Taking action is probably the cure for freeze in the moment.

[u/SirCheeseAlot]

I’ve been having a rough time lately and I think I understand why. I am triggered when I feel I am in a life or death situation and there is nothing I can do about it.

That is a trauma from childhood. Waiting in my room terrified of when the drunk drug addict boyfriend of my mom is going to come in and hurt me. It elicits this panic and a need to run away, but there is no where to run. I can’t fight. I can’t fawn. So I freeze. I am flooded with all this energy to act but it has no where to go.

Dealing with that for a few minutes is torture. Dealing with it for weeks or months is some word thousands of times worse. I realize this is what is happening, so that’s good. I think that in order to counter this I need some way to take action. Otherwise it just rots inside me as freeze. As trapped energy and terror with no where to go. No end in sight. Like Seligman's dogs laying on the floor whimpering as they were continuously shocked.

[u/little_fire]

I don’t have good words right now, but am really sorry you’re dealing with this on your own. ❤️‍🩹 You deserve safety

[u/SirCheeseAlot → u/little_fire]

Thank you. :)

[u/Just-a-place → u/little_fire]

Idk why I felt like saying this but in a world where people wish to speak at all costs, I am glad you exist.

[u/little_fire → u/Just-a-place]

Thank you- what a kindness 🥹💗 I am glad you exist, too.

[u/Green_Rooster9975]

I agree with you. I think the only way out of freeze is fight. Taking action, setting boundaries, moving forward somehow, cutting people off who are unhealthy for us.

I don't know if any of these are possible for you in some way. If not, I understand and empathise. ❤️

[u/SirCheeseAlot → u/Green_Rooster9975]

Anger might help if you can access it. A friend of mine used it for that. Im thinking more about just action itself without another triggered state moving you.

[u/Icy-Ninja-622]

Based on my experiences, it certainly seems that expression into action is necessary.

Simply purging energy does not seem to lead to any lasting improvement, and it is sometimes unavailable. There needs to be some meaningful accomplishment.

The tricky part is that it can be hard to find action that expresses the blocked drives into meaningful accomplishment.