Do you tend to go on auto pilot in reaction to stressful situations? Do you tend to react to stressful situations by acting as if nothing really happened? Do you have a chronic sense of disconnection from reality in these situations? If you answered yes to two or more of these questions then you may suffer from functional freeze, and would do well to read on.
Functional Freeze is a Problem Going Under the Radar These Days
We are living through a time that is extremely stressful for just about everyone where trauma is being experienced on a global scale. With such a situation going on it is very likely that you may focus on simply going on auto pilot when everything else around you can seem like total chaos. That can be functional freeze whether you know it or not.
Functional Freeze Can be Default Mode for Just About Anyone
Especially in our culture, being productive and “getting things done“ are prime focuses for most people. Especially considering the pace of living we are in at present, it can seem like it’s absolutely imperative to take care of things and get things done all the time. The problem comes when you wind up feeling disconnected from your emotions that have given rise to this condition of “functional freeze.”
Functional Freeze is a Trauma Reaction
The main thing to understand when you are in a functional freeze is that you have experienced some kind of trauma, or some kind of shock to your system. This can leave you feeling a sense of numbness or disconnection from the world around you. That may be all you are aware of emotionally, but that is one of your first clues to your condition. Having a feeling of being on autopilot can go with it, as it allows you to have a sense of normalcy when everything around you may be in total disarray. Now that can seem very effective, but being cut off from your feelings is most often maladaptive when you are in relationships with a partner or your children.
How to Deal with the Functional Freeze Experience
The first thing to do is to ask yourself if you have a feeling of being frozen or incapacitated to any degree within you. If you do feel that way, then you need to realize that you have experienced some kind of trauma that has left you feeling that way. The second thing to understand is that you have adapted to that by becoming numb or feeling disconnected from your relational or physical environment somehow. Most often seeking treatment for functional freeze is a key to recovering from it. You can ask yourself what could have given rise to this freeze experience, and you may very well be able to identify what it could’ve been that caused this reaction in the first place.
Coping with Functional Freeze
Beyond staying active and taking care of all the tasks that you need to do, finding time to check in with how you’re feeling emotionally is also important. You may not be aware of anything other than a sense of feeling numb inside, but that again is important to be aware of. Having activities that help you to be engaged with your body, such as doing yoga or having the time for a quiet meditation each day can be important and being able to have some sense of connection to your body. There are numerous meditation exercises you can do to help you be more aware of your body, which are the primary means to be aware of how all aspects of trauma are resounding within you.
When to Seek Treatment for a Functional Freeze
Any experience of a functional freeze that tends to go on for more than a few weeks should be a reason to seek treatment. I’ve been helping my clients for many years and addressing all aspects of trauma reaction, including all types of freeze reactions. There is much that can be gained from seeking treatment for this, and I am an expert in helping my clients to overcome all types of freeze reactions. I utilize both EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), as well as Image Transformation Therapy, or ImTT, to help my clients recover from their traumas. I encourage you to call the number at the top of the page, click on the schedule consultation button above, or fill out an inquiry form below if you live in MD or VA for a free 15 minute phone consultation to help you get a better idea about whether I can help you with your trauma reaction. You deserve to have a full range of emotional experience, connection to your body, as well as connection to others and moving forward with the rest of your life. I encourage you to take the first next step today!
Visit our page on trauma therapy to find out how Scott can help you in recovering from freeze reactions.
About the author: Scott Kampschaefer, LCSW is a private practice therapist in Frederick, Maryland. He has an extensive background in working with depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder at a clinic for older adults with these disorders in Austin, Texas. He now works with adults and adolescents 14 and up in private practice. His most recent book is titled The 5 Pillars of Addiction Recovery and is available for purchase on Amazon and in paperback on this website.