Conflict is necessary and unavoidable in relationships. In fact, many couples argue over not only topics and scenarios but the different ways in which they handle conflict.
There are four major ways in which we respond to threats. These responses often present themselves during conflict: fight, flight, fawn or freeze.
› The fight response is the most aggressive. It’s when an individual fights back against a perceived threat.
› The flight response causes an individual to flee the threat. For some, this looks like leaving the room or hanging up the phone.
› The fawn response is when a person becomes indebted to the threat, allowing weakness and desperation to wash over them. They often agree to do anything and everything to avoid the threat.