The freeze type & dissociative defense

Book excerpt

[GeminiDancer Major Contributor]

I've always been a freeze type. I know I've read about it before but what is the difference between freeze and fawn types?

[Hidden in reply to GeminiDancer]

Fawn is more codependent. The always pleasing type. Freeze is more isolation & withdrawal, & in its more severe states near catatonic. I have actually had characteristics of other types over the years so I don't think anyone is limited to one 'type' but we do have perhaps more characteristics of one over others. I will find the chart the compares the types & post it soon.

[GeminiDancer Major Contributor in reply to Hidden]

Thanks. I agree...I'm sure we all experience and manifest all types to differing degrees and during different periods of our lives.

Of all the types I think I've more consistently always been the freeze type. Although during various stages of my treatment, I practiced fight pretty well 😳. It took a while to get there.

[Hidden in reply to GeminiDancer]

I feel like at different stages through my life I manifested characteristic of all of the types. Predominantly I am a freeze type, but as a teenager I shifted into 'fight' mode until young adulthood where I became more of a 'fawn' when dealing with other people. Around that time I became a healthcare worker, & due to the unfortunate nature of the work (I worked on a cancer ward for many years) & the difficult interactions with co workers, I became re-traumatized (not knowing it at the time) . Fight mode came back out with vengence along with flight. I''ve been predominantly in freeze mode for the last 10? Years. The fight response comes back into play when needed which I am happy for.