5 Game-Changing Tips for Healing from Functional Freeze
As a trauma specialist, I frequently work with clients who are learning how trauma and chronic stress influence their day-to-day experiences. Sometimes, the signs are obvious, such as intrusive thoughts or emotional overwhelm, but often, the effects of trauma are more subtle. One of the most significant and less obvious ways trauma manifests is how the body reacts to perceived threats.
While most people are familiar with the "fight or flight" response and its high-intensity activation, many don't realize there are additional, equally important responses: freeze and fawn. Understanding these responses are important for understanding the unconscious drives and reactions in a person with trauma.
One of the most misunderstood responses is functional freeze. It occurs when the nervous system becomes overwhelmed, but you have to continue to function—whether at work, in relationships, or in daily life. In this state, a person cannot fight their boss, quit their job, or leave an unhealthy relationship. So, the nervous system adapts to this “stuckness,” creating a coping mechanism of numbing out just enough to survive.
I see this all the time with clients who tell me, ‘I don’t know why I’m so tired all the time—I’m not even doing much.’ But their nervous system? It’s been running a marathon just trying to keep them afloat.
So what does functional freeze actually look like? How does it feel? And more importantly—how do you break out of it?.
What Is Functional Freeze?
Functional freeze is what happens when your nervous system says, 'We can’t fight. We can’t run. So let’s shut down—just enough to survive.' It’s like being stuck in survival mode but still managing to get through the day. This often develops as a way to cope with situations where neither "fight" nor "flight" is an option. Examples include:
Being stuck in a toxic work environment where you can’t afford to leave.
Feeling trapped in an unhealthy relationship where you don’t have the resources to make a change.
In these situations, the mind and body perceive a threat but see no way out. As a result, the system "freezes" to protect itself, numbing sensations and emotions to reduce the discomfort of feeling stuck. This was originally an evolutionary survival mechanism: in the face of a threat, such as a predator like say a bear and when if running or fighting isn’t an option, the body may dissociate to reduce the pain of the stressful situation.
In the case of functional freeze, the person can continue their day-to-day activities, but emotionally, they are dissociating from the pain and stress.
While this coping mechanism can provide short-term relief, long-term exposure to functional freeze can lead to significant emotional and physical consequences.
How Does Functional Freeze Feel?
People experiencing functional freeze often report:
Exhaustion: Persistent fatigue, no matter how much they rest.
Lack of Motivation: Difficulty finding energy or enthusiasm for even enjoyable activities.
Loss of Interest: Feeling disconnected from things you used to love.
Poor Concentration: Struggling to focus or follow through on tasks.
Losing Time: Moments where time feels distorted or "zoned out."
Your body’s still moving, but inside? You’re shut down. Your system is conserving energy, and that leaves little room for creativity, joy, or even just feeling present.
Why Does Functional Freeze Happen?
Functional freeze may develop for two main reasons:
Unprocessed Trauma:
Past trauma can leave the nervous system in a heightened state of vigilance. Even when no immediate threat exists, the body and mind are exhausted with this long term activation and left without enough capacity to rebound.Chronic Stress:
Ongoing stressors—such as burnout, toxic relationships, or financial instability—can overwhelm the system. When these stressors persist, and a person feels powerless to change them, the nervous system may resort to a freeze response as a way to cope.
In both cases, the lack of personal agency—or the ability to make changes—plays a crucial role in maintaining the freeze response.
Can You Heal From Functional Freeze?
Absolutely! Healing from functional freeze is possible, and the process often includes both somatic (body-based) and practical approaches. Here are key steps to begin breaking free:
1. Re-Orienting Practices - return to the now
Somatic tools can help bring the nervous system back to the present moment. Practices like:
Naming five things you can see, four things you can hear, three things you can feel, and so on.
Feeling the ground beneath your feet or the texture of an object in your hand.
2. Regulating Stress
Learning to regulate your stress response through techniques like breathwork and mindfulness can help calm the nervous system over time.
3. Finding Personal Agency
Identifying areas in your life where you can make small changes is essential. Whether it’s setting boundaries, seeking support, or taking steps toward bigger life changes, reclaiming control can shift the freeze response.
4. Addressing the Perceived Threat
If a perceived threat remains—like an unhealthy relationship or a toxic job—it will be challenging to fully move out of functional freeze. Working toward solutions, even small ones, is an essential part of healing.
5. Therapeutic Support
Trauma-informed therapy, especially those approaches that incorporate somatic experiencing or nervous system regulation, can be highly effective in processing past trauma and reducing chronic stress.
If this sounds familiar, know this—functional freeze isn’t permanent. Your nervous system isn’t broken, and you don’t have to stay stuck. Small shifts, little moments of reconnection… that’s how you start coming back to life. Though it may have served a purpose in the past, it’s possible to break free and create a life where you feel more present, connected, and empowered.