Wellness
It could be why you doom scroll after work.
Even if you get up in the morning and go to work, it doesnt necessarily mean youre thriving.
If this describes your routine to a T, you could be in a state of functional freeze.
Thats when your body and mind respond to stress and other overwhelming situations by shutting down or freezing up.
Caroline Fenkel, LCSW, a therapist and chief clinical officer atCharlie Health.
You’re functioning, but not fully engaged.
What Is Functional Freeze?
Functional freeze is sort of like a force-quit button on an overheating laptop.
Youll go about your day, but you wont be feeling your best.
Its as if youre physically present but emotionally or mentally somewhere else, she says.
It can also affect your desire or ability to go out, run errands, or see friends.
Everything will feel flat or muted as if life has lost its color, Auer says.
Physically, functional freeze makes you feel weighed down or like it’s crucial that you nap.
How To Get Out Of Functional Freeze
The good news?
you’re able to get out of functional freeze, but Fenkel says it does require intentional effort.
She recommends starting withsomatic exercisesto help you reconnect with your body so you feel safe and grounded.
Vagus nerve-stimulatingexercises are a big help, too.
Examples includedeep breathing techniques,humming, or specificyoga poses that stimulate the vagus nerve.
Another way out of a functional freeze is by doing small, manageable tasks.
Completing even small tasks can help you regain a sense of control and momentum, says Fenkel.
Studies referenced:
Chu, B.
(2024).Physiology, Stress Reaction.
In: StatPearls [Internet].
Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-.
Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK541120/.
(2022).Neuroanatomy, Parasympathetic Nervous System.
In: StatPearls [Internet].
Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan. PMID: 31985934.
