These days it’s difficult to function without some sort of uneasy feeling. We are an overstimulated and overexposed society, constantly ingesting information at rates never seen before in history.

For this reason, many of us identify with some kind of mental health disorderwhether it’s depression or anxiety. You may feel that even though you are able to complete your daily tasks and maintain your life, you may feel a sense of numbness, lack of motivation, or disconnection from the world. If a strong feeling of dread buzzing in the background of your brain sounds familiar, you may also be experiencing a specific type of response to trauma: functional gel.

What is functional gel?

Our responses to trauma—how we react when we are triggered or feel attacked—can be grouped into four categories: fight, flight, freeze, or fawn.

Struggle: An aggressive response that may involve physical fighting, verbal fighting, or assertiveness. For example, you might punch or kick, or say “no.”

Flight: A response that involves fleeing, hiding, or backing away from danger. You can also try to distract yourself or avoid the situation symbolically.

Freeze: A response that involves becoming immobile or paralyzed in the face of danger. You might become tense and quiet, or even play dead.

Fawn: A response that involves trying to please someone to avoid conflict or gain security. For example, you might appease an attacker or reflect someone else’s desire to defuse a conflict.

However, if you are in a frozen state and whatever is threatening you only persists for an extended period of time, you could potentially enter a functional frozen state. This is when you are able to function externally and take care of yourself while maintaining relationships, but psychologically you are still stuck in freeze mode. You might constantly experience increased levels of anxiety and a lack of desire to do things, while still being able to do them.

Signs of functional freezing

If you’re wondering whether or not you’re in a functionally frozen state, here are some signs to watch for:

Persistent low-level anxiety: You may feel a buzz of fear or dread, although you can’t really understand why or where it’s coming from. It seems to be in the background of your brain, keeping you alert and unable to relax.

Tachycardia: Also called tachyarrhythmia, Tachycardia is a heart rate that exceeds the normal resting rate.

Self-isolation: You might find yourself distancing yourself from friends and family, avoiding communication, or distancing yourself from social plans.

Lack of motivation: You may have trouble motivating yourself to do the everyday things that help you feel better, from creativity to physical movement.

Task avoidance: Your to-do list can seem daunting as tasks pile up, as if you want and need to do so much without having the willpower to finish anything.

Low energy: Even though you feel jittery and jittery, your body feels too tired to actually exercise. You might just want to rot on your couch or bed.

Dissociation: By stopping and disconnecting from your feelings and surroundings, you may feel numb or lack enthusiasm for things that once brought you joy.

There is still hope

Do not think that you are doomed to be imprisoned here forever. With the help of a mental health practitioner and implementing mindfulness practices such as connect with nature, By exercising, breathing, meditating, and finding creative hobbies that light you up, it is possible to regain your joy and come out of a functionally frozen state.