Focusing intensely on one specific detail of the environment to the exclusion of all else. Moving Through the Freeze
When someone is stuck in a "Freeze" state (often called ), they aren't necessarily paralyzed in a literal sense. Instead, they may experience:
Recent investigations into the physiological underpinnings of stress responses have shed new light on the "freeze" response. Historically overshadowed by the "fight or flight" paradigm, the freeze response—characterized by a state of attentive immobility—is now understood to be a complex, active neurobiological process rather than a passive failure to act. This article reviews recent findings, such as those emerging from the Hazelmoore lab, which delineate the specific neural circuits governing this response, offering new potential avenues for treating trauma and anxiety disorders.