Are you living on autopilot? This is what a functional freeze does to you

Do you know that feeling? You go through your daily routine, but you're not really aware of what you're doing and experiencing. Physically you're there, but your thoughts are somewhere else entirely. No panic, you're certainly not the only one who experiences this from time to time. Let TikTok come up with a name for it. We call this life on autopilot a functional freeze. It can be quite challenging, but fortunately, you can also thaw out again.

What is a functional freeze exactly?

A functional freeze is actually a stress response from your body. Your nervous system is working overtime and is constantly on high alert. After a while, this makes you feel as if you've been switched off, your heart and mind go into standby mode. Your body doesn't know what to do anymore, the more familiar fight-or-flight response seems to stop working. The only other option left is to press that off button for a moment, and as it were, freeze.

Causes of a functional freeze: how you become ‘functionally frozen’

You end up in a functional freeze when the stress keeps building up in your body and it becomes too much. Maybe you're in the middle of a tough period at work, and things are also tumultuous in your family. The pressure that these different things bring with them accumulates. If it lasts too long, your mind and body ultimately can't handle it anymore. It's just too much stress at once. At such a moment, two important systems in your body get confused. Your sympathetic nervous system, which normally regulates your fight-or-flight response, and your parasympathetic nervous system, which provides calm and relaxation. When these systems no longer function properly, that feeling of being stuck in your body arises. Besides prolonged stress, a functional freeze can also have a deeper underlying cause. If you've experienced something intense in your youth and have never really been able to process this trauma, you may experience issues with such freezing as you get older. If you notice signals, it's good to consider where this might be coming from.

Signals that you're in a functional freeze

To recognize the signals of a functional freeze, you first need to know what those recognition points are. Perhaps the clearest is the dull feeling on an emotional level. Physically being there, but not with your thoughts. Because you feel emotionally numb, it can also be harder to describe your emotions to others. You feel everything, but actually nothing at all. You could describe it as a brain fog. All of this can also lead to a complete lack of motivation to do anything. This can be especially challenging if a stressful time at work is one of the causes of the freeze. Because you're so turned inward, you can feel quite lonely, even when you're with others; especially since nothing seems to be wrong from the outside and people don't always notice what's going on.

Functional freeze or anxiety or depression? Here's how to recognize the difference

Due to the gloomy and numb feelings that come with a functional freeze, it can sometimes resemble depression or anxiety. There can certainly be similarities, but it is quite different. First of all, because anxiety and depression are recognized mental disorders, a functional freeze has received a specific name mainly thanks to social media. When you're struggling with depression, feelings of sadness and hopelessness dominate; with anxiety, you mainly experience extreme worry and panic. In a functional freeze, you're in a situation where you actually don't feel; it seems as if you're detached from yourself. What can you do about a functional freeze?.

A functional freeze can be very challenging, but fortunately, there are various tips that can help you get out of it. We list the most important ones:

1. Use grounding exercises

To reconnect with yourself and your body, it's important to ground yourself again. This calms your nervous system and stress hormones. In a good grounding exercise, you should focus on your senses. For example, take a sour candy and be consciously aware of what you're tasting. You can also firmly place your feet on the ground or splash cold water on your face. A more well-known trick is the 5-4-3-2-1 rule. Here, you name five things you see, four that you feel, three that you hear, two that you smell, and finally one thing that you taste. What you could also try is to tense certain muscles one by one and then relax them. As long as you focus on what you feel and perceive, you can return to the present.
2. Get moving.

Physical activity is the perfect way to help your nervous system recover. Especially look for a way of moving that suits you. From walking to
dancing and even drawing can help. You don't have to be good at it, as long as you can enjoy it. 3. Take short breaks.

Especially if work is one of the causes of your stress, it's extra important to take regular short breaks. Take some time to stretch and do some breathing exercises. Again, to bring you back to the here and now.
4. Get into nature.

Nature has a calming effect. It lowers your stress and brings more peace to your mind. Taking a walk in a green environment or around a lake can also help you out of that functional freeze.
5. Seek professional help.

If you notice that you can't solve it alone, or that signals of depression or anxiety are starting to play a role, then it's time to reach out for help. Professionals can help you become aware of your body again and ensure calm in your nervous system. So that you can ultimately also come out of that functional freeze.
Physically you're there, but your thoughts are somewhere else...

Source: Women’s Health