Ignoring Our Animal Instincts Makes Us More Vulnerable to Trauma

“Most of us don’t think of or experience ourselves as animals. Yet, by not living through our instincts and natural reactions, we aren’t fully human either. Existing in a limbo in which we are neither animal nor fully human can cause a number of problems, one of which is being susceptible to trauma.” - Peter Levine

This passage points to an important truth in psychology: our nervous systems are built from our animal heritage. We are human animals, with instincts that have existed for over thousands of years to keep us alive. But in the modern and fast life of 2025, many of us have become disconnected from those instinctual capacities, and that disconnection can leave us more vulnerable to stress and trauma.

Some Instincts We Ignore

1. Fight-or-flight responses

   
   

   • Instinct: When threatened, the body prepares to fight back or run away.

   • How we ignore it: Instead of moving or discharging that energy, we often stay still, stay “polite,” or suppress our reactions to avoid social conflict or “keep others happy”.

   
   

2. Freezing

   
   

   • Instinct: When escape isn’t possible, the body may freeze, going still to survive or avoid detection.

   • How we ignore it: We label it as “shutting down” or “zoning out” and often criticize ourselves for being unproductive, rather than seeing it as a nervous system survival response.

   
   

3. Startle reflex

   
   

   • Instinct: Jumping, flinching, or recoiling when surprised helps protect us from sudden danger.

   • How we ignore it: We may immediately minimize or laugh it off, instead of noticing that our body is signaling it needs to process a shock.

   
   

4. Intuition about danger

   
   

   • Instinct: A “gut feeling” or body tension signals when something or someone feels unsafe.

   • How we ignore it: Many people override intuition with logic or social pressure (“I don’t want to seem rude,” “I’m probably overreacting”).

   
   

5. The need to rest after stress

   
   

   • Instinct: After exertion or danger, animals rest or shake to release energy.

   • How we ignore it: We push ourselves to keep working, scrolling, or numbing with distractions instead of giving the body time to recover.

   
   

6. Seeking connection

   
   

   • Instinct: Turning to others for safety, comfort, and co-regulation is hardwired into us.

   • How we ignore it: Cultural messages around independence or shame may lead us to isolate instead of reaching out when we need support.

     
     

Why Our Animal Nature Matters

From a psychological perspective, Peter Levine notes how trauma often arises when the body cannot complete its natural survival responses. Animals in the wild instinctively shake, run, or discharge the energy of a threat once it has passed. Humans, on the other hand, tend to override these instinctual processes with thought, suppression, or self-judgment. Our survival in today’s world relies heavily on planning and intellect, but our nervous systems are still wired for movement and instinct.

When we ignore or suppress these natural processes, our bodies may hold on to unprocessed stress. This can lead to symptoms such as hypervigilance, anxiety, numbness, or a feeling of being cut off from ourselves. In this way, neglecting our “animal selves” doesn’t make us more human; it erodes our ability to deal with stress or trauma and can leave us as a shell of ourselves.

The Dignity of Being Fully Human

While it’s true that we are animals, it’s equally true that we are not only animals. As humans, we are created with inherent and undamageable value and dignity. No matter what someone has been through—war, abuse, accidents, or other overwhelming experiences—their worth remains intact. In IFS, we call this the core self. It is undamaged, it is the You when you feel calm, connected, creative, and confident. When you experience love, joy, and peace.

This is critical: trauma may wound the nervous system, it may affect how safe we feel in our own bodies, but it does not diminish our dignity and humanity, our Loveableness, our inherent value. Remembering this truth allows us to approach healing with compassion rather than shame.

Integration: Where Healing Happens

Psychological healing often involves reconnecting with both sides of ourselves - the instinctual animal body and the reflective human mind. Approaches like somatic therapy, EMDR, and trauma-informed counseling help individuals access their nervous systems’ natural responses while holding onto the truth of their dignity as human beings.

When we integrate these parts, we move out of the limbo described in the passage—neither animal nor fully human—and instead become whole. We can respond to challenges with vitality, release the grip of trauma, and live more fully in both body and soul.

Moving Forward

To honor our animal nature is not to lower ourselves, but to reconnect with the biological wisdom that makes us resilient. To honor our human dignity is to affirm that, no matter what we face, our value cannot be erased. Together, these truths form the foundation of psychological healing: we are human animals with nervous systems that need care, and we are humans with inherent worth that cannot be lost.