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8 signs you're experiencing  'Functional Freeze,' the hidden trauma response affecting productivity

You're not lazy, just stuck.

Photo credit: Canva

You're not alone in this.

Have you ever found yourself at your desk, ticking off tasks like a robot, feeling as if you're observing your life from the outside? Or perhaps you've spent late nights binge-watching episodes of Big Brother while fully aware that you should be sleeping, yet unable to stop?

That might not be laziness or lack of motivation. You could be experiencing something called a “functional freeze,” a state that’s more common than you might realize. You're not alone in this.


woman, sad, stuck, emotional, overwhelmed Woman looks down, dejected. Photo credit: Canva

People describe the experience of a functional freeze as “running on autopilot while simultaneously drowning.” It’s a sophisticated psychological state where individuals maintain outward functionality while experiencing profound internal emotional disconnection. On the outside, you’re getting things done—showing up to work on time, paying bills, hitting the gym—but on the inside, it’s a complete physiological and emotional shutdown, leaving you disconnected from everything. Effectively, you are functional yet frozen.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re just going through the motions of life without actually living it, keep reading. This article might change how you view what’s going on in your brain and body.

What is a functional freeze, anyway?

This phenomenon occurs when the nervous system becomes overwhelmed by chronic stress, trauma, or persistent demands, such as a demanding job, caretaking responsibilities, or financial pressures, which triggers the dorsal vagal complex: a primitive survival mechanism that induces emotional and psychological shutdown.

Think of it like your phone when it’s at 2% battery. Yes, everything technically works, but it’s sluggish, apps keep crashing, and you’re just trying to make it through until you can reach a charger. That’s your brain on functional freeze.


via GIPHY

The science behind it is fascinating and slightly terrifying. When you’re constantly stressed or overwhelmed, your sympathetic nervous system—the part of your nervous system that controls your body's 'fight-or-flight' responses—gets stuck in the “on” position.

It’s like your nervous system is playing dead, which worked great for our ancestors avoiding sabertoothed tigers, but isn’t so helpful when you’re trying to navigate modern life.

Being in this state is more than just feeling “blah” or being in a cranky mood. Functional freeze is a legitimate neurobiological response to chronic stress, and it can last for weeks, months, or even years if left unchecked.

The tricky part is that because you’re still functioning—still showing up, still getting things done—it often goes unrecognized by both you and the people around you.

8 key signs of functional freeze

You feel emotionally numb

The hallmark sign of functional freeze involves severely diminished emotional responses… all the time. You know how some people describe depression as feeling sad constantly? (Crying, can’t get out of bed, etc.) Functional freeze is more like feeling nothing at all.


woman, sad, stuck, emotional, overwhelmed Functional freeze divorces you from emotion. Photo credit: Canva

Your best friend gets engaged, and you’re genuinely happy for her, but the emotion feels like it was auto-generated, instead of something you feel in your body. You get a parking ticket (which would normally outrage you, but this time, it’s just a shrug of the shoulders. Good things happen, bad things happen, and your emotional response is nowhere to be seen.

Feeling like this isn’t stoicism or being emotionally mature. Your feelings are locked away, stashed in a safe where you can’t access them.

Your body feels like it belongs to someone else

In a functional freeze, you become disconnected from your physical self. You might ignore hunger cues, forget to drink water, or not notice that your shoulders have been practically touching your ears from stress.

People describe it as sensations of “floating outside themselves” or feeling like they’re “watching their life happen from a distance”. It’s not quite dissociation, but you don’t feel present in your skin.

Autopilot mode

When you're a functional freeze, even simple decisions feel overwhelming. You might find yourself doing the same things over and over—same lunch, same songs to listen to, same Netflix show on repeat—not because you love these things, but because choosing feels impossible. Your struggle with decision-making is real and valid.


woman, sad, stuck, emotional, overwhelmed Are your days starting to blur together?Photo credit: Canva

Your days start to blur together because you’re not present for any of them. You’re going through the motions, but there’s no real intentionality behind your actions.

Persistent procrastination and decision paralysis

Here’s where functional freeze gets cruel: you can handle the basics (mostly), but anything beyond survival seems insurmountable. That creative project you’ve been so excited about? The closet that needs organizing? Your friend’s birthday is inching closer and closer, and you've yet to buy a gift. They all feel like climbing Mount Everest in flip-flops.

Your brain doesn’t have the bandwidth for non-essential tasks because it’s using all its energy to keep you upright and moving.

People are exhausting, even the ones you love

Social interactions start to feel performative, like you’re playing yourself in a movie about your life. Your brain reminds you that you love your friends, but hanging out with them feels like an unavoidable obligation. You find yourself canceling plans—not because you’re busy, but because the thought of having to be “on” already exhausts you.


masks, sad, stuck, emotional, overwhelmed People experiencing a functional freeze might feel like they're wearing a mask in social interactions. Photo credit: Canva

Functional freeze often drives individuals toward increasing social isolation, not from depression or anxiety, but from a fundamental disconnection from interpersonal experiences. Being alone starts to feel genuinely easier than trying to connect with others.

Your brain is moving through molasses

You know that feeling when you first wake up and your thoughts are all foggy? In a functional freeze, that’s pretty much your entire day. Everyday tasks take longer, information needs repetition, and mental sharpness feels sluggish and dull.


via GIPHY

Mental fog of this magnitude can be especially frustrating if you’re used to being on top of your game. You’re still competent, but everything requires more effort than it should.

You’re tired in your bones

This isn’t a “Oops, I stayed up watching Can Me If You Can too late last night,” tired. It’s a “I could sleep for 12 hours and still wake up exhausted” tired. Rest alone won’t alleviate this level of fatigue because your system is stuck in survival mode.

It’s a profound, persistent energy depletion that rest doesn’t resolve, often accompanied by a sense of being “wired but tired,” like your body is buzzing with anxious energy while simultaneously feeling like you could collapse at any moment.

Numbing behaviors feel like salvation

When everything feels too much, it’s natural to reach for things that help you check out. You might be mindlessly scrolling social media for hours, binging shows you’re not even interested in, or pouring that third glass of wine to feel something (or block out the nothingness).

These aren’t necessarily unhealthy behaviors in moderation, but in functional freeze, they become compulsive ways to avoid dealing with the disconnection you’re feeling.


woman, sad, stuck, emotional, overwhelmed Woman feeling checked out. Photo credit: Canva

The good news: You can get unstuck

Let’s be clear: if you recognized yourself in the descriptions above, you are not broken, lazy, or weak. Functional freeze is your nervous system trying to protect you. It’s just doing a lousy job of it at this point.

Recovery isn’t about powering through or forcing yourself to feel better. It’s about gently coaxing your nervous system back online. Here’s how to start:

  1. Start with the breath. Your breath is the fastest way to communicate with your nervous system, and it’s one of the few things you can control when everything else feels chaotic. Try the 4-7-8 technique: breathe in for four counts, hold for seven, exhale for eight.
  2. Get back in your body. When you’re stuck in functional freeze, gentle movement can help reconnect you with your physical self. Try stretching, gentle yoga, or even just shaking your body like you’re a dog getting out of water (shaking helps discharge stored stress energy. Animals do it naturally after escaping predators.)
  3. Make tiny decisions. Since decision-making feels overwhelming in a functional freeze, start embarrassingly small. Choose between two of your favorite snacks. Pick which song to listen to. Decide whether to wear the blue shirt or the black one. These micro-decisions help rebuild your executive functioning without overwhelming your already taxed system.
  4. Create anchors in the day. When everything feels blurry and autopilot-y, small rituals can help you feel more present. Maybe it’s consciously tasting your morning coffee instead of chugging it. (Is that a note of hazelnut, you detect?) Or stepping outside for five minutes after lunch and breathing in the fresh air, no screens allowed. These aren’t life-changing habits—they’re just little moments where you pause and notice you exist.
  5. Find professional help. Look for practitioners who understand trauma-informed care, somatic experiencing, or polyvagal theory. These approaches work with your nervous system rather than just trying to think your way out of the problem. EMDR, somatic experiencing, and trauma-sensitive yoga can be beneficial because they address the physiological aspects of being stuck, not just the mental ones.

woman, smiling, therapy, connection, feelings Remember, you are not alone. Photo credit: Canva

You’re not alone

If you’re struggling with functional freeze, remember that you are not alone. In our hyperconnected, always-on world, functional freeze has become nearly epidemic. We’re all trying to fit into an overstimulated society that isn’t designed for the human nervous system.

The fact that you’re reading this, that you’re looking for answers and ways to feel more alive in your own life—that’s already a step toward unfreezing. Your awareness is the beginning of change.

Your feelings are still there, waiting for you to come back to them. And when you’re ready, they’ll be there to welcome you home.

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Expert reveals 6 ways we've created 'a world our nervous system no longer wants to live in'

We're so out of balance.

via Canva/Photos

A map of the human nervous system and a stressed woman.

There has been an alarming increase in the number of Americans who experience chronic pain, disease, and mental illness. According to the White House, six in 10 Americans have at least one chronic disease, and four in 10 have two or more chronic diseases. A 2023 CNN survey found that 90% of Americans feel we are in a mental health crisis, and according to Pew Research, 38% more people are in mental health care since the onset of the pandemic than before.

What’s the cause of this rising tide of poor physical and mental health in the U.S.? Brittany Piper, a 36-year-old Somatic Experiencing practitioner and author of Body-First Healing, believes there is a single cause for this destructive trend. "It is my personal and professional belief that the drastic rise we are seeing in chronic physical and mental illness can be attributed to this one thing. Basically, we have created a world that our nervous system no longer wants to live in,” she said in a TikTok video with over 900,000 views.

@healwithbritt

We created a world our nervous system doesn't want to live in #survivalmode #chronicillness #anxietyrelief #chronicpain #mentalillness #nervoussystemregulation #fightflightfreeze

To explain her theory, she said we should look at our nervous system—the body’s command center that transmits brain signals throughout the body—as a security system. Whenever this system detects a perceived threat, it releases survival hormones into the body, such as adrenaline and cortisol, to prepare you for battle. “Now, as survival becomes priority number one, all of the other working systems within the brain and body, like your hormones, your immune system, digestion, muscular, skeletal, etc. These all fall to the back burner and become disrupted,” Piper posits.

Piper argues that prolonged exposure to these stressors means that we continue to produce stress hormones, creating a vicious cycle. “Walk through the doors of my practice every single day with my clients. Symptoms like anxiety, depression, burnout, fatigue, chronic illness, chronic pain, digestive issues, fibromyalgia, migraines, TMJ, dissociation, and so much more,” she said.

nervous system, stress, human body, healing, work, pain, chronic illness, therapy A stressed woman talking to her therapist.via Canva/Photos

Piper outlined six reasons why we are stuck in survival mode:

1. Pressure to succeed

2. Divisive political climate

3. A culture of emotional suppression

4. Unhealthy environment

5. Constant catastrophic news

6. Personal guilt

The good news is that Piper didn’t just describe the problem, but also shared six ways to heal our stressed nervous systems.

Six ways to heal a stressed nervous system

feet, water, hike, stream, healing, nature, boots A woman crossing a pond.via Canva/Photos

Step 1: Slow down

Permit yourself to slow down to the slowest part of you.

Step 2: Get into your body

Get out of your head and into your body, which is where your nervous system lives, operates, and constantly communicates with you through your emotions, feelings, and sensations.

Step 3: Become present

Your nervous system is always being pulled into the past or to the future. Instead, when you slow down, take the time to be present in the moment with your body and senses.

Step 4: Take time to validate

Acknowledge what sucks, what's hard in your life, what triggers you. But also take time to acknowledge the positive parts of your life.

Step 5: Focus on what you can control

Give more power to what you actually can control and influence.

Step 6: Regulate the chaos

Identify what regulates your nervous system. These could include activities such as nature play, co-regulation, spending time with family, music, expression, dance, and other forms of creative engagement.


Piper’s post brings up a very important question in American life: Has our dependence on technology, high-pressure work ethic, disconnection from nature, and culture, obsessed with negative news and division, finally reached the tipping point where the society we’ve created no longer bears any resemblance to the world in which we evolved to thrive? If so, how can we create a more harmonious way of living that fosters both health and material abundance?

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Depressed by the state of the world? Deepak Chopra shares the first step to finding joy again.

The author of The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success shares his life-changing advice in an exclusive interview with Upworthy.

via Canva/Photos and Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons.

A depressed woman and Deepak Chopra.

It’s becoming increasingly difficult for people to shake the deep-seated sense of dread about where the world is headed. Every day, we are subjected to images of bombs dropping on civilians, massive icebergs falling into the ocean due to climate change, masked men pulling people off the streets for deportation, constant political chaos, and a culture changing so fast due to technology, it’s easy to be overwhelmed.

Added to this is a lingering sense of brokenness that persists from the COVID-19 pandemic era. The result is that in the United States, more people are being diagnosed with depression than ever before. To help our readers break free from the current sense of helplessness, we sat down with Deepak Chopra at Aspen Ideas: Health to hear his thoughts on overcoming depression.

Chopra is a Consciousness Explorer and a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation. He is also a Clinical Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of California, San Diego, and serves as a senior scientist with Gallup Organization. He told Upworthy that the most common problem people ask him about these days is depression.

deepak chopra, wisdom, consciousness, deepak chopra wisdom, deepak chopra speech, deepak in the uk Deepak Chopra, author and guru, at the SXSW London festival hosted in London, England during June 2025.via Deepak Chopra/Wikimedia Commons

“It's just people in general right now are stressed, anxious, and depressed. And that's because of all the things that are happening in their environment, social ecosystem, political systems, war, climate change, health,” he told Upworthy. He notes that although tough times aren’t new, modern stress seems to take a deeper toll.

“Because we have modern capacities for war, drones, nuclear weapons, cyber warfare. And for the first time, I think we are risking extinction. [Instability] has been happening since Medieval times. But Medieval tribal bonds and modern technology is a dangerous combination. So it's much worse than it's ever been,” he said.

What's the first step to overcoming depression, according to Deepak Chopra?

depression, saddness, sad man, depressed man, mental health A man holding his head in his hands.via Canva/Photos

Chopra says that those who are experiencing depression or are just feeling down should ground themselves in their “essential being” (more on that later). But, more practically, they should spend time with people who lift them up. “Hang out with people who are joyful with only one purpose: to create joy in the world. Create joy for yourself. Hang out with joyful people and help create joy in the world,” he told Upworthy. “Joy is the only antidote for suffering. And joy is our fundamental state of being. It's not the same thing as happiness, which is the opposite of sadness. Joy is what you see in an innocent child that is happy for no reason whatsoever. It's our fundamental state of being before we get bamboozled by the hypnosis of social conditioning.”

To find out what Chopra means by being “grounded in your essential being,” we consulted his digital twin at DigitalDeepak.AI. Chopra has created an AI that encapsulates all of his teachings throughout his illustrious career, allowing everyone to access his wisdom at any time.


The concept of essential being, according to Digital Deepak:

Being grounded in your essential being is about connecting with the deepest part of yourself—the true self that exists beyond the fluctuations of the mind and the distractions of daily life. It is about recognizing that, at your core, you are pure consciousness —a field of infinite possibilities and potential.

When you are grounded in this essential state, you experience a profound sense of peace and stability. You become anchored in a state of awareness that transcends the temporary and ever-changing nature of the external world. This grounding allows you to navigate life's challenges with a sense of ease and fearlessness, as you are deeply connected to the eternal power within you.


Sometimes, we can become so overwhelmed by world events that it's easy to overlook the basic things we need to be happy and healthy. That's why Chopra's belief in the importance of maintaining positive social relationships with others, especially during stressful times, is crucial to our mental well-being. If you are feeling down, it's essential to get out and spend time with positive, uplifting people. But it's also crucial to get help from a trained mental health professional.

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Embarrassed employee leaves work after a panic attack. Their boss's response was perfect.

"People may have lied to you."

via Canva/Photos

A woman having a panic attack at work.

Imagine being someone who suffers from depression and anxiety, and having to leave work because you had a panic attack. On top of the incredible suffering that comes with a panic attack, you have to return to work and confront the fact that you had to leave your job because of mental distress.

Panic attacks can have a range of psychological and physical symptoms, including trembling, shortness of breath, dizziness or nausea, a racing heart, and feelings of impending doom. So, it's understandable that someone would have to leave their job if they were experiencing one. Of course, there should be no shame in suffering a panic attack, but far too many people are looking to judge those who suffer from them and those who suffer often feel shame and embarrassment when they happen. That’s why the following story is so beautiful.

anxiety attack, panic attack, work, distressed woman, stressed woman, mental illness A woman suffering from anxiety.via Canva/Photos

A person on Reddit shared an incredibly kind note that their partner received from their boss after leaving work due to a panic attack. “My partner, who has major anxiety and depressive disorders, had a panic attack at work last week, was super embarrassed, and had to leave early. They got this card from their boss a few days later,” they wrote on the MadeMeSmile forum. “It made me cry a little, honestly. I'm so thankful that they have such an understanding employer.”

They also shared a picture of the card.

[OC] My partner, who has major anxiety and depressive disorders, had a panic attack at work last week, was super embarrassed, and had to leave early. They got this card from their boss a few days later.
byu/GI-Robots-Alt inMadeMeSmile


Here’s what the card said:

Dear [redacted],

Thank you for being you. Thank you for sharing your art, your kindness, your joy & your light with everyone you interact with.

I wanted to remind you of your incredible strength. You show up, you do your best every day & it shows. You are appreciated by so many people. I see you [deleted] and I know the world can seem like a chaotic & scary place but keep remembering who you are! People may have lied to you & you may have believed them when they told you these lies — but the truth is you are STRONG. You are beautiful. You are POWERFUL. You are WORTHY. You are kind, smart, funny, focused, hardworking, incredibly talented & a light in this world. Don't let anyone make you forget. The world needs what you have to offer.

Love,

[Redacted]

Commenters on Reddit thought the card was incredible and that the world would be a better place if everyone had a boss as compassionate as this.

"That is a great boss with strong, empathetic leadership skills," the most popular commenter wrote. "My boss is like this, and it’s why my loyalty is to her and not the owner of the company I work for. True leadership at its best!" another added.

card, ice note, greeting card, pen, woman writing, thank you card A woman writing a greeting card.via Canva/Photos

The card was so incredible because, in a professional setting, people aren’t usually required to go out of their way to express such heartfelt emotions. This boss going out of her way to let their struggling employee know that they were worthy and that they showed strength in the face of their incredible anxiety was a show of encouraging leadership and kindness. This had to be incredibly empowering for someone who felt ashamed of having to leave work because of their mental health. When they came back to their job, instead of being called out for having mental health problems, they were singled out for being “strong,” “powerful,” and “worthy.”

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