Cycle Breaker and Change Maker | Introduction to the Freeze Response - the third "F" of the five "F"'s of Trauma Response

Episode 27: Understanding the Freeze Response to Trauma

Hello and welcome back to the Cycle Breaker and Change Maker podcast. If you’ve been following along, you know that we are diving deep into the Five F’s of Trauma Response. In the last episodes, we explored the Fight and Flight responses—how they develop, how they show up in daily life, and what we can do to manage them. Today, we’re moving on to the third response: Freeze.

The freeze response is often the least understood of the trauma responses. While fight and flight involve action, freeze is about inaction. It’s a survival instinct that shuts the body and mind down in response to overwhelming stress. If you’ve ever felt paralyzed in a stressful situation, struggled to make decisions under pressure, or dissociated from your surroundings, you may be experiencing the freeze response.

Let’s break down what the freeze response really is, how it manifests in daily life, and most importantly, how we can work with it rather than feel stuck in it.

What is the Freeze Response?

The freeze response occurs when the brain perceives a threat and determines that neither fighting nor fleeing is possible. Instead, it chooses a third option: shutting down. This is an ancient survival mechanism that allows animals—and humans—to remain still and unnoticed when danger is near.

For trauma survivors, the freeze response can become deeply ingrained, causing them to feel stuck, unable to take action, and disconnected from their emotions or environment. It can create a sense of helplessness and even make people feel like they are watching their life from the outside.

Transcript

Episode 27: Understanding the Freeze Response to Trauma

Hello and welcome back to the Cycle Breaker and Change Maker podcast. If you’ve been following along, you know that we are diving deep into the Five F’s of Trauma Response. In the last episodes, we explored the Fight and Flight responses—how they develop, how they show up in daily life, and what we can do to manage them. Today, we’re moving on to the third response: Freeze.

The freeze response is often the least understood of the trauma responses. While fight and flight involve action, freeze is about inaction. It’s a survival instinct that shuts the body and mind down in response to overwhelming stress. If you’ve ever felt paralyzed in a stressful situation, struggled to make decisions under pressure, or dissociated from your surroundings, you may be experiencing the freeze response.

Let’s break down what the freeze response really is, how it manifests in daily life, and most importantly, how we can work with it rather than feel stuck in it.

What is the Freeze Response?

The freeze response occurs when the brain perceives a threat and determines that neither fighting nor fleeing is possible. Instead, it chooses a third option: shutting down. This is an ancient survival mechanism that allows animals—and humans—to remain still and unnoticed when danger is near.

For trauma survivors, the freeze response can become deeply ingrained, causing them to feel stuck, unable to take action, and disconnected from their emotions or environment. It can create a sense of helplessness and even make people feel like they are watching their life from the outside.

How Does the Freeze Response Show Up in Everyday Life?

Freeze can manifest in many ways. Here are some common signs:

• Feeling Stuck or Numb: You might feel emotionally frozen, unable to process feelings or react appropriately to situations.
• Dissociation: This can include feeling disconnected from your body, zoning out, or feeling as if the world around you isn’t real.
• Procrastination and Indecision: If making choices feels impossible, or you constantly delay tasks because they feel overwhelming, this might be freeze at work.
• Avoidance of Responsibilities: When everyday tasks feel too daunting, leading to inaction and avoidance.
• Fatigue and Low Energy: The body may feel exhausted, heavy, or difficult to move when the freeze response is active.

Freeze can be incredibly frustrating because it often leads to a cycle of self-judgment—feeling guilty or ashamed for not taking action, which only reinforces the sense of being stuck.

Why Does the Freeze Response Develop?

The freeze response is most common in situations where a person has experienced prolonged or extreme stress, especially in cases where neither fight nor flight was an option. For example, children who grew up in unsafe households may have learned to emotionally shut down to protect themselves. This response can persist into adulthood, even in non-threatening situations.

People who have experienced traumatic events where escape wasn’t possible—such as abuse, neglect, or sudden loss—are more likely to develop a freeze response. Their nervous system has learned that inaction was the safest reaction at the time, and it can become an automatic response even when they are no longer in danger.

How Can We Manage the Freeze Response?

Since freeze involves shutting down, overcoming it requires gentle re-engagement with the present moment and the body. Here are some ways to work through it:

Step 1: Awareness

The first step is recognizing when you are in a freeze state. Notice if you feel emotionally numb, overwhelmed, or stuck. Acknowledging this response without judgment is crucial.

Step 2: Grounding Techniques

Since freeze can involve dissociation, grounding techniques help reconnect you with your body. Try deep breathing, holding an object with texture, or engaging your senses by naming things you can see, hear, touch, taste, and smell.

Step 3: Small, Manageable Actions

Instead of pressuring yourself to take big steps, start small. Break tasks into tiny, achievable parts. For example, if cleaning your house feels overwhelming, start by picking up just one item. Gradual movement can help ease you out of freeze mode.

Step 4: Gentle Physical Activity

Slow and mindful movement, like stretching, yoga, or even a short walk, can help reawaken your body and nervous system. Physical activity signals to the brain that it is safe to come out of freeze mode.

Step 5: Reconnect with Safe People

Social engagement helps counteract the freeze response. Talking with a trusted friend, therapist, or support group can help bring you back to the present and remind you that you are not alone.

My Experience with the Freeze Response

For much of my life, I didn’t realize I had a freeze response. I thought I was just indecisive or procrastinating, I always knew though, that I was not lazy - in fact the opposite, I would lose myself in work. In reality, I was frozen—overwhelmed by the weight of past trauma and unable to move forward.

I remember times when making even the smallest decisions felt impossible. Instead of addressing things, I would disassociate out, or shut down emotionally. The more I avoided my emotions, the worse I felt. But understanding that this was my nervous system’s way of trying to protect me changed everything.

When I began using grounding techniques, moving my body, and taking small steps, I started to feel unstuck. It wasn’t an overnight fix, but slowly, I built the confidence to take action again.

Final Thoughts

If today’s episode resonated with you, please know that you’re not alone. The freeze response is a deeply ingrained survival mechanism, but with patience and small steps, you can start to regain control. Healing from trauma is not about forcing yourself out of freeze mode—it’s about learning to move forward gently and at your own pace.

In our next episode, we’ll explore the Fawn response—what it looks like, why it happens, and how to navigate it. If you found this episode helpful, please share it with someone who might benefit. And as always, thank you for being here, for listening, and for choosing to heal.