ID: Ten panels made by @ nikkilanecreates. They read,
Fight, Flight, Freeze, Fawn, and Autism.
In our brains the amygdala processes our threat detection and our emotional responses to dangerous events. Because of neurological differences in autistic people's amygdala- Stress responses, like Fight, Flight, Freeze and Fawn happen more often to us. Autistic and other neurodivergent people can experience these extreme emotional, and physiological reactions multiple times a day, while many NT people only typically experience it in life threatening situations.
Fight: Annoyance, Impatience, Irritation, Short temper, Deep feelings of rage, Lashing out, Physical actions.
Fight: Example: You're standing outside in a line waiting to buy coffee and the people in front of you aren't paying attention. They are loudly laughing and talking, the air is cold, the sun is bright. Every part of you is uncomfortable, and you feel like you're standing "wrong" but can't figure out the right posture to seem "normal". You feel irritated and frustrated. The small things keep building. Noises become overwhelming and it fills you with this rage that is so hard to ignore. You might say something you regret- or text a friend or family member sharing your frustration- or hold it in until you're somewhere private and you silently scream and punch a pillow.
Flight: Leaving uncomfortable or unsafe environments, Leaving bad or uncomfortable conversations, Ghosting, Frequently changing jobs, Feeling fidgety / jumpy, Feeling panicked.
Flight: Example: You're at a party, you thought you could handle it but there is loud music, people laughing and yelling, the room feels warm and smells like food and beer. Someone you don't like starts talking to you. They are debating and playing "devils advocate" for something you feel strongly about. You feel fidgety and have trouble maintaining eye contact. You feel the sudden and overwhelming urge to just leave. So you quickly walk away mid conversation. You might even push someone out of the way, or stumble over things in your way because it's too much to handle and you just have to leave immediately.
Freeze: Feeling stuck, unable to make any decisions, unable to talk, unable to move from your position, tunnel vision, dampened hearing.
Freeze: Example: You're in a grocery store. You already feel on edge but you have to get a few things. The lights are harsh, the music is loud, there are blaring announcements, and a forklift is beeping somewhere. You've never been to this store before and nothing is where it should be. You finally find what you're looking for - but what you normally buy is out of stock, and everything else looks unfamiliar. The colors of all the products begin to blur and you're stuck.You feel overwhelmed with indecision, every choice seems wrong. Your senses are overwhelmed and you begin to feel frozen in place. You might bounce or stim but other than that you're stuck.
Fawn: People pleasing, Perfectionism, Needing to follow the rules, Downplaying your own feelings, Never showing your true emotions, Saying or doing something you don't believe in because you fear the consequences.
Fawn: Example: Throughout school and home life you have unconsciously seen how fawning helps you stay safe when you feel uncomfortable. Now you have a boss who is intimidating, gaslights employees, and demands too much. You appease them, strictly follow the rules, stay up for hours trying to make your work perfect. You laugh at jokes they make, agree with their opinions even though they go against what you believe in. You're afraid to speak your mind because of years of fawning. You feel like your survival depends on them liking you- or at the very least it depends on you not standing out as a bad employee or a rule breaker.
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