What Is My Trauma Type? (Pete Walker, Chapter 6)

[freespirit]

Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving Author: Pete Walker, MFT Publisher: Self published, December 2013 (no publisher) Paperback: 374 pages ISBN-10: 1492871842 ISBN-13: 978-1492871842

Hello bpdfamily  

"This chapter describes a trauma typology for recognizing and recovering from the different types of c-PTSD. We human beings respond with some variability to childhood trauma. This model elaborates four basic survival strategies and defensive styles that develop out of our instinctive Fight, Flight, Freeze and Fawn responses.

Variances in your childhood abuse/neglect pattern, bith order and genetics result in you gravitating towards a specific 4F survival strategy. You do this as a child to prevent, escape, or ameliorate further traumatization. Fight types develop a narcissistic-like defense. Flight types develop an obsessive/compulsive-like defense. Freeze types develop a dissociative-like defense. Fawn types develop a codependent-like defense."

- Pete Walker from Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving: A GUIDE AND MAP FOR RECOVERING FROM CHILDHOOD TRAUMA.

I would say that my trauma type is a mixture of Fawn and Flight.  

What is your trauma type?  

[Harri]

Hi!  Great topic to discuss.

I am Flight which was not a surprise to me.  Way back when, in my 20's I would say I had a lot of fight type but the fight seems to have mostly left me (due to therapy and hard work)/  I can also identify with the Freeze type a lot.  Pete Walker talks about c-PTSD as an attachment disorder and I think these are very applicable to all of us here.  The fight, flight and freeze responses have been talked about quite a bit but Pete Walker adds the fawn type, which may be talked of elsewhere but I've only seen it talked about one other place (other than here).  

For everyone reading, the types are listed here:  
The 4Fs: A Trauma Typology in Complex PTSD By Pete Walker

What I find interesting is reading (in Pete Walkers book Complex PTSD from Surviving to Thriving) is that The flight freeze type can be misdiagnosed as Asperger's Syndrome (now ASD1).  It fits me and at one time i was all but convinced I had Aspergers.  Who knew.  Another thing is that I can also see times when I resorted to the Fawn type which is the one that bugs me the most in terms of my own behavior.  Probably because on some level I am still fighting with the idea of having been a victim and abuse survivor.  

So, what does everyone, and you free spirit, see for their own patterns?

How do you see these types affecting how you function in your relationships today?

Can you identify any strengths or weaknesses with your types?

[Woolspinner2000]

Hey freespirit,

Good to hear from you!  Ah, you picked a favorite topic of mine: Pete Walker's work. He has been so helpful to so many of us, and you as well. It's great.

My type is fawn and freeze. I fall into the category that I think Alice Miller describes as the gifted child. I have only touched on her work, but Pete Walker mentions her as well. Strong fear has dominated my life, but in the past 6 years of T, I've ever so slowly begun to come out of it. I am much less freeze oriented (although it still happens), and my fawning is way way down. I'm not the same person!

What a struggle and what a journey, but I am finally seeing who Wools really is. She is stronger than I ever knew.

How do you see yourself exemplifying the traits you observe about yourself (if you feel safe to share a simple example)?

 
Wools

[JNChell]

Hey, freespirit. Glad you’re posting here. I’m definitely fight/freeze. When someone is aggressive with me I go into fight mode. I can definitely see the narcissistic nature in this. I’m not a violent person by any means. I had fights in my youth, but I don’t like fighting. It’s all about striking back and doing so quickly to try to destabilize and shut down the threat. In my experience this has mostly been verbal, but I’ve had to physically defend myself before. Doesn’t feel good at all. Violence of any kind is a terrible thing.

Certain things can cause me to freeze, or as I perceive it, it’s almost crippling. I can’t react, I just shake. I can identity with this mostly when someone is being critical or aggressive, and I feel like I’m being backed into a corner and feel like if I react that the consequences can be dire. It’s a terrible feeling of helplessness.

It’s easy to relate these things back to childhood, but I still struggle hard when faced with these things in the moment. I still have a lot of work to do when it comes to being able to ground and center myself right there, then and now. The emotional flashbacks are still stronger than me, but that’s ok for now. They’re in there, and they know that I’m fighting them and they’re not too happy about it. I say too bad. I’m not stopping. I will be stronger than my trauma soon. I’ll be calm, collected and ready for it. I’ll snuff it out and go about my day.

c-PTSD, simply put, is a very hard thing to deal with. But we must deal or become consumed by it. Yes, that’s black and white thinking, but sometimes we have to use the same tools that are being used against us. We just have to use those tools for the betterment of ourselves. Thanks for the thread, freespirit. I hope that you’re getting comfy in here with us. We like having you around.