We Shift Into The Freeze Response

We human animals, however, often cannot escape or fight back, and have been conditioned not to allow our bodies time to “shake off” the aftermath of threat. We then often shift into the freeze response. Remnants of the fight, flight, or freeze response, when not released from the body, leave us in these heightened and inhibited physiological states. In order to try to integrate back into society (where we often receive the message to “just get over it”), we try to suppress these urges to fight back or flee.  (Pg 5-6, Freedom From Pain by Peter Levine)

Trauma Induces The Freeze Response

Dr Drew - CNN / HLN
Trauma Induces Freeze Response

Recently on CNN, Dr. Drew was interviewing Tom Arnold and Dr. Allan Schore (a Neuroscientist) about the Sandusky child abuse and molestation story.  In the following video clip of the show, some very important points were made.

Often many survivors ask the continual question of why didn't I speak out and tell someone about the abuse or why didn't I scream.  Outside of the fact, that survivors are viewing the situation through an adult mind, there is a more relevant reason.  When we are faced with traumatic situations as children, our minds are not able to handle these things and trauma induces a freeze response.


Your Mind And Body Check Out
We all know that when you are confronted with a fearful situation that there is the flight or fight response.  However, as a child when you are overpowered by an adult, the fight response is most likely not the one you will gravitate towards.  After all, how can a little child have the strength to stand up to someone much bigger then they are?  In the eyes of a child, an adult is the same as a giant.  The alternative is to flee, but that does not mean you are running from the situation.  Often it means that you endure the situation, but your mind and body check out because there is no way to run away from the person doing these things to you.