.

FROM FLIGHT → FAWN & EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN

When 4 becomes 7

We went from 2 → 3 to now 4 “known” neurological survival responses. While each of these 4 are valid, I feel like they don’t represent a full picture of responses. I will add 3 more to this list, explaining what they are, how they feel in the body, their energetics and what happens when they shift from autonomic survival responses into neurological protective patterns. The key with this information is to gain greater awareness of our inner workings, giving us the ability to discern between ourselves, these responses and their associated protective patterns. This way we aren’t overtaken by these responses, nor are we identified as them, rather we find our way through them into regulation & freedom.

Let’s begin.

Flight: This well known response indicates that when threat is perceived, we leave or flee. Physically this equates to running away from a bear, tiger or someone who is trying to harm us. Energetically it means we leave our body. Our life force is still operating the basic bodily functions, but we aren’t there inhabiting the body with our conscious awareness. Classically this is called dissociation. When this moves from an autonomic response into a neurological pattern, we might feel spacey, ungrounded, be very sensitive to environmental and bodily stimuli and generally dislike having a body.

Fuse: In this less known threat response we merge with others when we feel a threat. Physically this means we try to get closer, lean into or pull ourselves into another person’s body in order to feel safe. A natural expression of this response is seen when a toddler feels threat and hugs or clings to mom or dad. There is movement towards to find soothing. If this autonomic response becomes a neurological pattern, as adults we might be physically needy or demanding, not able to do for or soothe ourselves, and have no sense of self or personal boundaries. It becomes easy to turn to substances or consumption for soothing.

Fend & Fawn: Here we respond to threat by moving in towards self. Physically this means we keep some distance from others, while paradoxically also tending to others needs. This is how we fend for ourselves. When we can take care of others’ needs then we are safe. Energetically we bring our energy in closer to ourselves while appeasing and accommodating others and often ignoring our own needs. When this response turns into pattern we don’t ask for help even when we need it, are overly attuned to others needs while keeping them at an emotional distance and tend towards self-isolation. We present in a way that seems like we don’t need anyone and can take care of everyone. Side note – while culturally we value independence, interdependence is the healthier expression. Interdependence is the recognition that none of us can ever really be on our own, we all need others, but we are not dependent on them.

Fight: In this classical survival response when we perceive threat we fight. Physically this means we use our body to hit, scratch or in some other way harm that which is harming us. Energetically we move our energy up and out from our core, like how fire moves. When this autonomic response turns into neurological pattern, we need to be in control, dominant others and be in charge. Submission or even exchange with others is not easy because it invokes feelings of powerlessness which is perceived as dangerous, therefore we are always either on the outside of a group or the leader of it.

Freeze: Another well know survival response where we internally freeze in response to threat. Physically we don’t move or have any external reaction at all. We breathe more shallow and our autonomic functions are depressed. Energetically we bring our energy down and in. When this response turns into a pattern we are slow to move and have trouble taking action, which overtime leads to stagnation. It feels like it we are never going to express or be ourselves in the world. There is a tendency towards depression and resignation.

Fluctuate: In this survival response when we perceive threat we fluctuate, moving away and towards self and other sporadically. Physically we might move towards the threat like we do in the Fuse response, but then recoil away like we do in the Fend response. We might cling to other and then release suddenly and go into self. When this response turns into pattern we can feel hot and then cold, on and then off, in connection and then disappear. We want attention and want to hide at the same time. We can tend towards indecisiveness, not knowing what we want and then knowing exactly what we want.

Fence & Function: Lastly in fence & function when threat is perceived we tighten up, self-contain and boundary ourselves. Physically we create tension in our muscles and hold ourselves together. Energetically we don’t let anything in or out. When fencing turns into a pattern we tend towards black and white thinking, we see things as right or wrong, and we follow the rules and expect others to as well. We see ourselves as “right-doers” and function highly in order to get it right. We lose touch with self-feeling and our own intuition. We are in our body, but the “who” of who we are is missing. Our inner world or landscape is not accessible.

Through this expanded explanation of autonomic survival responses and the neurological patterns that they can turn into, you can begin to take internal inventory of which responses and emergent patterns may have arisen in you across the span of your life. All of these responses are available to us all, but we tend to activate and habituate those which have been most effective in keeping us safe. Through awareness and repeated experiences of safety and connection we can come to have regulated nervous system, where our survival responses activate when needed and dissipate when the threat has passed, allowing us to experience more growth, vitality, connection and presence.

Dr. Amanda Lalita Love, DC, MSAc, L.Ac

Network Spinal Chiropractor & Nervous System Specialist at the Sanctuary for Heart Magic in Boulder, Colorado