Functional Freeze : What is it and how to overcome it
You’ve most likely heard of the ‘fight or flight’ response, our autonomic nervous system’s natural reaction to threat. But have you also heard of two other terms in the same breath: freeze and fawn? Together, these responses – Fight, Flight, Freeze, Fawn – represent our body’s natural adaptive survival mechanism.
While fight and flight are more commonly discussed, freeze, its best mate, functional freeze, and fawn are less widely recognized. Let’s dive deeper into these responses, uncover what functional freeze really is, and explore how you can move out of it.
Understanding Fight, Flight, Freeze and Fawn
As our nervous system develops, life offers us situations that allow our autonomic nervous system to grow. Our autonomic (or ‘automatic’) nervous system governs our responses to stress and danger through two primary branches:
- Sympathetic nervous system: Activates the fight or flight response.
- Parasympathetic nervous system: Encourages rest and digest.
Fight & flight are triggered into action when we find ourselves in a situation that does not feel safe to us as an individual, when there is a threat to our being. This can be literally anything, and what triggers one person may not trigger another. In response to the triggering, we may want to escape, run away – flight. If we can’t do this, we may attempt to fight – argue or act out physically.
And if/when both of these options are not possible, we may enter a state of freeze. This is a state of immobilisation where we may feel physically stuck, emotionally numb or unable to act in any way.
The fawn response is also a survival mechanism, demonstrated when a person attempts to appease or placate others to avoid conflict or danger. This response usually develops in environments where asserting boundaries feels unsafe, such as in abusive or neglectful relationships, where a parent is quick to anger, or where expressing our true needs may be met with disapproval or threat.
Instead of fighting, fleeing, or freezing, we adapt by putting others’ needs ahead of our own. We seek approval, and suppress our own emotions, needs and desires in an attempt to maintain peace. This can lead to chronic people-pleasing, difficulty setting boundaries, and a loss of personal identity over time. Healing from the fawn response involves cultivating self-awareness, developing boundaries, and reclaiming one’s autonomy through supportive therapy and self-compassion practices.
Freeze in Nature: A Protective Mechanism
This state of freeze is an interesting one when considered from a nature standpoint. A gazelle caught by a lion will go into a freeze state just before death, as a natural response to protect themselves from the pain and terror of the death.
If the lion is distracted and moves away, the gazelle will reactivate, stand up, shake off this energy and run away.
We share this ability to ‘shake it off’, but our social norms often discourage these instinctive physical responses. If you stood in the middle of the supermarket shaking from head to toe you’d probably be called crazy!
However, by suppressing our body’s natural way of processing stress, we can trap unprocessed energy in our system. We need to shake, like dogs and horses do! And perhaps some do at dances, through modalities such as TRE (trauma release exercises), but the average person remains unaware of this need.
Many indigenous and ancient traditions have variations of “Shaking the bones” and similar practices. These are rooted in traditional and tribal healing ceremonies and use rhythmic movement and shaking to release tension, stress, and trauma stored in the body.
What Is ‘Functional Freeze‘?
The freeze state is involuntary. It may bring a heaviness or weightedness to the body, and means you lose the ability to communicate or act.
If we remain in this frozen state for a period of time (perhaps a child cannot escape a neglectful or abusive parent, a partner cannot escape a home), then we may move into a state of functional freeze.
In this state, a person remains stuck in a sense of immobilisation but learns to appear to function in daily life. From the outside, they may appear fine – going to work, socialising, or completing daily tasks. However, internally, they may feel emotionally numb, disconnected, or overwhelmed by a vague sense of unease. It may sort of feel like depression, but not be depression. It may feel like things are just not quite right. While they are working, meeting friends etc they still feel disconnected. The sense of ‘not quite right’ just doesn’t shift.
Over time, the nervous system remains stuck in survival mode, even when the threat has passed.
Signs of functional freeze
If you’re experiencing functional freeze, you may notice some or all of the following:
- Isolation and Disconnection
- Avoiding calls, messages, or social plans.
- Feeling withdrawn or disconnected from loved ones.
- Self-Neglect
- Struggling to maintain self-care routines.
- Finding it hard to do things that usually help you feel better.
- Procrastination and Inaction
- Feeling overwhelmed by tasks and unable to start or finish them.
- Spending time procrastinating or disengaging completely.
- Low-Level Anxiety
- A constant background sense of fear or dread without a clear source.
- Feeling perpetually “on edge” and unable to fully relax.
- Physical and Emotional Exhaustion
- Lacking energy for movement or exercise, despite feeling restless.
- Spending excessive time in bed or on the couch.
- Dissociation
- Feeling emotionally numb or detached from your surroundings.
- Losing interest in activities that once brought joy.
While you may be “functioning” on the surface, life may feel stagnant, unfulfilling, or challenging to navigate.
How To Ease A Functional Freeze Response
First up, this does not need to be a permanent state! There are ways to ease this response by gently bringing your nervous system back to a parasympathetic state.
The following can help with this.
- Connecting with nature – go for walks, get in the garden, go for a swim, just BE in and with nature.
- Light exercise – gentle exercise such as mindful walking, stretching, yoga, tai chi can be very helpful for easing trauma and drawing awareness back into the body through controlled movement.
- Breathing – consciously regulating your breathing lets your brain know it can relax. Allowing your out breath to equal your in breath in duration, or better still, encouraging your outbreath to be longer than the in helps with regulation.
- Mindfulness and meditation – slowing down and connecting in the present moment. You can use a guided meditation or simply sit and draw awareness to what you can touch, see, hear and smell.
- Vagus nerve – stimulating your vagus nerve through singing, humming, gargling has an immediate effect on our parasympathetic nervous system.
When To Seek Support
Self-help techniques can be powerful, but you may need to seek professional guidance on this leg of your journey. A trauma-informed therapist can help you understand your life’s journey, and help you safely process and release stuck energies.
The Path To Renewal
In our fast-paced, high-pressure world, it’s easy to find ourselves stuck in survival mode. Functional freeze is a protective mechanism, but it’s not where we’re meant to stay.
By taking small, intentional steps, you can gently guide your nervous system back into balance. Whether through nature, movement, or mindfulness, you can reconnect with yourself and the world around you—and step forward into a life of greater ease and vitality.
If you’re feeling stuck, know that you’re not alone. With the right tools and support, healing is possible.
JOIN OUR TRIBE and learn ways to support yourself for a healthier and happier future.
The next version of you will thank you!
Individual Professional support for adults
Highlands Centre For Healing can offer you support. Set in nature, which beautifully supports our nervous system, Soo will provide a nurturing environment in which you can explore and process your life experiences.
A trauma trained somatic therapy and energy healer, sessions with Soo are always tailored to the individual’s needs. She’s ready to support you when you are ready to start the journey.
We’re just here when you’re ready to gently unpack and process your trauma.
About the Highlands Centre for Healing
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