Untangle Survival Mode

What does survival mode look like and why is it phrased that way?

Survival mode is the stress patterns in which our mind, body, and emotional health

operate for periods of time. The stress responses that are commonly experienced

are Fight, Flight, Freeze, and Fawn.

Common symptoms associated with Fight can be displayed by anger or defensiveness. Flight is where avoidance, perfectionism,or restlessness occurs. Freeze is shown as feeling disconnected or dissociation.

Fawn is often displayed as seeking approval or ignoring personal needs. These

survival responses lead in our lives as a mechanism of protection, but if

prolonged, can lead to negative impacts. The negative impacts can affect the way

the nervous system is regulated and ways in which we approach decision making.

People enter in this state of dysregulation by a traumatic event, childhood

instability, environments where vulnerability felt unsure, and much more.

How can we untangle these stress responses?

It’s about becoming self-aware and nurturing ourselves in a new way that brings sustainable healing. Untangling it may require re-learning behaviors that seem difficult to engage in. Examples of

untangling survival mode can be:

● Talking with a trusted person

● Practicing mindfulness or meditation

● Spending time in nature

● Engaging in trauma-informed therapy

● Prioritizing adequate sleep and nutrition

● Learning healthy boundaries

● Practicing self-compassion and emotional regulation skills

You don’t have to simply go through the motions of life. At times, the ways we

protect ourselves can unintentionally create distance between us and the people

who make up our support system. While these protective patterns may have once

helped us survive difficult experiences, they can also lead to inauthenticity and

disconnection when they remain our primary way of coping.

It’s very common for our survival patterns to be a sense of comfort since we

have faced and lived by those patterns for a long time. The discomfort often

shows up when you start to heal. There is a big distinction between going

through the motions of life and actually living in a way that is supportive for

yourself.