In every relationship, how we respond to conflict and stress can significantly impact our interactions and dynamics with others. Understanding our natural response patterns can help shed light on our behaviours and tendencies in relationships. Let’s explore the four primary responses—Fight, Flight, Freeze, and Fawn—and how they manifest in our interactions with others.
1. Fight Response:
-Â Characteristics:
- Assertive, confrontational behaviour
- Tendency to seek control and dominance in relationships
- Exhibits aggressive behaviours during conflicts or challenges
- Prioritises asserting own needs and desires
- May resort to intimidation or coercion to achieve goals
-Â Internal Reflection:
- Do I often find myself getting into arguments or conflicts with others?
- Am I comfortable asserting my needs and boundaries, even if it may lead to confrontation?
- Do I tend to dominate conversations or situations to ensure my point of view is heard?
- How do I handle anger or frustration? Do I express it assertively or aggressively?
2. Flight Response:
-Â Characteristics:
- Avoids conflict and confrontation
- Tendency to withdraw or distance oneself emotionally or physically
- Seeks to escape or avoid stressful situations or interactions
- Prefers to keep the peace and maintain harmony in relationships
- May use distraction or avoidance as coping mechanisms
-Â Internal Reflection:
- Do I often find myself avoiding conflict or difficult conversations?
- How do I typically respond to stress or confrontation? Do I withdraw or avoid?
- Am I comfortable expressing my opinions or needs, or do I tend to suppress them to avoid conflict?
- Do I prioritise maintaining harmony in relationships, sometimes at the expense of my own needs?
3. Freeze Response:
-Â Characteristics:
- Emotionally shuts down or dissociates during conflicts or stress
- Tendency to become emotionally numb or detached
- Withdraws from emotional engagement or expression
- May struggle to assert oneself or address issues openly
- Uses emotional distancing as a coping mechanism to protect oneself
-Â Internal Reflection:
- Do I often find myself feeling emotionally numb or detached during conflicts or stress?
- How do I respond to intense emotions or situations? Do I shut down or withdraw?
- Am I able to express my feelings and needs openly, or do I struggle to communicate?
- Do I tend to avoid addressing problems or conflicts, hoping they will resolve themselves?
4. Fawn Response:
-Â Characteristics:
- Submissive, people-pleasing behaviour
- Prioritises maintaining harmony and avoiding conflict
- Tendency to sacrifice one's own needs for the sake of others
- Seeks approval and validation from others
- May suppress emotions or desires to appease others
-Â Internal Reflection:
- Do I often find myself prioritising others' needs and desires over my own?
- How do I respond to conflict or disagreement? Do I try to keep the peace at all costs?
- Am I comfortable asserting my own needs and boundaries, or do I tend to suppress them to avoid conflict?
- Do I seek validation or approval from others to feel worthy or accepted?
Identifying our predominant response style—whether it’s fight, flight, freeze, or fawn—can provide valuable insight into our behaviours and tendencies in relationships. Reflecting on these characteristics helps individuals understand how their response style influences interactions. While everyone may exhibit traits from multiple stages, recognising patterns offers insight into typical coping mechanisms. This understanding enables us to navigate conflicts, communicate effectively, and foster healthier relationships with others.
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