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The "Freeze Response"

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#1 Sep 29 - 7AM
Anonymous (not verified)
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The "Freeze Response"

THE INSTINCTUAL "FREEZE RESPONSE"

When many of us are injured, we go into a state of disassociation at the moment of trauma to survive. Our body/mind experiences an instinctive "freeze response" and this positional, physiological memory becomes indelibly imprinted into our mind/body awareness. The sympathetic and parasympathetic autonomic nervous systems become stuck in a state of hyper arousal that is not under our voluntary control. It is like having your foot on the accelerator of a car and the other foot on the brake. This consumes an enormous amount of energy and eventually exhausts us.

Because this positional memory becomes disassociated and locked in our subconscious, we have no awareness of it and without conscious awareness, we have no control of it. It is a component of PTSD.

This "freeze response", over time, creates holding or bracing patterns that eventually produce increased chronic muscular tone, spasm, and myofascial restrictions that eventually become symptoms or chronic illness.

Sep 29 - 11PM
tasha
tasha's picture

yes

There is 'fight' and 'flight', but also freeze. Rape victims say that they freeze when they are being attacked. Same with sexual abuse survivors. Makes sense. Thanks barbara for tis post explains alot to me.
Oct 19 - 10AM (Reply to #7)
Ellen
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Is there any more info about this?

Hi, This is interesting, is there anymore where that came from please.
Oct 19 - 1PM (Reply to #8)
Barbara (not verified)
Anonymous's picture

Ellen

Google PTSD. Freeze response is part of PTSD. http://www.traumasoma.com/excerpt2.html http://www.myshrink.com/counseling-theory.php?t_id=85 http://www.lifeforceservices.com/ptsd.php ~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Pathologicals only discard the best, most precious of gems of people... not the worst. They despise the strong, principled, decent & honest. Their discarding of you is then their highest commendation of your worth!" - A.V.
Sep 29 - 8AM
Barbara (not verified)
Anonymous's picture

muscular pain

yes - exactly what the article means. I know my chronic myofascial pain and atypical M.S. had HEAVY contributions from all the pathologicals in my life. Now its permanent. http://howtospotadangerousman.blogspot.com/2008/05/your-medical-conditions-is-root-your.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Pathologicals only discard the best, most precious of gems of people... not the worst. They despise the strong, principled, decent & honest. Their discarding of you is then their highest commendation of your worth!" - A.V.
Sep 29 - 7AM
Barbara (not verified)
Anonymous's picture

A Narcissist's Shock Tactics

by Kathy Krajco One of the most glaring outward signs of malignant narcissism is the way narcissists malign others. They are constantly improving their own image at someone else's expense. Another very red flag is perverted reactions to things. This red flag can't be missed, because it's downright shocking. But you witness it infrequently, and it's so perplexing that people unfailingly disbelieve their very eyes and blow off this warning sign. Therefore, whenever you DO witness a perverted reaction to something, DO NOT blow it off. It is always a very bad sign. For example, the narcissist inexplicably gets angry at what should please. You expected a smile and - WHAM - you got a look that could kill instead. It sets you reeling, doesn't it? Guess what? That's exactly why the narcissist does that = to set you reeling so you are easy to run over. Other examples are being repulsed by what should endear. Laughing at what is tragic. You know - those bizarre reactions that make you want to pinch yourself. Those reactions that you cannot quite believe even though you have seen them with your own eyes. Remember that normal people don't do that. My experience convinces me that narcissists use these backwards reactions to things as shock tactics. They strike you as the sight of apple falling UP from a tree would. It takes you aback. It disarms you. That way the narcissist gets away with it, because you are stunned. It's kinda like a "sucker punch". While your jaw is hanging and you are wondering where that reaction came from - whether you or the narcissist is the crazy one - the narcissist performs this hit-and-run to get away with the abuse. It's a way to disable you (by morally stunning you) so that you cannot defend yourself from the attack. The term for disabling and then attacking someone is "mayhem." Needless to say, it's the lowest of the low who fight that way. Know anybody who does that you? Who somehow takes offense and gets mad just when you are saying or doing something that should make them happy? If you do know anyone like this, stay away from them. It's a stunt. A perverted stunt to catch you off guard and run you over. And normal people, people of goodwill, don't do that. http://narc-attack.blogspot.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Pathologicals only discard the best, most precious of gems of people... not the worst. They despise the strong, principled, decent & honest. Their discarding of you is then their highest commendation of your worth!" - A.V.
Sep 29 - 8AM (Reply to #2)
dolce (not verified)
Anonymous's picture

About the top post...I have

About the top post...I have this tension in my neck and shoulders constantly. I have TMJ. I also had this flickering of one eye lid when he first abandoned me that I prayed would not be forever. It did go away. But is this the type of muscular stuff you mean? What was REALLY strange and scary to me was when he fist left I couldnt see correctly out of one eye. One eye was normal and the other was like watching a movie in slow motion. Stress can do some tricky things to ones body. Little by little I am getting better. ~Free to Be~
Sep 29 - 6PM (Reply to #3)
Cgrl
Cgrl's picture

I believe it.

I have all of a sudden stated losing my hair. I can pull out strands of it. I went and got it cut this weekend. Its stress. I started on a vitamin regimen because I know I am not eating right- Im eating healthier since he left but I have lost alot of weight. He has been gone four months so I guess it is all starting to catch up to me. I feel your pain.
Sep 29 - 8PM (Reply to #4)
Barbara (not verified)
Anonymous's picture

ptsd & hair loss

These studies have yielded a great deal of data regarding PTSD symptoms:... memory loss, sleep disorders, skin rashes, hair loss, shortness of breath... from: The Body Bears the Burden: Trauma, Dissociation, and Disease - by Robert C. Scaer ~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Pathologicals only discard the best, most precious of gems of people... not the worst. They despise the strong, principled, decent & honest. Their discarding of you is then their highest commendation of your worth!" - A.V.