The sympathetic nervous system drives the fight-or-flight response, while the parasympathetic nervous system drives freezing. How you react depends on which system dominates the response at the time.

3. Freeze. The freeze response occurs when the nervous system perceives a threat as too overwhelming to fight or flee. Rather than taking action, individuals shut down, feeling numb, disconnected ...

When this system is dominant, it can feel like a burst of energy directing you either toward the threat or away from it a.k.a. fight or flight. The parasympathetic nervous system does the opposite.

The judicial system assumes we process all information, past and present, to produce our actions. That assumption is dangerous and unproven. ... Trending / Neuroscience / Beyond Fight or Flight: How ...

We all experience fight, flight, freeze, and fawn, ... For example, when you face a threat like a near car crash, your sympathetic nervous system takes control: Your heart rate goes up, ...

Your sympathetic nervous system is responsible for your “fight or flight” response. It’s activated when your brain senses that you’re in a stressful situation. The sympathetic nervous ...

After trauma, there is a state that is neither flight, flight, or freeze: withdrawal. It is both a short-term reaction to immediate danger and a long-term reaction to trauma. Skip to main content ...

Feeling numb but still functioning? You might be in functional freeze. Learn what it is and how to start thawing out.

Getting out of a functional freeze state takes self-awareness and nervous system regulation. Our experts agree that small, mindful steps can go a long way—and here's what they recommend. Get curious ...