The Trauma Therapist’s Notebook

The Trauma Therapist’s Notebook

Is the freeze response a form of hyperarousal or hypoarousal?

Pria Alpern, PhD's avatar
Pria Alpern, PhD
Feb 07, 2025
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When faced with a threatening or overwhelming situation, humans and animals have evolved a set of survival responses. While the "fight or flight" reactions are widely recognized, there is another critical response often overlooked—the freeze response. This response, characterized by an inability to move or take action, is unique interplay between hyper-…

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