This article was first released in the 42nd edition of our magazine, released June, 2025
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A few days ago, you might have stumbled upon a news article with the headline, “A miracle in seat 11A: What we know about the sole survivor of the Air India crash, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh”. So did we. Granted, when someone survives such tragedies, it is considered a miraculous event. However, as we read further in the article, one of the passengers boarding with him was his brother so then, everything came down to the question, “Would this person feel lucky or cursed for surviving?” for it is not uncommon to see people who survived trauma get overwhelmed with survivors' guilt. So we decided to talk about Trauma responses on this month's mental health issue.
A trauma response is an automatic, often involuntary reaction to a threatening or harmful event. It is the body’s way of protecting itself from perceived danger, and these responses are influenced by various factors, including genetics, environment, and personal history. People who experience trauma may react with emotional responses such as:
Feelings of hopelessness
Depression
Withdrawal
Feeling jumpy or startled by certain noises
Feeling of Guilt and Shame
Or having physical responses such as:
Loss of Appetite
Insomnia or having night terrors
Sweating
Substance Abuse
Severe headache…etc
Mainly, we categorize the common types of trauma response in 4. We will be discussing them below.
The Four Types of Trauma Response
Fight: The fight response is characterized by an aggressive reaction to a threat. Individuals exhibiting this response may become confrontational, angry, or irritable. They may experience an adrenaline rush, increased heart rate, and a surge in energy, all of which prepare the body to confront the danger head-on.
Flight: The flight response involves an urge to escape or run away from the traumatic situation. Individuals may feel anxious, panicked, or an overwhelming need to flee. They might engage in avoidance behaviors, such as withdrawing from social situations, to distance themselves from reminders of the trauma.
Freeze: The freeze response is often described as a state of paralysis in the face of trauma. Individuals may feel stuck, numb, or disconnected from their surroundings and themselves. This response is akin to “playing dead,” a survival mechanism seen in the animal kingdom.
Fawn: The fawn response is less commonly discussed but equally important. It involves a tendency to please or appease others to avoid conflict or further trauma. Individuals may struggle with setting boundaries, saying no, or prioritizing their own needs.
How does survivor’s guilt fall under all of this?
As we have mentioned above, one of the feelings trauma survivors experience is guilt and shame. Survivor’s guilt is a response to an event in which someone else experienced loss, but you did not. While the name implies this to be a response to the loss of life, it could also be the loss of property, health, identity, or several other things that are important to people.
When someone gets through a traumatic event while others suffer or lose their lives, they will likely have one question to repeat: “Why (not) me?” Though they were also most directly affected by the situation, it can still haunt them and leave them confused. They may even feel that they are undeserving of being spared when others suffer.
