Blog — anxiety

Four Fs of Stress and Trauma: Fight, Flight, Freeze, Fawn Explained 0

Have you ever found yourself reacting to stress in ways that seem out of your control? Those automatic responses can get you in trouble! They can mess with your relationships, work life, and personal well-being.

You are probably aware of the fight-or-flight emergency stress response concept but may not know that 2-only list of instinctual reactions has been expanded as more research into stress has been performed.

As the list has grown, the F alliteration has remained. The expanded list includes Fight, Flight, Freeze, and Fawn. (Some have added others like Faint or Flop, and Friend. I'll explain why I don't typically include these when talking about the stress response.)

I added freeze to my stress response explanations to clients many years ago, but I resisted the idea of growing the list beyond three until I investigated fawn recently for a writing project and got excited about how well it explained some of what I have witnessed in client stories.  

Recognizing the Four Fs stress response can empower you to better manage stress and make healthier choices in challenging situations.

By delving into each component of this primal response, you can gain valuable insights into your emotions and behaviors when faced with stressors. It can also help you understand how other people around you feel and act when they're stressed out.

Let's explore the Fight-Flight-Freeze-Fawn stress response and its implications on your daily life.

15 Important High Emotional Intelligence Benefits 0

Have you ever wondered why some people seem to excel in their personal and professional lives, while others struggle to find success?

The answer may lie in their level of emotional intelligence.

Emotional intelligence, or EQ, is a term that has gained significant attention in recent years. It refers to your ability to understand, use, manage, and express your emotions, as well as the ability to recognize and understand the emotions of others. 

I have been helping people build their emotional intelligence for decades. I am more and more convinced that it is the key to personal happiness, successful relationships, and healthy communities. 

In this article, we will explore the research-based benefits of having a high emotional intelligence quotient. So, if you're curious about how emotional intelligence can benefit you, keep reading to discover the key advantages it offers.

 

Military Service Toxic Exposure: Mental Health Risks 1

The men and women who serve in our military make a multitude of sacrifices. Even when not involved directly in combat, they are often exposed to many health risks and dangers that those in the civilian world rarely face. These risks are not only physical but also come in the form of exposure to toxic substances which have been found to affect mental health.

Although underreported, conditions such as anxiety, phobias, and PTSD can develop as a consequence of toxic exposure. To facilitate a greater understanding of this phenomenon, this article will explore the link between military service, toxic exposure, and the development of depression, anxiety, phobias, and PTSD and the mechanisms that increase the likelihood of experiencing such mental health conditions.

101 Emotion Words List: Expand Your Emotion Vocabulary 1

Most people have a limited emotion vocabulary: they don't have many words to describe feelings. Having limited emotion words at your disposal gets in the way of you understanding yourself and others. This post includes a 101 emotion words list to help you better label what's happening for yourself and the people around you.

Mental Health and Partner Abuse Resources for Men 0

There aren't a lot of online mental health and partner abuse resources that are geared to men, so I'm putting together a resource list. 

I'll be adding to the list as I find more resources.

15 Ways to Manage Stress and Reduce Anxiety 0

Wondering how to relieve your stress? Here are 15 stress-reducing activities you can work into your day to reduce anxiety and increase stress resilience. (One of them takes 15 seconds.)