Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health disorders in the US affecting 40 million adults (19.1 % of the population) [1]. There are many types of anxiety but one specific symptom called the “freeze response” is possible with anxiety and especially with trauma. In this article I explain what freeze is, why it happens, and how to manage it.
What is Freeze Response?
While freezing is common in anxiety disorders (like PTSD, social anxiety, or panic disorder), it can also occur in:
- Depression (emotional numbness)
- Dissociative disorders (feeling detached from reality)
- Neurodivergence (e.g., autistic shutdown)
Freeze is generally understood to be one of the responses to trauma. While you may have heard of “fight or flight” responses, in recent years the freeze response has been studied and worked with clinically. If fight or flight are not effective, we may go into a state of paralysis called “freeze”, often associated with childhood trauma.
What Triggers the Freeze Response?
Freezing in humans is a passing state that occurs at the very beginning of the threat experience. It involves heightened attention, enhanced vigilance to threat cues, and an activated, tense body poised for action. Typically, it is a short-lived phenomenon (often lasting only a few seconds) [2].
When two systems—the attachment system and the defensive system in fight or flight mode—are at odds with each other, an individual may not know what to do. And so instead, they might go into freeze. This may often be triggered by:
- Overwhelming stress or fear
- Past trauma (PTSD can intensify freeze responses)
- Chronic anxiety leading to shutdown
The Role of the Nervous System in Freeze
According to Polyvagal theory proposed by Stephen Porges, some individuals experience a mismatch in functioning of the nervous system which appraises the environment as being dangerous even when it is safe.
This mismatch results in physiological states that support fight, flight, or freeze behaviors, but not social engagement behaviors. Social communication is understood to be expressed efficiently through the social engagement system only when these defensive circuits are inhibited [3].
Just like fight and flight, the involuntary freeze response is a form of hyperarousal. When we’re dysregulated—whether that be in hyper or hypoarousal—our prefrontal cortex, which allows us to think critically, goes offline. At the same time, our limbic system, which drives survival behavior by responding to threat with vehement emotion, takes over.
As a result, we can’t process information going to the brain—sensations, words, movements—in a logical, cognitive way. If a person is experiencing a threat, their limbic system is screaming “Don’t move or you will die” [4].
In this way, freeze is actually a rather ingenious survival strategy. It’s not a conscious choice— it’s a normal evolutionary response—something that the body instinctively does to protect itself in the face of trauma.
What Does the Freeze Response Feel Like?
There are both emotional and physical signs of the freeze response.
Emotional Signs of Anxiety Freeze
Typical emotional signs of someone in freeze include:
- Hyper-Alertness
- Feeling “stuck” or unable to move/react
- Mind going blank (dissociation)
- Numbness or emotional detachment
- Physical stiffness or slowed movements
- Avoidance or inability to make decisions
Physical Signs of Anxiety Freeze
Typical physical signs include:
- Some, but minimal verbal cues – like “I feel stuck,” “I can’t move,” or “I’m paralyzed.”
- Or, no speech at all
- Increased heart rate
- Tension in the body and muscles (tonic immobility)
- Energy seems built up, but can’t be released
- Shallow and rapid breathing
Is the Freeze Response the Same as Dissociation?
The freeze response and dissociation share similarities—both involve a shutdown state under stress—but they are not the same. The freeze response is a biological survival reaction (fight-flight-freeze) triggered by threat. It is body-centered, while dissociation is a psychological detachment from reality, emotions, or body, and occurs in the mind.
The freeze response is usually short-term while dissociation is often chronic. However both occur in Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD), with freeze sometimes transitioning to dissociation.
What Are the Signs of a Dysregulated Nervous System?
A dysregulated nervous system appears in physical, emotional, and cognitive ways. Key signs include:
Physical Signs
- Hyperarousal: Panic attacks, racing heart, sweating, shaking, insomnia.
- Hypoarousal: Fatigue, numbness, feeling “frozen,” low energy.
- Chronic pain/tension: Headaches, digestive issues, muscle stiffness.
Emotional Signs
- Mood swings: Irritability, sudden anger, or tearfulness.
- Emotional numbness: Feeling detached or “zoned out”.
- Overwhelm: Small stressors feel unbearable.
Cognitive Signs
- Brain fog: Trouble focusing or remembering.
- Hypervigilance: Constant scanning for danger.
- Dissociation: Feeling “out of body” or unreal.
Behavioral Signs
- Withdrawal: Avoiding social interaction.
- Impulsivity: Numbing with food, substances, or binge-watching.
- Startle easily: Jumpy at noises or surprises.
How to Overcome the Freeze Response
There are differences in treatment for the freeze response and for dissociation as follows:
- Freeze: Somatic therapy, grounding techniques, regulating the nervous system.
- Dissociation: Trauma therapy (EMDR, parts work), mindfulness, reintegration exercises.
Developing Emotional Regulation Skills: Somatic Approaches
Somatic therapies work with the body to help overcome freeze responses, among other symptoms.
Somatic Experiencing (SE)
This body-based therapy helps resolve freeze states by safely releasing pent-up survival energy stuck in the nervous system. Through gentle tracking of physical sensations and gradual renegotiation of trauma responses, SE restores self-regulation. Techniques like titration (small steps) and pendulation (rhythm between tension/relaxation) rebuild the body’s natural capacity to process stress and return to equilibrium.
Key elements include:
- Focuses on bodily sensations (not just thoughts)
- Works with the nervous system’s innate wisdom
- Avoids retraumatization through careful pacing
- Helps complete thwarted fight/flight impulses
- Restores a sense of safety and agency
Body Awareness Exercises
Grounding Exercises [5]:
Grounding exercises are powerful tools for managing functional freeze. They help reconnect your mind and body to the present moment, reducing feelings of disconnection or paralysis. Examples include:
Use the 5-4-3-2-1 technique: Name five things you see, four you can touch, three you hear, two you smell, and one you taste. This sensory exercise brings your attention to the present moment and can help break the feeling of paralysis.
Sensory grounding: Hold a cold object, focus on a textured surface, or smell something strong like peppermint oil. Engaging your senses can help break the freeze response.
Engage Your Environment: Place your feet firmly on the ground and notice the sensation. Wiggle your toes or press your hands against a surface to bring your attention back to your body.
Gentle Movement: Start with small physical actions like nodding your head, wiggling your fingers, or shifting your gaze. Gradually build up to standing, stretching, or walking around the room.
Vigorous movement: Jumping jacks, dancing, and shaking your arms can help discharge the immobilizing energy and bring your body out of freeze.
Mindfulness: Focus on the present without judgment. Notice your thoughts and feelings as they are, which can help reduce the sense of being stuck.
Self-compassion: Remind yourself that freeze is a natural response and not a personal failing. Treat yourself with kindness during these moments.
Breathwork and Relaxation
When we are in a state of heightened stress, our bodies tend to hold tension, and our breath becomes shallow. Controlled breathing and relaxation strategies calm the nervous system and counteract the physiological effects of functional freeze.
Box Breathing: Deep, controlled breathing calms the nervous system. Try box breathing (inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4, exhale for 4, pause for 4) or make your exhale longer than your inhale to activate relaxation.
Diaphragmatic Breathing: Place one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach. Breathe deeply into your diaphragm, ensuring your stomach expands rather than your chest.
Exhale Longer: Focus on making your exhale longer than your inhale (e.g., inhale for four counts, exhale for six). This practice activates the parasympathetic nervous system, helping you relax.
Progressive muscle relaxation: Tense and then release muscle groups one at a time from head to toe and back to release tension.
Guided imagery: Visualize a calming, safe place in detail to redirect your focus and soothe your body.
Healing Through Professional Therapeutic Approaches
In addition to somatic techniques, these psychotherapy approaches can be helpful in overcoming the freeze response.
TF-CBT
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) helps individuals process trauma and reduce freeze reactions by combining exposure techniques, cognitive restructuring, and relaxation skills. It gradually desensitizes trauma triggers while teaching emotional regulation, empowering clients to shift from shutdown to adaptive coping.
DBT
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) helps individuals overcome freeze states by teaching distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and mindfulness skills. Through grounding techniques and paced breathing, DBT empowers clients to regain control and shift from shutdown to proactive coping.
EMDR
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) helps process traumatic memories linked to freeze reactions. Bilateral stimulation (e.g., eye movements) reduces distress while grounding techniques prevent dissociation, enabling the nervous system to shift from shutdown to adaptive resolution.
Residential Treatment for Anxiety and Freeze Response
Residential treatment for anxiety can be an ideal choice for those with more severe freeze responses. It offers a structured, immersive program providing 24/7 therapeutic support for chronic anxiety and freeze states. Combines evidence-based therapies (CBT, DBT, somatic work), medication management, and nervous system regulation in a safe environment. Ideal for severe cases needing intensive intervention to break cycles of shutdown and fear. Key features include:
- Multidisciplinary team support
- Daily individual/group therapy
- Skill-building for emotional regulation
- Gradual exposure to stressors
- Holistic approaches (yoga, movement, mindfulness, equine and adventure therapy)
- Gut-brain Nutrition
Why Choose Corner Canyon Health Centers?
Treatment for mental health conditions and trauma is available in Utah. Are you or a loved one looking for a compassionate space to heal from anxiety, trauma, PTSD, CPTSD, other mental health conditions, or addictions? Our licensed trauma-informed professional therapists and counselors at Corner Canyon Health Centers can provide compassionate help using a range of therapeutic and holistic techniques.
Reach out to our Admissions team now at Corner Canyon. We’re in a peaceful setting bordered by the beautiful Wasatch Mountains.
Sources
[1] Anxiety Disorders – Facts & Statistics. Anxiety and Depression Association of America.
[2] Kozlowska, K. 2015. Fear and the Defense Cascade. Clinical Implications and Management. Harvard Review of Psychiatry 23(4):p 263-287, July/August 2015.
[3] Porges S. W. (2009). The polyvagal theory: new insights into adaptive reactions of the autonomic nervous system. Cleveland Clinic journal of medicine, 76 Suppl 2(Suppl 2), S86–S90.
[4] How to Overcome the Freeze Response. NICABM (National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine.
[5 ] VMA Psych. 2025. 5 Proven Techniques For Managing Functional Freeze Symptoms.
