Why Too Much Stress Makes You Freeze Up
Ever feel so overwhelmed you can't do anything? That the smallest job seems too big to manage? You might be stuck in survival mode!
Our Freeze Response is a natural, but sometimes annoying, response to danger. These days we don't face much mortal danger, so our brains are overreactive to things like stress and worry; this can trigger our survival responses at times we don't want them to. This includes fight, flight, fawn and freeze - each makes us response in slightly different ways.
Why do we freeze up when stressed?
What happens when we lack motivation?
How to get out of a rut!
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❓ Question - What other strategies do you use when stuck in survival mode?
⏰ Timecodes ⏰
00:00 - Feeling unmotivated
00:36 - The purpose of this video
01:15 - The freeze response
02:10 - How our brain reacts to danger
03:50 - Our brain has limited resources
04:15 - The brain's 4 survival responses
04:53 - Entering freeze mode
06:19 - How can we get out of a slump?
Everyone has a time in their life when they feel so overwhelmed they shutdown. There is an almost tangible barrier preventing us from completing even the most simple of tasks. We might have an impending work, school or college deadline and despite our worry, we can't get any work done. Perhaps we are stuck in our house, surrounded by piles of dishes or laundry; we know we need to change but why can't we?
It might seem like we're lazy or lack motivation. In fact it can often cause tension with loved ones as it can seem we are purposefully ignoring basic tasks whilst stuck in bed or in front of the TV.
You might be experiencing the freeze response, one of our brain's survival modes. It's important to understand that our brain can override rational thought when survival is at risk; this is why we often perceive there is a problem yet feel unable to do anything about it.
But why would our brain think we are in danger over a work deadline or a pile of laundry? Accumulated stress, trauma, anxiety or worry can be misinterpreted by the brain as a threat to our safety and our midbrain (specifically our amygdala) puts us in survival mode.
It's reassuring that this is natural response, but frustrating and worrying that our brains might be misunderstanding signals. This is why we need a solution. In this video I talk through the psychological response at hand, the freeze response, and a simple strategy you can use to get out of a slump.