10 Signs You're Shutdown in Freeze Mode
Are you struggling to make progress at work or home? Are you feeling unmotivated and stuck? If so, you may be in freeze mode. In this blog post, we will discuss 10 signs that you are in freeze mode, as well as tips on how to break out and thrive!
Freeze is one common trauma response when people are feeling overwhelmed and anxious. The body and the nervous system work to protect us from perceived threats and danger. When we experience the freeze response, it can show up in different ways. Here are some common signs:
1. More Anxiety: No Action
When you're in freeze mode, it can be hard to take action. Even if you want to or feel like you "should" be doing things on your to-do list.
Procrastination is a common sign of being in freeze mode. You keep putting off what you need to do because you're anxious. You're procrastinating on important tasks. You're feeling overwhelmed and don't know where to start. This can lead to feelings of inadequacy and worthlessness. You are afraid of making mistakes. This could manifest in many ways such as overthinking everything, not wanting to try new things, or being excessively critical of yourself which fuels the cycle.
2. You're not taking care of yourself.
If you're in freeze mode, you may be neglecting your physical and emotional needs. You may not be eating well, exercising, or getting enough sleep. This can lead to further fatigue and low energy levels.
3. Staying at home or away from friends
You may be in freeze mode if you find yourself staying at home more often or avoiding social situations. You may feel like you don't have the energy to go out and interact with others. Responding to text messages from friends can seem difficult.
4. Task avoidance
Escapism and task avoidance is common in freeze mode. Activities like video games, binge watching TV shows, scrolling on the phone excessively, and all the time-filler things we do when we are overwhelmed to try to avoid stressful situations.
When we are in freeze mode, we may try to avoid our tasks and responsibilities. We may turn to things like video games or social media as a way to escape from our problems. These activities can provide temporary relief, but they eventually lead to feelings of guilt and anxiety.
5. It's hard to move and be active.
Your limbs and body feel heavy. It is difficult for you to convince yourself to get up and do something. You would rather just stay in your current position. This could be lying in bed, sitting on the couch, or even standing still.
6. Difficulty speaking up.
You have things you want to say or share and you feel like it is difficult to speak up and share what is on your mind. Your voice feels frozen inside of you.
7. Avoiding Eye Contact
Avoiding eye contact occurs in freeze mode. It is a way of protecting yourself from perceived threats by avoiding social connections.
8. Feeling on alert or observing without taking action.
Scanning the room, reading facial expressions, and generally looking for signs in the environment, and anxious thoughts about self or others are common in freeze mode. On the surface, people may not be able to tell anything is wrong, but on the inside you are alert and on edge looking for danger.
9. Feeling tired or fatigued all the time
Freeze mode can be very debilitating and make it hard to function in day-to-day life. Feeling tired and sleeping more are common signs that you are in freeze mode.
10. Slow heart rate and breathing.
This is the body's natural way of conserving energy during a threat. Freeze is said to be the response to danger by pausing and waiting to see what the safest route is before proceeding.
If you identify with any of these signs, don't despair. There are ways to break out of freeze mode and start thriving again. But first, it's important to understand what causes us to go into freeze mode in the first place
Go from Overwhelmed and Anxious to Calm and Confident Faster
Tips for moving out of freeze mode:
In order to move out of freeze mode, you need to feel safer and less overwhelmed:
Allow yourself some guilt-free time to relax and do something you enjoy. This will take the mental pressure off and allow your system to start resetting.
Incorporate breathing techniques. Our body perceives safety through the nervous system. Slow shallow breathing is one sign our bodies like to see to feel safe. Try placing your hand on your stomach and breathing from your belly repeat until you notice anxiousness subsiding.
Remind yourself that you only need to go at your pace. Giving yourself permission to go slowly at your own pace increases safety and security. It is okay to feel overwhelmed. Trying to push yourself too far too fast is going to increase overwhelm and make things more difficult.
Remind yourself you can do hard things. Thank your body for trying to keep you safe. Take one small step at a time toward your goal and give yourself excessive praise. It was hard, but you got a little further this time.
Find someone or a pet you trust. If you feel comfortable: hand-holding or snuggling a pet can help you regulate your system with theirs and release calming hormones in your brain.
Focus on one thing at a time. Trying to do too many things at once can lead to feelings of being overwhelmed and stressed, which can trigger freeze mode. If you find yourself feeling scattered, it may be helpful to focus on one task at a time.
Take breaks, and recognize procrastinating might be part of the solution here. Complete a small task and then let yourself scroll through social media or whatever activity appeals to you.
Cold or hot showers can be good regulators that help the body be more aware of what is happening in the present moment.
Play music you like that is energizing. Playing one of your favorite songs is a good way to tap into some other energy and do something you like. Often the music will motivate you and give you something else to focus on.
Therapy can be a great option to help you gain skills and confidence in managing trauma responses and anxiousness.