The Punishment That Never Ends: How Childhood Discipline Rewired Your Nervous System
TL;DR: Extreme childhood punishment doesn't end when you grow up. It rewires your nervous system, teaching your body that safety depends on pleasing others and disappearing. The fawn response (people-pleasing as survival) becomes your default, affecting relationships, boundaries, and self-worth into adulthood. But you're not stuck with these patterns forever. Core Truths About Childhood Punishment and the Fawn Response: Physical and emotional punishment changes brain structure and keeps your nervous system in survival mode Fawning (people-pleasing to survive) is a trauma response that looks like kindness but feels like prison You struggle with boundaries, saying no, and knowing what you want because your nervous system was trained to prioritize others' comfort over your existence Breaking these patterns requires recognizing them, reconnecting with your body, and practicing small acts of self-advocacy Healing is possible when you stop performing and give yourself permission...
