How to Get Out of Survival Mode: 9 Strategies From a Therapist

What Is Survival Mode?

The term “survival mode” often refers to a period of overwhelm in which nervous system activation occurs, and individuals have difficulty devoting energy to anything other than what is necessary to maintain survival. While in a survival mode state, an individual constantly functions in an evolutionary fight-or-flight response.

While many interpret fight-or-flight to only occur in instances of physical danger, our bodies activate fight-or-flight as a stress response to handle both internal and external stressors. In the case of repetitive or chronic stress, the body may develop symptoms of depression, anxiety, cognitive impairment, and heart disease as a result.¹

What Causes a Person to Get Stuck in Survival Mode?

People can become stuck in survival mode due to chronic stress, overwhelming life challenges, or trauma. Despite the evolutionary lens through which we often view survival mode, research has found that humans are less skilled than animals in restoring homeostasis once a moment of danger has passed.²

Humans are complex due to our ability to generate meaning from our experiences and create internal representations of threats, which can activate survival mode even in the absence of an external threat. For instance, an individual who experiences a PTSD flashback in a safe environment will likely still enter a state of survival mode that was prompted by internal stimuli, regardless of external cues.²

Signs of Being Stuck in Survival Mode

In a fast-paced society, slowing down to notice you’re stuck in survival mode can sometimes be difficult. Four common survival mode responses include fight, flight, fawn, and freeze.

Here are some detailed signs that indicate you may be operating in survival mode:

• Physiological symptoms of survival mode may include dry mouth, increased heart rate, digestive upset, or muscle tension
• Increased hypervigilance, including jumping at slight sounds and frequently looking over your shoulder, and being hyper-aware of your surroundings
• Responding to stressors or trauma triggers by physically running away or practicing emotional avoidance
• Responding to stressors or trauma triggers with explosive or violent rage
• “Shutting down” in response to stressors or trauma triggers; individuals may experience a decrease in heart rate and feel unable to move, speak, or think
• Experiencing derealization, depersonalization, or dissociation
• Trouble sleeping or participating in restful activities
• Chronic people-pleasing tendencies in response to stressors or trauma triggers

Impact of Being Stuck in Survival Mode

Remaining in survival mode for long periods can have adverse reactions. Individuals experiencing symptoms of acute stress lasting less than just one year experienced poor physical health outcomes, including increased pain and lower quality of life, along with increased risk of depression and anxiety.³

Remaining in survival mode for long periods puts the body at risk of having chronic stress responses. These responses include trouble with memory retention, learning, and cognition, increased risk of mood disorders, decreased immune system function, cardiovascular concerns, gastrointestinal complications, and trouble with the endocrine system.⁴

9 Strategies for How to Get Out of Survival Mode

While survival mode may feel like an important tool to keep you safe, it is not a sustainable way to live for many individuals. It can feel overwhelming to take steps to transition out of survival mode, but acknowledging the need for change is an important first step.

Here are nine strategies for getting out of survival mode:

1. Develop Awareness About Triggers

Many individuals avoid triggers to protect themselves from the pain they could cause. However, practicing curiosity about our triggers helps us learn more about what they mean to us and how we can help ourselves through them.

Here are some questions to ask yourself next time you experience a trigger:

• What about this situation/circumstance feels triggering to me?
• What do I feel like this trigger says about me?
• What do I need to reestablish safety?
• Do my thoughts/feelings reflect the intensity of a current or past situation?
• How does this trigger influence how I view myself, others, or the world?
• Is my environment safe? If not, what can I do to make it safe?

2. Begin Therapy or Counseling 

Starting therapy can be invaluable in helping you get out of survival mode. Therapy often promotes mindfulness and insight, allowing you to reconnect with the present moment and explore ways to rediscover nervous system regulation. Therapy offers an invitation to experience safety within the therapeutic relationship, which can help an individual build trust and gradually come out of survival mode.

There are various ways to find a therapist, including asking friends or medical providers for referrals, checking with your insurance provider, or utilizing an online therapist directory or online therapy platform. Online therapy can create greater accessibility for many individuals. It may be helpful to look for therapists who specialize in trauma, stress, or life transitions, as these are often associated with survival mode.

3. Practice Mindfulness 

While survival mode involves feeling disconnected from your body and the present moment, mindfulness is “tuning in” to your body and the present moment to reestablish connectedness. Individuals can engage in mindfulness by practicing meditation, deep breathing, visualization, journaling, or using guided tools like mindfulness apps to help.

4. Prioritize Self-Care

It is impossible to exit survival mode without practicing self-care and checking in with yourself. Self-care may include exercise, hobbies, time in nature, adequate sleep, or other activities that promote relaxation and rejuvenation. Self-care looks different for everyone, and finding which types of self-care practices work best for you may take practice.

Here are some practical tips for how to incorporate self-care into a hectic daily routine:

• Start with small, manageable self-care activities, such as drinking more water or going for a short walk
• Try to create space for self-care in your schedule the same way you would plan for dinner with a friend
• Have a variety of self-care activities to pull from depending on what you feel you need and the amount of time you have
• Prioritize self-care as a necessity instead of a privilege if you have “enough time”
• Enlist the help of loved ones to help you work towards your goals by supporting or joining you in practicing self-care

5. Movement

When the body enters survival mode, it releases stress hormones that can remain “stuck” in the body without having the release of movement (fight or flight). This movement energy can become “pent up” without having a chance to exit the body safely. Try listening to your body and engage in exercise for mental health, noticing the type of movement it needs, including gentle yoga, dance, walking, or running.

6. Learn About the Mind/Body Connection

Research has marveled for decades about the connection between mental and physical wellness, noting how one can influence the other. It is common to notice increased physical symptoms when functioning in survival mode, such as a decreased immune response, fatigue, chronic pain, and more.

When exiting survival mode, it is important to reconnect physically and emotionally with your body. Pay attention to what your body may be sharing with you through emotional and physical symptoms, and practice nurturing yourself to increase your sense of safety within yourself.

7. Focus on Presence, Not Perfection

While focusing on productivity and perfection keeps us stuck in survival mode, focusing on being present with yourself and others can reconnect you to the present moment. Try setting realistic intentions for each day centered around enhancing your wellness instead of pushing yourself to your limits.

8. Acknowledge Emotions

Maintaining a state of survival mode often involves ignoring or avoiding emotions to keep pushing forward. While it can seem intimidating to recognize intense emotions, try to acknowledge your emotions without judgment. When we view emotions as indicators instead of inconveniences, we can learn to be present with ourselves again.

While you learn to sit with your emotions, it may be important to develop new coping skills for when you may feel overwhelmed and want to retreat to familiar survival mode responses. Coping skills can include mindfulness activities, art, journaling, or any other exercise that allows you to process your emotions healthily.

9. Learn How to Move Up/Down the Ladder

The Polyvagal Theory often refers to the autonomic nervous system as a ladder on which you can move into various nervous system states, including regulation, fight/flight, and freeze. When you can identify which rung of the ladder you are occupying, you can better identify what it might take to move up/down the ladder to get closer to a state of safety, one step at a time.⁵

Treatment Options for PTSD

Living in survival mode may be a symptom of untreated or undertreated PTSD. If you have experienced trauma in the past and find yourself frequently living in survival mode, getting professional care can help. There are many evidence-based options for PTSD treatment, and working with a trauma-informed therapist will include developing a comprehensive treatment plan to address your individual needs.

Effective treatment options for someone with PTSD include:

• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR): EMDR utilizes bilateral stimulation to treat and relieve PTSD, acute stress, and anxiety symptoms resulting from traumatic life experiences. A typical client utilizing EMDR for PTSD experiences a 36-95% reduction in stress symptoms as a result of completed treatment.^{6, 7}
• Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT): TF-CBT is a trauma treatment modality designed for children ages 3-18. Treatment is structured, time-limited, and incorporates both children and their guardians.
• Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT): DBT for PTSD has been shown to decrease symptoms of trauma by increasing an individual’s ability to cope with emotional distress. This involves skills training, mindfulness, and distress tolerance.
• Narrative exposure therapy (NET): NET is a trauma treatment modality known for its success in treating complex trauma in refugee populations. This short-term treatment blends components of behavioral exposure, narrative testimonies, and neuroscience.
• Somatic therapy: Somatic therapy emphasizes the importance of the mind-body connection in trauma healing. Somatic practitioners often utilize movement, grounding, titration, self-regulation exercises, and other alternative modalities to reduce stress caused by trauma.
• Internal Family Systems (IFS): IFS therapy for trauma treatment focuses on healing wounded “parts” of self. IFS is a non-pathologizing approach that encourages introspection and self-awareness.
• Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART): ART is an evidenced-based, rapid-eye-movement therapy for the treatment of trauma and other mental health concerns. ART involves decreasing distress associated with traumatic memories by using memory reconsolidation.
• Cognitive Processing Theory (CPT): CPT is an evidenced-based intervention that helps individuals challenge negative cognitions, reframe thinking patterns, and process past trauma. CPT provides trauma treatment based on the goals of reflecting, redefining, and recovery.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT emphasizes the correlation of thoughts and feelings in influencing behavior. CBT can help trauma survivors examine negative thought patterns and, as a result, behaviorally shift the way(s) they cope with trauma.

When to Seek Professional Support for PTSD

Living in survival mode due to PTSD can feel exhausting and isolating. If you notice symptoms of trauma beginning to interfere with your functioning, relationships, career, or health, it may be time to seek professional help. If you’re unsure where to find a therapist, try starting with an online therapist directory or online therapy platform or asking friends and medical providers for recommendations.