When we talk about trauma, we often hear about the "fight or flight" response — the body's instinct to confront danger or escape it. But there’s a third response that’s just as important, and often less understood: freeze.
What Is the Freeze Response?
The freeze response is your nervous system’s way of protecting you when danger feels inescapable or overwhelming. Instead of fighting back or running away, your body may go still. This can look like:
Feeling paralyzed or stuck
Going numb emotionally or physically
Detaching from your body or surroundings (dissociation)
Going quiet or unable to speak
“Spacing out” during stressful situations
From a biological standpoint, freezing is a survival strategy. For some people, especially those who have experienced repeated or complex trauma, this reaction becomes ingrained — even when they are no longer in danger.
Why Does This Happen?
The freeze response is controlled by your autonomic nervous system, which constantly scans for danger (a process called neuroception). When it perceives that fight or flight won't work — like in the case of abuse, helplessness, or overwhelming fear — it triggers the freeze state. It’s not a choice. It’s not weakness. It’s how your body tried to keep you safe.
Signs You Might Be Experiencing a Freeze Response
Many people who experience freeze reactions don’t realize what’s happening. You might notice:
You feel like you're "shutting down" when overwhelmed
You lose track of time or feel disconnected from reality
You find it difficult to take action or make decisions
You feel emotionally numb during conflict or stress
You zone out frequently, especially during intense emotions
These signs can show up in daily life — in relationships, at work, or even in therapy — and can leave you feeling confused, ashamed, or broken. But the truth is, your nervous system is doing exactly what it was designed to do.
Healing from Freeze: How Therapy Can Help
Working with a trauma-informed therapist can help you understand and regulate your nervous system. Some of the ways therapy may help include:
Psychoeducation — Learning about your trauma response helps reduce shame and build understanding.
Somatic interventions — These approaches help you reconnect with your body safely and gently.
Mindfulness and grounding techniques — These tools can bring you back into the present moment when you feel dissociated or overwhelmed.
Building a felt sense of safety — Therapy can help create space for your nervous system to learn that you are no longer in danger.
Recovery from freeze doesn’t happen overnight — but it does happen. As you build awareness and tools to respond differently, you begin to create new, safer patterns.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve ever found yourself unable to act, shutting down under pressure, or emotionally frozen — know that you’re not broken. You’re human. Your body did what it needed to survive.
