How to Deal with Freeze

Freeze.

A deer in the headlights, unable to move out of the way of the oncoming truck.

But, the symptoms of freeze aren’t always so blatant. You aren’t always frozen and unable to move.

In fact, most of the time it shows up in other ways. Subtle symptoms you would never associate with freeze.

The many symptoms of freeze

Everything is going great. Then, all of a sudden, something changes.

You have trouble getting things done. Trouble focusing. Trouble listening to what other people are saying.

People call you lazy, even though they’ve never called you that before. They tell you that you aren’t listening. They tell you that you’re being belligerent. They tell you that you’re purposefully going against them.

But, you’re not. At least, not purposely.

In fact, you aren’t lazy. You aren’t belligerent. You aren’t purposefully going against them.

You’re experiencing freeze.

Note. It’s important that there was a change (i.e. your personality isn’t usually like that). If these symptoms describe your usual personality, it may not be related to freeze.

Unfreezing the freeze

In typical athlete fashion, when most athletes experience freeze they try to suck it up and continue as usual. They persevere and push through, forcing themselves to get things done.

Unfortunately, most of the time this doesn’t help, because it isn’t addressing the root of the problem. In fact, it often makes things worse, which is the exact opposite of what we are trying to accomplish.

Looking at these behaviors through the lens of nervous system activation allows us to take the emotional component out. Instead of seeing these issues as behavioral problems, we can see them for what they truly are. Products of nervous system activation.

This allows us to solve the problem at the root.

Change is important

Remember, change is important. You didn’t always exhibit these symptoms, there was some sort of change that brought them on.

If you’ve always exhibited these symptoms, it probably isn’t freeze.

Here are some examples.

An athlete who always willingly goes to practice starts to struggle to get ready and get out the door on time. Their parents have to nag them to go, sometimes to the extent of dragging them.

An athlete who used to practice hard suddenly stops. They start to stand by the boards more. They start to socialize with other athletes when they should be practicing.

An athlete who loves to skate suddenly starts to dread it. They start to wonder if skating is really worth it. They wonder if they really enjoy it anymore.

An athlete that is usually consistent with their jumps starts to pop and circle more. There is a regression in their skills and a loss of confidence. They are unable to do skills that they can usually do in their sleep.

It might be freeze

If you notice these changes in yourself or your athlete, there is another way to look at it. Instead of labeling the symptoms as behavioral problems, take a moment to evaluate if they might be symptoms of freeze.

If it is freeze, don’t continue to push through. That will only make the symptoms worse.

Instead, take a step back and give yourself a break. Your performance will thank you for it.

Mental skills training can make a difference because it can help you access what is already there during competition and practice.

Start here: download “Confidence Myth Busters,” a complimentary eBook and make a change.