Cycle Breaker and Change Maker | Introduction to the Flight Response - the second "F" of the five "F"'s of Trauma Response

 Episode 26: Understanding the Flight Response to Trauma 

Hello and welcome back to the Cycle Breaker and Change Maker podcast. If you’ve been following along, you know that we are diving deep into the Five F’s of Trauma Response. Last time, we explored the Fight response—what it looks like, why it develops, and how to manage it. Today, we’re moving on to the second response: Flight. 

The flight response is often associated with running away from danger, but it’s not just about physically escaping. It’s also about mentally escaping, avoiding discomfort, and staying perpetually busy to outrun feelings of anxiety or past trauma. If you find yourself constantly on the go, avoiding confrontation, or struggling with stillness, this episode is for you. 

Let’s break down what the flight response really is, how it manifests in daily life, and most importantly, how we can learn to work with it instead of being ruled by it. 

What is the Flight Response? 

The flight response is a survival instinct that activates when the brain perceives danger and determines that escape is the best option. This response is designed to keep us safe, but when trauma is involved, it can become overactive, making us feel like we constantly need to be moving, planning, or avoiding. 

Flight isn’t just about physically running away. It can also mean running from emotions, responsibilities, or relationships. It can be an urge to stay distracted, overcommit, or constantly be in motion to avoid discomfort. 

Transcript

Episode 26: Understanding the Flight Response to Trauma

Hello and welcome back to the Cycle Breaker and Change Maker podcast. If you’ve been following along, you know that we are diving deep into the Five F’s of Trauma Response. Last time, we explored the Fight response—what it looks like, why it develops, and how to manage it. Today, we’re moving on to the second response: Flight.

The flight response is often associated with running away from danger, but it’s not just about physically escaping. It’s also about mentally escaping, avoiding discomfort, and staying perpetually busy to outrun feelings of anxiety or past trauma. If you find yourself constantly on the go, avoiding confrontation, or struggling with stillness, this episode is for you.

Let’s break down what the flight response really is, how it manifests in daily life, and most importantly, how we can learn to work with it instead of being ruled by it.

What is the Flight Response?

The flight response is a survival instinct that activates when the brain perceives danger and determines that escape is the best option. This response is designed to keep us safe, but when trauma is involved, it can become overactive, making us feel like we constantly need to be moving, planning, or avoiding.

Flight isn’t just about physically running away. It can also mean running from emotions, responsibilities, or relationships. It can be an urge to stay distracted, overcommit, or constantly be in motion to avoid discomfort.

How Does the Flight Response Show Up in Everyday Life?

The flight response can manifest in many ways. Here are some common signs:

●       Constant Busyness: If you always have something to do and struggle with slowing down, your nervous system may be in flight mode.

●       Avoiding Conflict: If confrontation makes you uncomfortable and you’d rather leave a situation than face it, flight might be your go-to response.

●       Perfectionism: If you strive to be flawless, work excessively, or feel anxious when things aren’t done just right, this could be a trauma-based flight response.

●       Anxiety and Restlessness: Feeling the need to constantly be moving, planning, or thinking ahead can indicate an overactive flight response.

●       Over-Scheduling: If your calendar is always full and you never allow time for rest, it may be your brain’s way of keeping you from being still with your thoughts.

While these behaviors can be productive in some situations, they can also be exhausting and prevent you from fully engaging with yourself and others.

Why Does the Flight Response Develop?

The flight response often originates in early life experiences where avoidance was necessary for survival. If you grew up in an unpredictable or high-stress environment, keeping busy or staying ahead of problems may have been your way of staying safe.

For example, a child in a chaotic household may have learned that keeping their head down and staying occupied helped them avoid conflict. As adults, this response may continue, even when the original danger is no longer present.

How Can We Manage the Flight Response?
 

Healing from a dominant flight response doesn’t mean stopping all movement—it means learning to slow down, recognize avoidance patterns, and find balance. Here are some strategies to help manage the flight response in a healthier way:

Step 1: Awareness

The first step is recognizing when you’re in flight mode. Pay attention to times when you feel the urge to keep moving, work excessively, or avoid difficult emotions. Identifying these patterns is crucial.

Step 2: Grounding Practices

Since flight is an escape response, grounding techniques can help you reconnect with the present moment. Practices like deep breathing, mindfulness, and body awareness exercises can help slow your nervous system.

Step 3: Challenge the Need for Constant Motion

Ask yourself: “What happens when I slow down? What am I afraid of feeling?” Giving yourself permission to pause and feel emotions without running from them is key to healing.

Step 4: Set Boundaries with Your Time

If over-scheduling is part of your flight response, start setting small boundaries. Leave space in your schedule for rest and reflection, and notice how it makes you feel.

Step 5: Learn to Sit with Discomfort

Instead of avoiding situations that cause anxiety, practice tolerating discomfort in small doses. This could mean staying in a difficult conversation a little longer or allowing yourself to rest without guilt.

My Experience with the Flight Response

For a long time, I thrived on productivity, avoided conflict at all costs, and always had a new goal or project to work on. It is who I was, or so I thought.  What I didn’t realize was that I was in a constant state of flight—running from emotions I didn’t want to face.

When I finally slowed down, it was incredibly uncomfortable. I had to sit with feelings I had spent years avoiding. But over time, I learned that being still didn’t mean being unsafe. It meant giving myself the space to heal. Now, I still love being productive, but I also know when to pause, rest, and acknowledge what I’m feeling because even though I have come such a long way, healing from trauma is a process.

Final Thoughts

If today’s episode resonated with you, I want you to know that you’re not alone. The flight response is a deeply ingrained survival mechanism, but with awareness and intentional steps, it can be managed in a way that supports your well-being instead of exhausting you.

In our next episode, we’ll explore the Freeze response—what it looks like, why it happens, and how to navigate it. If you found this episode helpful, please share it with someone who might benefit. And as always, thank you for being here, for listening, and for choosing to heal.