{"id":70978,"date":"2025-02-18T11:35:37","date_gmt":"2025-02-18T11:35:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/?p=70978"},"modified":"2025-02-18T11:35:37","modified_gmt":"2025-02-18T11:35:37","slug":"freeze-trauma-response","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/freeze-trauma-response\/","title":{"rendered":"The Dissociative Trauma Response: What it Is, its Signs, and How to Manage it"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_75 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/freeze-trauma-response\/#What_Are_Different_Responses_to_Trauma\" >What Are Different Responses to Trauma?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/freeze-trauma-response\/#What_Is_the_Trauma_Response_to_Emotional_Abuse\" >What Is the Trauma Response to Emotional Abuse?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/freeze-trauma-response\/#How_Do_You_Calm_the_Dissociative_Response\" >How Do You Calm the Dissociative Response?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/freeze-trauma-response\/#Deep_Breathing_Exercises\" >Deep Breathing Exercises<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/freeze-trauma-response\/#Grounding_Practices\" >Grounding Practices<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/freeze-trauma-response\/#Self-Compassion\" >Self-Compassion<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/freeze-trauma-response\/#Seeking_Support\" >Seeking Support<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/freeze-trauma-response\/#The_Bottom_Line\" >The Bottom Line<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you\u2019re faced with a dangerous, distressing, or traumatic situation, your body can go into fight or flight. However, some people can withdraw and dissociate.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-sheets-root=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mind.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated?flow=1916&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Freeze_Trauma_Response\" target=\"_blank\"><video autoplay=\"autoplay\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"muted\" playsinline=\"playsinline\" width=\"777\"><source src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/understandyourfeelings_gif-ezgif.com-gif-to-mp4-converter.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\" \/><\/video><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this blog, we\u2019ll discuss what dissociation and other trauma responses are and how you can overcome them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Are_Different_Responses_to_Trauma\"><\/span><b>What Are Different Responses to Trauma?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is trauma and what causes it? <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/childhood-trauma-triggers-in-adulthood\/\">Trauma<\/a> may result from a single distressing experience or from recurring events of being overwhelmed, neglected, or abused\u2014whether in childhood or adulthood. Trauma doesn&#8217;t just usually affect you in the moment; if it isn\u2019t dealt with and worked through, it can last for weeks, years, or even decades as you struggle to cope with the immediate circumstances, ultimately leading to serious, long-term negative consequences.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Dissociation<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the most common responses to trauma can be dissociation. During dissociation, you may feel mentally disconnected and removed from the situation or not remember it at all. It may cause you to feel numb, detached, and as if you\u2019re completely detached from your body and environment. This can happen when dissociating from reality, which can make the traumatic event(s) feel less real and help you survive and get through it\/them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Verbal Cues<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Verbal cues can be a response to trauma, whether in the moment or later on when triggered. This may include verbal cues such as \u201cI can\u2019t move\u201d,\u00a0 \u201cI feel paralyzed\u201d,\u00a0 or \u201cI am stuck\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In contrast to this, when some people are triggered, they may go completely silent or mute.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/mind.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated?flow=1916&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Freeze_Trauma_Response\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-62370\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/effects-of-childhood-trauma-1024x576.png\" alt=\"Freeze Trauma Response\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/effects-of-childhood-trauma.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/effects-of-childhood-trauma-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/effects-of-childhood-trauma.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/effects-of-childhood-trauma-1636x920.png 1636w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Hyper-alertness<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hyper-alertness involves achieving a heightened state of alertness or energy as a defense mechanism against trauma and includes symptoms such as sweating, fast heart rate, restlessness, and tense muscles. Essentially, this is the \u201cflight or fight\u201d response.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Change in Heart Rate<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During a fear response, you may experience a decreased heart rate. However, some people may experience the opposite; their heart rate may increase, and they may feel a loud, pounding heart (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0167876012006289\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). In addition, some people may experience shallow and rapid breathing during this response.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Feeling Stiff, Heavy, Cold, and Numb<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As the name suggests, a fear response makes a person feel stiff, cold, and numb. In addition, they may feel stuck and have physical heaviness in their limbs, in addition to having pale skin. This often accompanies a sense of dread and foreboding.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Read more:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/8-childhood-traumas\/\">8 Childhood Traumas: Recognizing the Signs and Finding Healing<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_the_Trauma_Response_to_Emotional_Abuse\"><\/span><b>What Is the Trauma Response to Emotional Abuse?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether it\u2019s one instance of abuse or multiple, both physical and emotional abuse can have a lasting effect on a person. Emotional abuse can cause deep pain and trauma to your physical and mental health (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1080\/10911359.2018.1435328\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). This emotional distress can last indefinitely if it\u2019s not dealt with and whether the trauma happened as a child or later, it can cause long-lasting effects in adults.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For those who have experienced emotional abuse, factors such as the specific pattern of neglect and abuse, personality traits, and genetics all play into how we respond to trauma (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0006322302016633\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You may experience dissociation as a response to emotional abuse, which involves shutting down to block out fear, disappointment, and intimidation. A common response to trauma is feeling completely numb, feeling paralyzed and unable to move, and not being able to verbally call out or speak.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>If you wish to reach into the deep crevices of your mind, take yourself out of the mental loop, regain balance, infuse yourself with optimism, and cultivate compassion &#8211; <a class=\"in-cell-link\" href=\"https:\/\/mind.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated?flow=1916&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Freeze_Trauma_Response\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">BetterMe: Meditation &amp; Sleep <\/a>app is exactly what you need!<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Do_You_Calm_the_Dissociative_Response\"><\/span><b>How Do You Calm the Dissociative Response?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019ve experienced the dissociation tactic in the past or continually, there are healthy, safe ways to overcome and calm this response. While it can be a beneficial technique in the moment, it\u2019s not beneficial if you\u2019re constantly in a state of dissociation due to trauma that hasn\u2019t been dealt with.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fortunately, there are some techniques and strategies you can use to bring both your mind and body back to the present and a place of calm and safety.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s look at a few techniques on how to overcome this response.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Deep_Breathing_Exercises\"><\/span><b>Deep Breathing Exercises<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Slowing yourself down is a great way to bring yourself back to the present, and one of the ways you can do this is with deep breathing exercises. Through these breathing exercises, the nervous system is regulated. We previously discussed that shallow or rapid breathing is a symptom of a fear response, and deep breathing can soothe this by increasing your oxygen levels and restoring balance to your body (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full\/10.1155\/2021\/5924040\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Certain techniques, such as the<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/breathing-for-focus\/\"><b>4-7-8 breathing exercise,<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">beneficial breathing exercises to help calm your freeze response by bringing you into a state of relaxation and calm. Another exercise is simply taking slow, deep breaths. This effort consciously slows down and deepens your breath, which signals to your body that the threat has passed and you can now relax.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Grounding_Practices\"><\/span><b>Grounding Practices<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Grounding is a valuable practice that brings your focus and attention to the earth and where you are in the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">moment<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which helps you connect to the present moment and come out of feelings of being trapped or overwhelmed. Essentially, this engages your senses to focus on what\u2019s going on around you, such as your breathing, the ground beneath your feet, or nearby sensory objects.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This technique helps you regain control over the situation and helps take your mind off negative feelings or thoughts. By focusing on the present, you can refocus your mental thoughts and physical feelings on what\u2019s around you.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>BetterMe: Meditation &amp; Sleep app can help you transmute stress into serenity, pull you up from the doldrums, <a class=\"in-cell-link\" href=\"https:\/\/mind.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated?flow=1916&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Freeze_Trauma_Response\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">free your mind from the cares and worries <\/a>of the world, quell racing thoughts and infuse you with tranquility! Start using it now and change your life!<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Self-Compassion\"><\/span><b>Self-Compassion<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another tactic you can employ is to use self-compassion on yourself. Self-compassion is a simple, yet effective practice that provides a gentle understanding and perspective of what you have or are going through and allows you to be comforted to feel calm and safe.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can also use mindfulness. Practicing mindfulness can be as easy as simply observing your thoughts and feelings without judgment, and even speaking positive affirmations over yourself that promote love, patience, and compassion toward yourself can help.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Seeking_Support\"><\/span><b>Seeking Support<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Seeking support may just sound like a simple thing, but this practice can actually be effective. The fact is, connecting with and sharing your experiences with your friends, family, loved ones, or a therapist can help you overcome and calm the dissociative response.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Read more:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/betterme-somatic-overview\/\">BetterMe Somatic Overview (2025): Embracing WellnessThrough Movement and Awareness<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/mind.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated?flow=1916&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Freeze_Trauma_Response\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-61346\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/how-to-heal-childhood-trauma-1024x576.png\" alt=\"Freeze Trauma Response\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/how-to-heal-childhood-trauma.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/how-to-heal-childhood-trauma-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/how-to-heal-childhood-trauma.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/how-to-heal-childhood-trauma-1636x920.png 1636w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span data-sheets-root=\"1\">\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-sheets-root=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mind.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated?flow=1916&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Freeze_Trauma_Response\" target=\"_blank\"><video autoplay=\"autoplay\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"muted\" playsinline=\"playsinline\" width=\"777\"><source src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/understandyourfeelings_gif-ezgif.com-gif-to-mp4-converter.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\" \/><\/video><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Bottom_Line\"><\/span><b>The Bottom Line<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Essentially, the dissociative trauma response is one of the reactions a person can have when they\u2019re faced with a difficult situation. It involves the inability to move, act, or sometimes even speak. Other responses to trauma may manifest in various symptoms, such as physical stiffness, numbness, and either increased heart rate or decreased heart rate variability. It can be triggered by past traumatic experiences, which results in an involuntary state of high alertness or withdrawal when encountering reminders of those distressing or traumatic experiences.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To manage and overcome these trauma responses, you can employ several techniques, including deep breathing exercises, grounding practices, self-compassion, mindfulness, and seeking support from friends or family. It\u2019s important to keep in mind that with any trauma, you can seek help from a therapist to help you address and overcome trauma.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For additional resources, visit BetterMe&#8217;s blog to read our articles on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/trauma-informed-yoga\/\"><b>trauma-informed yoga<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/overcoming-childhood-trauma\/\"><b>overcoming childhood trauma<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/28-day-somatic-exercise-for-trauma-relief\/\"><b>28-day somatic exercise for trauma relief<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and so much more!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When you\u2019re faced with a dangerous, distressing, or traumatic situation, your body can go into fight or flight. However, some people can withdraw and dissociate.\u00a0 In this blog, we\u2019ll discuss what dissociation and other trauma responses are and how you can overcome them.\u00a0 What Are Different Responses to Trauma? What is trauma and what causes [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":70979,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[225],"tags":[],"coauthors":[45],"class_list":["post-70978","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-trauma"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v20.2.1 (Yoast SEO v25.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The Dissociative Trauma Response: What it Is, its Signs, and How to Manage it - BetterMe<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"\u2605 FREEZE TRAUMA RESPONSE \u27a4 is a way your body can react to situations or trauma. Learn more here about dissociation, other trauma responses, and how to calm these responses.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, nofollow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Dissociative Trauma Response: What it Is, its Signs, and How to Manage it\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u2605 FREEZE TRAUMA RESPONSE \u27a4 is a way your body can react to situations or trauma. Learn more here about dissociation, other trauma responses, and how to calm these responses.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/freeze-trauma-response\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"BetterMe Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/betterme.health.coaching\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"#\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/4525-freeze-trauma-response-1024x640.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"640\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"BetterMe\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@betterme\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@betterme\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"BetterMe\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/freeze-trauma-response\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/freeze-trauma-response\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"BetterMe\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/person\/46a2559fa95a734cb81f6fc6a2c3f404\"},\"headline\":\"The Dissociative Trauma Response: What it Is, its Signs, and How to Manage it\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/freeze-trauma-response\/\"},\"wordCount\":1365,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/freeze-trauma-response\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/4525-freeze-trauma-response.png\",\"articleSection\":[\"Trauma\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"articleBody\":\"<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">When you\u2019re faced with a dangerous, distressing, or traumatic situation, your body can go into fight or flight. However, some people can withdraw and dissociate.\u00a0<\/span>\\r\\n\\r\\n<span data-sheets-root=\\\"1\\\"><\/span>\\r\\n\\r\\n<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">In this blog, we\u2019ll discuss what dissociation and other trauma responses are and how you can overcome them.\u00a0<\/span>\\r\\n<h2 style=\\\"text-align: center;\\\"><b>What Are Different Responses to Trauma?<\/b><\/h2>\\r\\n<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">What is trauma and what causes it? <a href=\\\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/childhood-trauma-triggers-in-adulthood\/\\\">Trauma<\/a> may result from a single distressing experience or from recurring events of being overwhelmed, neglected, or abused\u2014whether in childhood or adulthood. Trauma doesn't just usually affect you in the moment; if it isn\u2019t dealt with and worked through, it can last for weeks, years, or even decades as you struggle to cope with the immediate circumstances, ultimately leading to serious, long-term negative consequences.<\/span>\\r\\n<ul>\\r\\n \\t<li><b>Dissociation<\/b><\/li>\\r\\n<\/ul>\\r\\n<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">One of the most common responses to trauma can be dissociation. During dissociation, you may feel mentally disconnected and removed from the situation or not remember it at all. It may cause you to feel numb, detached, and as if you\u2019re completely detached from your body and environment. This can happen when dissociating from reality, which can make the traumatic event(s) feel less real and help you survive and get through it\/them.\u00a0<\/span>\\r\\n<ul>\\r\\n \\t<li><b>Verbal Cues<\/b><\/li>\\r\\n<\/ul>\\r\\n<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Verbal cues can be a response to trauma, whether in the moment or later on when triggered. This may include verbal cues such as \u201cI can\u2019t move\u201d,\u00a0 \u201cI feel paralyzed\u201d,\u00a0 or \u201cI am stuck\u201d.<\/span>\\r\\n\\r\\n<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">In contrast to this, when some people are triggered, they may go completely silent or mu ...\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/freeze-trauma-response\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/freeze-trauma-response\/\",\"name\":\"The Dissociative Trauma Response: What it Is, its Signs, and How to Manage it - BetterMe\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/freeze-trauma-response\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/freeze-trauma-response\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/4525-freeze-trauma-response.png\",\"description\":\"\u2605 FREEZE TRAUMA RESPONSE \u27a4 is a way your body can react to situations or trauma. 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However, some people can withdraw and dissociate.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span data-sheets-root=\"1\"><\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this blog, we\u2019ll discuss what dissociation and other trauma responses are and how you can overcome them.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>What Are Different Responses to Trauma?<\/b><\/h2>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is trauma and what causes it? <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/childhood-trauma-triggers-in-adulthood\/\">Trauma<\/a> may result from a single distressing experience or from recurring events of being overwhelmed, neglected, or abused\u2014whether in childhood or adulthood. Trauma doesn't just usually affect you in the moment; if it isn\u2019t dealt with and worked through, it can last for weeks, years, or even decades as you struggle to cope with the immediate circumstances, ultimately leading to serious, long-term negative consequences.<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><b>Dissociation<\/b><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the most common responses to trauma can be dissociation. During dissociation, you may feel mentally disconnected and removed from the situation or not remember it at all. It may cause you to feel numb, detached, and as if you\u2019re completely detached from your body and environment. This can happen when dissociating from reality, which can make the traumatic event(s) feel less real and help you survive and get through it\/them.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><b>Verbal Cues<\/b><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Verbal cues can be a response to trauma, whether in the moment or later on when triggered. 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