The Freeze of Depression

Sometimes a necessary transition from our current location seems daunting. We believe that there is only one “right” solution to where we go next and if we mess it up, we will perish. This is the kind of fear response programmed into our brains. The dear alarm system, amygdala, is blaring the sirens. But what if staying in our current situation actually has a greater potential for damage than does movement? Once the alarm system has been triggered the default response is often to freeze, stay paralyzed. Shame influences how we see ourselves and others. We feel as if we truly are frozen. Depression can result from feeling trapped, disempowered for any kind of movement. The dynamic psyche, Soul, and body all require movement, flow, and flexibility in order to survive.

Alex Korb, PhD writes about the life saving power of this movement in his book The Upward Spiral: Using Neuroscience to Reverse the Course of Depression. “In mountaineering, if you’re stuck in a bad situation and you don’t know the right way out, you just have to pick a direction and go. It doesn’t have to be the best direction; there may not even be a best direction. You certainly don’t have enough information to know for sure. So if you start down a path and end up at a cliff, you’ll just have to pick another direction from there. Because guess what? In a dire situation, you can’t be certain of the right path; what you do know is that if you sit there and do nothing, you’re screwed.”

In my private practice, I assist many people who are experiencing this lure toward movement and transition. Old belief systems, early attachment traumas, and fear may have molded them into an image or persona that no longer fits. An initial clue that we are experiencing the need for greater wholeness often is evident in strained relationships. When we are frozen and do not speak from our deepest truths, relationships will suffer and we hold out hope that the other will somehow meet our unmet needs. Instead, it is our journey to take and meet our own needs. It is a confusing time and can require a skilled listener to help empower us to break out of the paralysis. Maybe you are afraid of movement. Consider a free consultation with Laure Schwartz, Spiritual Director, Mental Health and Somatic Therapist, at The Healing House of Saint Paul. Access the on-line scheduler at http://healinghousesaintpaul.org/laure-schwartz/