What is functional freeze, and how does it relate to anxiety and stress?
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Photo credit Hannah Zu via Unsplash
Have you ever felt like you’re on autopilot? Like you’re getting through your day, checking things off your to-do list, but deep down you feel stuck, numb, or disconnected? You’re not alone. Many people experience this state, and it’s called a functional freeze.
Functional freeze is when your body and brain are in a state of "freeze" mode, but you’re still able to function—sometimes even at a very high level. It’s like your body is saying, “I can’t fully relax or connect right now because I’m too overwhelmed or unsafe,” but it’s also saying, “I’ll do just enough to get by.” This state often flies under the radar because it doesn’t look like the classic signs of freeze, where someone might feel completely disconnected or unable to act. Instead, it’s more subtle.
Let’s explore how to recognize functional freeze, what causes it, and how to gently shift out of it.
How to Recognize Functional Freeze
Functional freeze can show up in different ways, but here are some common signs:
Feeling emotionally numb or disconnected from yourself and others, alternating with states of panic, anxiety, and overstimulation.
Going through the motions but feeling like life is flat or colorless.
Struggling to make decisions, even about small things.
Overworking or staying "busy" to avoid uncomfortable feelings.
Difficulty resting or truly relaxing, even when you’re exhausted.
Difficulty sleeping because your mind struggles to shut off or you can't get comfortable.
A sense of being "on edge" without knowing why.
You may have started to develop physiological symptoms, like digestive issues, chronic tension, pain, or insomnia.
Heightened sensitivity and irritability around others or in situations that might not normally bother you.
You might notice this state during times of high stress, or it might feel like it’s been with you for as long as you can remember. Functional freeze can be connected to anxiety, depression, or burnout, but it often hides behind a mask of productivity or competence. That’s why it’s so important to pause and check in with yourself.
What Causes Functional Freeze?
Functional freeze is a protective response from your nervous system. When you face stress or danger, your body has a few options: fight, flight, or freeze. Freeze happens when neither fighting nor fleeing feels possible. You have high peaks (anxiety, panic, overwhelm), and low valleys (freeze). Your system "freezes" to keep you safe by conserving energy and avoiding harm.
From the perspective of polyvagal theory, this freeze response happens when the dorsal vagal pathway of your autonomic nervous system takes over. The polyvagal theory, developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, explains that our nervous system has three main states:
Ventral Vagal State (Safety and Connection): This is where you feel calm, connected, and capable of engaging with others.
Sympathetic State (Fight or Flight): This state is activated when you perceive danger, leading to heightened energy to either confront or escape the threat.
Dorsal Vagal State (Freeze or Shutdown): This is where functional freeze resides. When neither fight nor flight feels possible, your body defaults to a state of conservation and withdrawal. This state can be lifesaving during acute danger but becomes problematic when it’s prolonged or chronic.
In functional freeze, you may still appear outwardly "functional," but your system is oscillating between fight/flight, or a state of partial shutdown. This can leave you feeling disconnected, numb, or unable to fully engage with life.
This freeze state often gets stuck due to:
Chronic Stress: When life feels like one long "to-do" list with no time to breathe, your system can get overwhelmed.
Trauma: Past experiences of harm, neglect, or instability can leave your nervous system hyper-alert and unable to fully relax.
Burnout: Constantly pushing yourself to meet expectations—at work, at home, or in relationships—can lead to a functional freeze state.
Societal Patterns: Living in a culture that prioritizes productivity over rest and connection can keep us stuck in survival mode. This is especially true for marginalized communities, who may face systemic oppression, racism, or unrealistic expectations to "keep it together."
Photo credit Denys Nevoshai via Unsplash
How to Shift Out of Functional Freeze
The good news is that functional freeze isn’t permanent. With care and patience, you can help your nervous system feel safe enough to unfreeze. Here’s how:
Start by meeting yourself where you are: The first step is recognizing you’re in a functional freeze state. Ask yourself, "How am I really feeling?" or "What do I need right now?" You might notice tension in your body, shallow breathing, or a sense of emotional numbness.
Reconnect with Your Body: Gentle movement can help signal to your nervous system that it’s okay to unfreeze. Try stretching, taking a walk, or simply placing a hand on your heart and taking a few deep breaths. You might engage with your senses- splash cold water on your face, place a heat pack on your belly, practice self massage. This doesn’t have to be big or dramatic—small steps are powerful.
Create Moments of Safety: Do something that feels comforting, like wrapping yourself in a blanket, listening to calming music, or spending time with a trusted friend or pet. Safety is key to shifting out of freeze.
Change your environment: If you determine that your environment is contributing to stress, burnout, or overwhelm, it might be time to make a change, if you are able.
Reassess your boundaries. If you have been overextending yourself, it might be time to support yourself with more boundaries. This includes looking for places you are taking on emotional labor that you don’t need to, and directing that energy toward your own needs.
Balance Action with Rest: If you’ve been in "go mode" for too long, give yourself permission to rest. On the flip side, if you’ve been feeling stuck, doing a small, manageable task or finding a creative outlet can help you re-engage with life.
Seek Support: You don’t have to do this alone. A therapist or trusted support system can help you process what’s keeping you stuck and gently guide you toward healing.
How Therapy Can Help
Therapy can be a powerful tool for shifting out of functional freeze and rebuilding safety and resilience in your nervous system. Here’s how:
Creating a Space of Connection: I provide a compassionate, nonjudgmental environment where you can explore your feelings and experiences without fear. Feeling truly seen and heard can help your nervous system relax and begin to unfreeze.
Understanding Your Patterns: Therapy can help you identify underlying causes of your functional freeze state. By understanding these patterns, you can start to break free from cycles of stress and overwhelm.
Building Mind-Body Awareness: Trauma-informed approaches or somatic (body-oriented) practices can guide you in reconnecting with your body. Learning to notice and respond to your body’s signals is a key part of moving out of freeze and back into presence in your life.
Developing New Coping Skills: In therapy, you can learn tools to help regulate your nervous system, such as grounding techniques, body oriented approaches, or self-compassion. These tools can empower you to repattern the way you move through your life, and to navigate challenges with more ease.
Healing Trauma: If past trauma is keeping your nervous system stuck in freeze mode, therapy can help you process and release those experiences in a safe and supportive way.
Therapy isn’t about "fixing" you—it’s about helping you reconnect with your innate strength, wisdom, and capacity to heal. I’ll work with you to create a personalized path to greater safety, connection, and resilience.
Looking at the Bigger Picture
Functional freeze isn’t just an individual experience; it’s deeply connected to the world we live in, including stress from societal pressures or anxiety caused by keeping up with hustle culture. Many of us are navigating systems that demand constant productivity, deny rest, and devalue our humanity. If you feel stuck, it’s not your fault. You’re responding to a culture that often keeps us in survival mode. Recognizing this can bring compassion for yourself and others.
By learning to unfreeze, you’re not only healing yourself—you’re challenging a system that prioritizes "doing" over "being." Every time you choose rest, connection, or self-compassion, you’re creating a ripple of change.
You Don’t Have to Stay Stuck
Functional freeze can feel lonely, but it’s not a permanent state. With small, consistent steps and the right support, you can move toward feeling more alive, connected, and at ease. Healing is possible, and you don’t have to do it alone. Therapy for anxiety and chronic stress can help.
If this resonates with you and you’d like support, schedule a free 20-minute consultation today. Together, we can create a path toward healing that honors your unique experiences and needs. I offer online counseling in Bend, Oregon and Portland, Oregon, but if you’re located anywhere in Oregon or Wyoming you’re welcome to reach out!
Click here to schedule a free consultation to get started. I look forward to meeting you!