Fight, Flight, Freeze: How to Tell If You’re Stuck in Survival Mode

Do you often feel exhausted, on edge, or like you're constantly bracing for something—even when nothing is wrong? You might be stuck in a survival response. The fight, flight, and freeze states are natural, protective functions of the nervous system. But when these states become chronic, they can silently impact your mood, energy, digestion, sleep, and even physical pain.

In this article, we explore how to recognize when your body is living in survival mode, how it shows up in subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways, and most importantly—what you can do to start shifting out of it.