Freeze Response
The immobilization response to overwhelming threat when fight or flight seems impossible.
Also known as: Freeze state, Immobilization response, Dorsal vagal response
Category: Concepts
Tags: stresses, nervous-system, trauma, psychology, defense
Explanation
The freeze response is an automatic defensive reaction when the nervous system perceives a threat as inescapable or when fight/flight options seem unavailable. Unlike fight or flight which mobilize energy for action, freeze involves immobilization, dissociation, and shutdown. It's an ancient survival mechanism seen across species - sometimes predators lose interest in motionless prey. In humans, freeze can manifest as: feeling paralyzed, spacey, numb, or disconnected; difficulty thinking clearly; flat affect; and physical stillness or collapse. The freeze response isn't weakness or cowardice - it's an automatic, protective mechanism. Problems arise when freeze becomes a chronic response to non-threatening situations (common in trauma). Understanding freeze helps: recognize when you or others are in this state, respond with patience rather than demands for action, and appreciate that 'doing nothing' under threat may be involuntary.
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