Understanding the Fight, Flight, Freeze Response & Polyvagal Theory

Your nervous system’s job is to keep you safe. When it senses danger—real or not—it reacts automatically. This happens outside of your conscious control, meaning you don’t choose to go into fight, flight, or freeze. Instead, your body is doing what it has learned to do to protect you. 

For some, especially those with a history of trauma, the nervous system becomes more sensitive to threat. This can make it easier to get stuck in these protective states, even when there is no immediate danger.

The Fight, Flight, Freeze Response

When faced with a threat, your body reacts in one of three ways: 

1) Fight: Your body prepares to confront the threat. You may feel: 

• Tension in your muscles (clenched jaw, tight shoulders, or fists) 

• A rush of energy, restlessness, or shaking 

• Increased heart rate and shallow breathing 

• Irritability or an urge to argue or lash out 

2) Flight: Your body tries to escape the danger. You might notice: 

• A racing heart and quick breathing 

• Restlessness or jitteriness 

• Sweaty palms or a tight chest 

• An overwhelming urge to leave or avoid a situation 

3) Freeze: Your body shuts down to protect you. This may feel like: 

• Heavy limbs, numbness, or exhaustion 

• Brain fog or trouble speaking 

• Feeling disconnected from yourself or your surroundings 

• Slowed heart rate and cold hands or feet 

These responses evolved to help humans survive in dangerous situations. However, in today’s world, many of the threats we face—stress at work, social conflict, or overwhelming emotions—aren’t solved by fighting, running away, or shutting down. 

Polyvagal Theory: How Our Nervous System Adapts

Polyvagal Theory, developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, helps explain how our nervous system reacts to stress and threat by highlighting different branches of the vagus nerve, which plays a key role in our stress response. According to Polyvagal Theory, there are three primary states that we can experience:

Ventral Vagal (Safe & Connected): When we feel safe, our nervous system allows us to engage with others, feel calm, and think clearly. Physically, we experience: 

• A steady heart rate and deep breathing 

• Relaxed muscles and a sense of ease 

• Feeling connected to others and present in the moment 

Sympathetic (Fight or Flight): When we sense danger, our body gears up for action - either to fight or flee. In this state, we experience: 

• A rush of adrenaline and increased heart rate 

• Fast, shallow breathing and tense muscles 

• Feeling hyper-aware of our surroundings or easily startled 

Dorsal Vagal (Shutdown/Freeze): When a threat feels too big to fight or escape, our body may shut down. This can feel like: 

• Slowed heart rate and low energy 

• Feeling numb, disconnected, or dissociated 

• Trouble focusing or making decisions 

The goal isn’t to eliminate these responses but to recognize when they happen and learn how to respond to them more effectively.   

Why This Matters

Understanding your nervous system’s reactions helps you see that these automatic responses are not weaknesses, but ways your body protects you. In today’s world, these responses may not always be helpful for managing stress, but knowing when you're in fight, flight, or freeze can help you recognize and respond to these feelings with more self-awareness. This knowledge allows you to take better care of yourself and approach challenges with more compassion, understanding that your body is simply doing its job to keep you safe.The more aware you are of your system, the better able you are to find what works best for you. 

Healing doesn’t mean never feeling anxious or shut down—it means learning how to respond to ourselves with more care and compassion.  With practice, you can learn to navigate these states and create more moments of calm, connection, and safety in your daily life.