10 Tips on How To Get Out of a “Functional Freeze”
Have you ever experienced the feeling of insurmountable fatigue, but then guilt for not being productive or accomplishing tasks or goals? You’re generally successful, but have lost that spark lately. Maybe you experience being stuck at home, doomscrolling - hardly watching the TV in front of you - just letting time pass. You show up to work, somehow get through work and maybe even flash smiles and engage in convo, but now even more drained. You may struggle with decision making and feel simple distraction is easier right now. When you do get home for the day, maybe you eat or cook, you turn on the TV, look at your phone, hop in the shower, maybe shave, maybe do skin care, maybe fix your hair, but probably not, then go to bed and maybe get OK sleep.
If this sounds like you, you’re likely in a “functional freeze.” You are able to “function,” but you’re not “living.” This often happens due to burnout, managing problem after problem in your life, exhaustion, and mental health concerns like trauma, stress, and chronic levels of depression and anxiety. Your motivation plummets and your body and mind have responded to the lack of relief by putting you in a “zombie” state.
I know this has been a hot topic on TikTok, but every time I see it mentioned NO ONE EVER talks about what to do to fix it - so, here I am to help with that. First and foremost, please don’t expect a quick fix. Nothing good comes easy, generally. However, these are some things that will make you feel better in the moment and, eventually, lead to you getting your life back.
Move your body: go for a walk, yoga, hit the gym, shake your body, walk your dog, etc.
Cook yourself a meal and focus on fueling your body
Listen to music and dance around your home
Call a friend or loved one and chat for a while about something positive
Get back into a normal sleep routine, try OTC meds to help with this, if safe for you
TALK TO A THERAPIST! We can help here, especially therapists trained in PTSD, like me
Focus on small, short-term SMART goals that don’t require big changes
Classic journaling, preferably one with prompts to help you out
Invite a friend over or choose to leave your home and be around your supports for a while
Cleaning and organizing your home: fresh sheets, laundry, dishes, vacuum, donate items you don’t need or want anymore, etc.
At the end of the day, tips 1) Move your body and 6) Talk to a Therapist may be the most important and here is why: when your body enters a chronic freeze response we have to regulate the nervous and limbic systems. Movement is great for that (think endorphins and adrenaline, but safely - no jumping out of airplanes, please) as well as, EMDR and talk therapy. Through movement and therapy we can rewire that nervous system to tell it it’s safe and become functional again. A good tool for this, outside of therapy, is Progressive Muscle Relaxation.
In therapy, we identify the triggers, work through the trauma and stress, develop new, tailored coping strategies, challenge negative thoughts and feelings, and create new patterns of behavior (or return you to your previous healthy behaviors).
If you or someone you know could benefit from this type of work, contact me, and we will get started!
