Learn to recognise fight/flight/freeze/shutdown thoughts (and what to do about them)

Contrary to what we have been taught in mindset and cognitive approaches, your thoughts are directly linked to the fight/flight/freeze/shutdown states of the autonomic nervous system. That’s why changing your thoughts can be such a battle.

When the nervous system is on fight/flight mode (sympathetic mobilisation) your thoughts will be of an anxious nature. Racing thoughts. A sense of urgency of there isn’t enough time for x, y, z. In this state thoughts and feelings of people and the world being against us may surface.

In the freeze state (combination of sympathetic & parasympathetic) you can procrastinate. In this state you can feel that you want to do things, but simply can’t get yourself moving to do them.

In a shutdown state (immobilisation) you can look and feel slow and unproductive. Low in energy, having depressive thoughts of “nothing will ever change”. A feeling of “I can’t be bothered.”

These are physiological states. That’s why talking yourself out of thoughts can be so hard. In fact, trying to talk yourself out of them can invite more similar type of unhelpful thoughts in.

So a different way to go about this, is to focus on bringing your system back into homeostasis, instead of focusing on changing your mind.

A few things that can be helpful to get you back into a state of connection when in mobilisation (fight/flight) could be:

• Walking in nature.
• Physical exercise.
• Dancing.
• Singing and moving.

When immobilisation (shutdown) or freeze thoughts and low energy state show up focus on implementing small tolerable steps.
This could look like:

• Getting up and make a cup of tea.
• Taking one or two deep slow breaths.
• Ticking off the easiest, smallest task in your to do list.
• Humming your favourite song.
• Calling a good friend.

I would love to hear how this information lands for you.