By Tonya L. Bassett, LCSW, CADC, CTT
In last month’s article, I spoke about the hijacked brain. The amygdala has the job of scanning the environment for danger. When it senses danger, it will send out signals that trigger the fight, flight, or freeze response. This wonderful mechanism allows you to quickly respond—even before you can think about it. This survival part of our brain has the ability to react ten times faster than the logical, intentional part of your brain known as the prefrontal cortex. However, when we are frightened, our logic is hijacked by the need for safety and survival. Rational decisions or the ability to employ mindful changes to our thoughts or behaviors are sacrificed for the real or perceived threat to our safety and wellbeing.
When we encounter a predator, whether it is a live being or an act of nature, our first response is to defend or fight. When we perceive that our opponent is stronger than us, we will flee or run away. When running and fighting are not viable options, the third reaction to a threat is to freeze, or immobilization.
Immobilization is a last ditch survival mechanism when we feel death is imminent. It is an instinctive biological method in which the muscles collapse—as if they lost all of their energy. Immobilization allows the victim to passively, without a fight, resist the predator in effort to deter its aggressiveness. Intense fear and feeling trapped by the predator results in going numb or collapsing. Some situations when immobilization may occur are in instances of molestation, rape, war, and surgery, to name a few. It is in this state that the mind and the body utilize their own pain-relieving system, and flood the body with endorphins; thus lessening the overwhelming pain and terror associated with the event. In this state, the victim dissociates, allowing them to be an observer—as if the event were happening to someone else. This coping mechanism allows the victim to be nearly void of any emotional or physical sensations within the mind or the body, and allows the victim to survive the overwhelming event.
There is a high price that comes with this life-saving gift. The process of exiting immobility creates strong and overwhelming thoughts and emotions. Experiencing episodes of intense anger and rage, this urge toward violent aggression and rage becomes very terrifying for the individual. Because of the intensity of these emotions and the fear of acting on them, the individual learns to resist and suppress the anger and rage before they feel it.
It is unfortunate that our culture tends to judge immobility as a weakness, often harshly criticizing victims for not putting up a fight, even though, as noted earlier, an individual has no choice in how the brain will respond to the experience. This judgment from society places shame and blame onto the victim.
Lastly, the victim lives with a pervasive and ongoing fear of feeling trapped and helpless. The intense anger and rage, along with judgment from society, perpetuate ongoing and incapacitating shame. This cycle of intense anger, sensations, helplessness, and fear keep the individual imprisoned, feeling empty in the core of their being, unable to feel fully alive and function to their full capacity.
But there is hope in feeling fully alive again. Integrating the brain and the body is crucial to treatment. Learning how to feel the physical sensations that occurred during immobility in the absence of fear will help lessen the hyperarousal, thus restoring equilibrium, and healthy/appropriate defense mechanisms.
Tonya L. Bassett LCSW, CADC, CTT has her own practice located in downtown Bloomington. She has a generalist practice specializing in trauma and addiction. Tonya also developed Healing Within, a 5-day program designed for trauma healing and recovery. For information on counseling or the Healing Within program, please call Tonya at 309-831-9558, or visit her website at www.healingwithin-recovery.org.
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