How to recover when you freeze
When the place next door caught on fire, I froze. Shock and fear set in. It took a while for the information to register in my brain — that there was actually fire blazing less than 1.5m from our house. But as my body began to melt, adrenaline kicked in and I fled. Kid, keys, computer — check.
We survived and our place remained unscathed (I have so much respect for the firies who walk “into” the flames as everyone else runs away). The shock lived on, though, raging inside of my body. It was as though the electrical trip switch had permanently flicked a part of my brain and nervous system “off”, inducing a state known as “chronic functional freeze”.
We often hear about the fight or flight response, which is activated when we sense danger. “Fight” drives you to move towards the threat, whereas “flight” is a cue to move away, and often fast. But freeze is saved for times of extreme risk and can be much harder to recover from.
It happens when the neuroception of danger — a process the brain undergoes by scanning the environment to determine the degree of danger that’s present and how to respond — is considered life threatening. It’s not a cognitive or psychological process, but a brain and body-based biological adaptation and survival mechanism.
When freeze is activated, the body shuts down — it remains underactive, trapped in hypo-arousal. It’s often impossible to think or move, and all metabolic processes drop — heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, the immune system and depth of breathing, social behaviour, and the ability to attune to the human voice decreases.
The body conserves energy, and may even collapse or become immobilised. The somatic (neurological, biological and emotional) imprint of the initial stressful or traumatic event can remain alive within the body for some time. When an incident, like a potentially life-threatening house fire occurs during a period of already heightened stress, things can quickly go awry.
Conditions such as chronic fatigue, chronic pain, migraines, reduced immunity, cardiac issues, heart palpitations or digestive disturbances may follow. Feelings of being overwhelmed and a lack of ability to cope with even minor stressors, and emotional dissociation or numbness and depression can be common.
Underneath the frozen cap of stuck energy, though, there is often a whirlpool of fight or flight-based emotions, feelings and sensations. These need to be felt, voiced, experienced and moved through and out of the body and brain.
Key to the process is a feeling of safety — sense of inner safety and environmental safety are prerequisites for healing. Stress must also be reduced or eliminated, to support the body and nervous system. Space, time and professional support to deal with “tough stuff” — the deep shock, fear, rejection or trauma — is likely to be required. This means working with experienced trauma therapists and practitioners who understand recovery from a multidimensional perspective.
Holistic body-based therapies, such as somatic psychotherapy, massage, movement, nutrition, lymphatics, traditional Chinese medicine, breathwork, kinesiology, bodywork, journaling, time in nature, and learning more about how your brain and body works may also be helpful.
The freeze response happens on a spectrum, triggered by different circumstances. It’s a natural process designed to keep us safe, but getting stuck for too long is not healthy. Returning to a state of equilibrium – feeling safe and calm with strong social connections and increased physical wellness – is possible but it may take a bit of time. Be patient and kind to yourself along the way.
Lifeline: 13 11 14.
This article was first published in The West Australian in Renée Gardiner’s weekly column in Agenda, 22 October 2022.