Social media’s “functional freeze” describes numbness and low motivation

The phrase “functional freeze” has been popularized on social media to describe a state of numbness and low motivation, and experts have offered ways to break out of those feelings. Though not a formal psychological term or diagnosis, the topic has taken off in numerous videos. In one TikTok viewed more than four million times, a therapist explains functional freeze as a state driven by chronic stress in which people can still get things done but feel as if they are “just existing.” The video drew more than 1,700 comments; “Finally I feel seen,” one user wrote.

Descriptions vary: some people call it “tired and wired,” anxiety mixed with fatigue, dissociating or feeling “in a fog,” and others describe emotional numbness despite completing essentials like work or caregiving. Social media clips show people scrolling for long periods, sitting in a towel after a shower or lying in bed.

Clinicians quoted in the coverage said the symptoms might overlap with seasonal affective disorder, depersonalization or long-term effects of trauma. One therapist recalled initially thinking the phrase was “not a thing,” but said a patient’s explanation helped him understand feelings of being overwhelmed, helpless and trapped.

Experts advised first asking why the term resonates for you, then addressing specific concerns one by one.

Key Topics

Health, Functional Freeze, Social Media, Tiktok, Janina Fisher, George Bonanno