Fight Flight Freeze Fawn Test

The four Fs of trauma response refer to Fight, Flight, Freeze, and Fawn—instinctive survival strategies the brain activates when a person perceives a threat. Each response influences behavior, emotion, and physiological reactions under stress.

Trauma is any event or experience that overwhelms an individual’s ability to cope, often resulting in lasting psychological, emotional, or physical distress. It can stem from a single incident or repeated exposure to threatening or harmful situations.

The shutdown response to trauma, often associated with the freeze response, involves becoming immobile or unresponsive when faced with extreme stress or danger. This can include physical rigidity, a mental shutdown, or a sense of numbness and detachment from the situation.