Multi-state Response

Disclaimer: This interpretation offers a simplified overview of Polyvagal Theory for educational purposes. It is not a substitute for therapy or professional mental health care. 

Overview

Your quiz results suggest that you don’t have a single dominant stress response — instead, your nervous system moves dynamically across different patterns like Fight, Flight, Freeze, Fawn, and Regulation. 

This is completely normal. The nervous system is not rigid; it adapts moment-to-moment based on the situation, your internal state, and your perception of safety or threat. 

You might find yourself reacting with urgency in one moment, freezing in another, people-pleasing in certain relationships, or staying grounded when you feel supported. 

According to Polyvagal Theory, your nervous system constantly scans for cues of safety and danger, and it responds accordingly. The ability to shift between different states can be a strength — it shows flexibility and responsiveness. 

However, it can also feel confusing at times if you're not aware of how or when these shifts happen. The goal isn’t to "pick" one response or to eliminate these patterns. It’s to build greater awareness of your internal shifts, recognize early signs of dysregulation, and develop tools that help you return to a regulated state more easily. 

🧠 Understanding Your Stress Responses: 

Here’s a simple overview of the different ways your nervous system might respond under stress: 

• Fight: Facing the threat with anger, irritation, or urgency to assert control.

• Flight: Escaping the threat through restlessness, anxiety, or overworking.

• Freeze: Becoming immobilized, numb, disconnected, or shut down.

• Fawn: Prioritizing others’ needs over your own to maintain peace and safety.

• Regulated: Feeling grounded, connected, and able to respond with flexibility and care.

Support Strategies: 

1. Build body awareness through daily check-ins.
Pause each day and ask yourself:

• "What sensations am I feeling in my body?"

• "Am I feeling activated (Fight/Flight)? Shut down (Freeze)? Focused on others over myself (Fawn)? Calm (Regulated)?"

Simply noticing without judgment begins the process of self-regulation

2. Match your practices to what you notice.
Choose supportive strategies based on the state you’re currently in:

• Fight/Flight: Ground excess energy through movement (walking, dancing, shaking) or breathwork with extended exhales.

• Freeze: Gently reawaken your system through sensory stimulation like rocking, stretching, or warm water.

• Fawn: Practice micro-boundaries — pause before agreeing to something and check in with your own needs first.

• Regulated: Strengthen your baseline through gratitude, creativity, and connection.

3. Explore your experiences through journaling.
Your Stress Journal can help you notice patterns, triggers, and emotional shifts over time.

4. Build resilience through reflection.
Your Motivation Journal can help you stay connected to your values, strengths, and moments of growth.

5. Adapt with kindness.
Different days call for different supports. Your nervous system’s ability to shift is a reflection of its living intelligence, not a flaw. Flexibility — not perfection — is the real goal.

Important Perspective: 

While nervous system regulation is a powerful and supportive practice, it isn’t about avoiding stress altogether. It's about noticing shifts with curiosity and care, building tools for flexibility, and strengthening your capacity to return to center. Working with a mental health professional can also help you deepen this self-awareness and build even more personalized strategies over time. 

The goal isn’t perfection — it’s growing your relationship with your body, your emotions, and your ability to respond with kindness and resilience.