Fawning: A Common Trauma Response
Childhood Trauma and Fawning
The fawn response is most commonly associated with childhood trauma and complex trauma types of trauma that arise from repeat events. Trauma responses are not a choice; they are the body's instinctual reaction to danger. Fawning is an unconscious attempt to appease a perceived threat.
Fawning as a Trauma Response
Fawning refers to when an individual copes with a perceived danger by attempting to appease whoever is causing the danger. This response is often seen in people who have experienced childhood abuse or neglect. Fawning can manifest in various ways, such as:
- Excessive apologizing
- Seeking approval or validation
- Going along with others' wishes
- Ignoring one's own needs or desires
- People-pleasing behaviors
Fawning as a trauma response is the 4th theorized response to trauma and complex PTSD (c-PTSD). As defined by Dr. Pete Walker, fawn types seek safety by attempting to please and appease others, even at the expense of their own well-being.
Understanding Stress Responses
The fight-flight-freeze-fawn responses are known as stress responses or trauma responses. These are ways the body automatically attempts to protect itself from perceived threats. Each response serves a specific purpose:
- Fight: Confronting the threat directly
- Flight: Running away from the threat
- Freeze: Playing dead or becoming immobile
- Fawn: Appeasing or submitting to the threat
While these responses may have been helpful in protecting us from real physical dangers in the past, they can become problematic when they are triggered by everyday situations or relationships. When trauma responses become excessive or inappropriate in response to non-threatening situations, they can interfere with our daily lives and cause distress.
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