02/23/2026
When our emotions and nervous system escalate, we can go into Fight, Flight, Freeze, or Fawn. This infographic, by an unknown/uncredited source, describes each of these responses. Fawn is often the lesser known of the 4 F’s.
Here are some ways we can try to regulate our emotions when escalating:
-Deep, slow, belly breathing
-Grounding techniques, including 5-4-3-2-1 (focusing on 5 things you see, 4 things you hear, 3 things you touch, 2 things you smell, 1 thing you taste)
-Move your body
-Practicing self-compassion
-Giving yourself a time-out and use strategies to return your body to a calm place, such as going outside, exercise, art, music, journaling, etc.
-Consider seeing a mental health professional to help you learn more about emotional regulation and healing from trauma