Fight, Flight, Freeze: 3 Kinds of Stress Responses
Written by, Marnie Rogers-de Jong, Ph. D | April 4, 2021
You’ve likely heard the phrase, “fight or flight.” It’s actually pretty helpful for understanding how people respond to stress. Especially when we add one more word: Fight, flight, or freeze.
Fight Response
Sometimes when people are stressed, they go into “fight” mode. They feel irritable and moody, and are quick to anger. They lash out at those around them, sometimes over what seems like small things. This can help release some tension in the moment, but likely creates problems in their relationships with family, friends, and coworkers.
Flight Mode
Sometimes people have a “flight” response, where they try to avoid whatever’s causing them stress.
Imagine that someone who’s nervous around new people goes to a large, crowded party. If they become too overwhelmed, they might just suddenly up and leave, without saying goodbye to their friends.
Or, picture someone who needs to see their family doctor, but is worried they could receive bad news about their health. So they put off dealing with the issue altogether.
Some people in flight mode stay really busy all the time (like working long hours) to avoid thinking about whatever’s stressing them out. Others turn to drugs or alcohol to escape their thoughts and feelings for a few hours.
Freeze Mode
Sometimes people “freeze” when faced with stressful situations. They feel numb or paralyzed, as though they’re frozen in fear. They may be unsure about what to do or how to react. Maybe they’re afraid to make the wrong decision, so they do nothing. People who often go into “freeze” mode tend to avoid taking risks. They can also become withdrawn and isolated from others over time.
Chronic Stress
“Fight, flight, and freeze” are normal, functional responses to stress. In a dangerous situation, they help keep us safe. If we suddenly hear a fire alarm and smell smoke, having an immediate “flight” response can help us escape.
But these responses can become an issue when we’re dealing with chronic stress, caused by ongoing situations like poverty, problems at work, or relationship issues. Problems can come up if we get stuck in these ways of reacting.
For instance, anxiety may be linked with a highly sensitive “flight” response, where people constantly avoid situations that bring up worries. But running from our problems doesn’t usually solve them. In fact, many problems just grow while we ignore them, creating even more stress for us going forward.
How do You Respond?
Take some time to think about how you usually deal with stress. Do you tend to “fly off the handle” at the people around you? Avoid dealing with the situation as long as possible? Or freeze up, because you’re not sure what to do? If how you deal with stress is causing issues, being more aware of these responses in the moment is an important first step.
Read More About Stress
Dr. Marnie Rogers-de Jong
Registered Doctoral Psychologist
