A Closer Look at the Freeze Response | Ashley Addiction Treatment

While fight-or-flight was conceptualized as a way humans respond to certain stressful stimuli in the 1920s, the additional and perhaps less noted third response, freeze, was not widely considered until around 50 years later, and still had not been studied as widely as a response. Freezing as a response to a threat might seem effective, a sort of “playing dead” in the face of danger; however, in humans freezing manifests as an inability to communicate, react, or take any action of self-preservation or defense. Where does someone develop this tendency, how does it affect the ability to cope with stress, and how can it be avoided when it harms the mental state?

Freeze Responses in Early Development

The freeze response is more common for those that experience a large amount of fear in response to certain stressors. As children, the ability to protect or defend oneself is limited and mostly reliant upon the caregiver. When exposed to trauma or stress, the body’s physiological systems—such as hormone release and neural signaling—activate to prepare for survival. Therefore if one felt routinely unsafe or unprotected by their parents or guardian, they could have a tendency toward this response as adults. The freeze response is an involuntary behavior rooted in evolutionary survival mechanisms, automatically engaging when fighting or fleeing is not possible. When a child isn’t able to fight or run from perceived danger, it incites a panic response, making one numb or immobile in the face of the stressor. Trauma can also impact the developing brains of children, affecting emotional regulation and decision-making later in life.

Trauma as a child can be one of the most common causes of panic and fear. When a child is subjected to emotional or physical abuse by someone or something it cannot defend itself from, they are left feeling helpless, unable to tap into the biological systems designed to assist them in either fighting or fleeing. Anxiety and panic are indicated as two factors that contribute to the concept of tonic immobility, or a natural state of paralysis, something that is otherwise counter-intuitive for a human in the presence of danger. In other words, a child that suffered from constant anxiety and fear due to trauma may develop a tendency to freeze as a response to triggers as an adult. Over time, this can have significant long-term health and mental health consequences, including increased risk for anxiety, depression, and other disorders. Chronic stress in childhood can lead to a persistent freeze state or emotional disconnection, making it difficult to break free from these patterns in adulthood.

Those who froze as a response often as children may develop a tendency towards disassociation, anxiety or panic disorders, and even post-traumatic stress disorder. As a response to triggering events that resemble childhood trauma, disassociation can be one of the most harmful ways one freezes. Disassociation is where we check out of ourselves in order to avoid the stressor, and a person who struggles with it might regularly feel disconnected from their surroundings, zoned out and unable to respond, or even feeling detached from reality, often feeling stuck or trapped in a freeze state. Chronic trauma responses like these can contribute to the development of health conditions, including both mental and physical health issues, that require specialized support and intervention.

Recognizing the Response

Each response looks different as a person prepares to utilize it in the face of a perceived threat. Our bodies and minds align with a set of innate behaviors to best aid them in responding in the chosen way. These are often referred to as the four primary trauma responses: fight, flight, freeze, and fawn—commonly known as fight flight freeze responses. Recognizing which response is triggered can be helpful when working to change the reaction to a certain stimulus or to avoid regularly falling to the freeze response in life situations.

Fight: Tightened jaw or fists, clenched teeth, a desire to strike out physically such as kicking or punching, glaring, raised voice, feelings of nausea or knots in the stomach, thoughts that are homicidal or suicidal in nature, anger, and rage. The fight response is often accompanied by a surge of energy, preparing the body to confront the threat directly. Physical and psychological symptoms such as increased heart rate, muscle tension, and intense focus are common.

Flight: Feelings of anxiety, shallow breathing, darting eyes/inability to focus, restless movements in the limbs, fidgeting, feeling trapped, feeling tense, feelings of restlessness. The flight response is characterized by an intense urge to escape or avoid danger, often manifesting as a need to physically or emotionally remove oneself from a threatening situation. Flight responses can include running away, leaving the area, or withdrawing socially as ways to escape perceived threats. These responses are driven by a burst of energy that mobilizes the body for quick action. Symptoms may include racing thoughts, dilated pupils, and an adrenaline surge.

Freeze: Feeling stuck in a certain part of the body, feeling cold or numb, physical stiffness or heaviness of limbs, decreased heart-rate, restricted breathing or holding of the breath, a sense of dread or foreboding. The freeze state is marked by a sense of immobility or being unable to act, as the body conserves energy and prepares to avoid detection. This response can help prevent further harm or harm in situations where fighting or fleeing is not possible. Symptoms include dissociation, numbness, and a sense of being disconnected from the environment. Reconnecting to the present moment through grounding or mindfulness techniques is important for moving out of the freeze state.

There is an additional response that has more recently gained consideration that is not currently included in the stress response model, called fawning. Fawning is a response marked by people-pleasing behaviors, conflict avoidance, unable to find one’s voice or ability to stand up for themselves in the face of a threat, and taking care of the needs of others to one’s own detriment. This behavior can serve as a way to avoid further harm or escalation in dangerous or abusive situations.

Understanding these trauma responses and their symptoms is a helpful way to improve self-awareness and healing. Polyvagal theory offers a framework for understanding how the autonomic nervous system regulates these responses and provides strategies, such as breathwork and grounding, to help individuals return to a sense of safety and connection.

Do We Have Any Control?

Can we control our stress response? Many of the things that happen are an instinctive or biological response; for example, an increase of adrenaline when one is preparing to engage in the fight response. However, the best way to deal with an unwanted response in these situations is to engage in therapy which can help to call attention to and process the negative experiences that cause them. Once there is an awareness of what triggering events may cause these reactions, grounding techniques are often the most helpful in the moment.

Deep breathing
Stimulating the nervous system
Practicing awareness of your physical surroundings
Verbal self-affirmations such as “you are safe”

Ultimately the best way to avoid a negative response is to heal the underlying trauma that necessitates it. This will help remove or lessen the trigger, helping to respond in a more stable and safe way to perceived threats.

Many people turn to drugs or alcohol as a way to manage the lingering effects of trauma, including the freeze response. At Ashley Addiction Treatment, we provide compassionate, clinically grounded support to help individuals heal from both addiction and its deeper roots.