Frozen by Fear? How to Break Free from Anxiety Paralysis

Have you ever had anxiety paralysis? It’s scary as hell, like having a panic attack. My first experiences, I couldn’t move or speak, I was literally frozen in time. I believe it happened because I experienced a traumatic event in my life. Emotional overwhelm had enveloped me. Or if you have an intense episode of one of the triggers below, you can experience anxiety paralysis.

When I came out of it, I didn’t know what to expect. I couldn’t think clearly, and I was shaking. I didn’t understand what had just happened. So, I sat down to steady myself and actually started crying, because it was so terrifying. I’ve had it happen a few times, but they weren’t as scary as the first time.

I assumed it might have had something to do with cognitive overload. My brain couldn’t handle what was happening, so part of it basically shut down. I was still breathing, I just couldn’t move. Frozen in time.

Symptoms of Anxiety Paralysis

It is characterized by intense fear, overwhelming thoughts, and a feeling of being frozen or unable to act.

Symptoms:

Intense fear and panic
Physical sensations such as trembling, sweating, and rapid heartbeat
Difficulty concentrating or thinking clearly
Feeling overwhelmed and unable to cope
Inability to move or speak
Feeling frozen or stuck

Triggers of Anxiety Paralysis

Fear of Failure

I’ve always had a fear of failure, because of bullying in school. I felt I was a failure at everything. Later on in life, I realized I’m not a failure, I just make mistakes like everyone else. That’s how us humans learn. My mentor told me once, “you have to go through failure to achieve success.” Live and let learn!

Fear of Judgment

For me, this coincides with fear of failure. I felt like everyone was judging me in a bad way. I was being judged unfairly when I was being bullied. Those who pass judgment on someone else have faults of their own that they are afraid of. So, in order to make themselves feel complete, they find the weakest link and pick on them. I just wanted to crawl in a hole and die even at a young age.

Overthinking

Overthinking can cause anxiety paralysis. Too much of it can lead to total confusion. If you’re like me, I think of the “what if’s.” You can get so hyped up on overthinking that it fries your brain. You’re so scared of all the possibilities (bad ones) that the overthinking becomes unbearable. It’s like everyone shouts at you all at once.

Procrastination

Procrastination is one of those things that I do well. I put things off even if I know of the repercussions if I don’t do it. This can lead to panic when you face the person who required you to do the certain thing or the objective you were supposed to have done. . This can happen at work if you’re expected to work on a project, but keep putting it off. Even in the fear of being fired, you still procrastinate.

Perfectionism

Aahhh…perfectionism. When I was younger, I tried to be the perfect little angel. That backfired as I grew older. Everything had to be perfect, or it wouldn’t work. Such a false belief. Nothing is perfect. If things weren’t perfect, I blamed myself. That adds up to a lot of blaming, which put me on overload.

Self-Care Strategies for Anxiety Paralysis

S.M.A.R.T. Goals: the type of goals you should be setting

Chances are, you’re not achieving your goals because they aren’t SMART goals. No, it’s not that you don’t have intelligent and aspirational goals, it’s that they aren’t S.M.A.R.T.

S = specific (concrete and tangible steps)

M = measurable (how will this goal be measured? How will you know when you’ve accomplished this goal? Is it quantifiable?

A= achievable (is this achievable for you at this point in time? Are you capable of accomplishing this goal?

R = realistic (are you realistically able to accomplish this goal, given everything going on in your life?)

T = timely (By when will you achieve this goal? What is your timeline? Is there a deadline?)

Examples of S.M.A.R.T. Goals

For example, let’s take a goal like “I want to be healthier.” That’s not a smart goal. Why? Because it’s way too vague. Healthy is a subjective term that everyone measures differently. Also, there’s no timeline, and it’s really just not specific across the board.

Now, I will lose 5lbs by September 1^st is a S.M.A.R.T. goal. It is specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely.

Ground Yourself

Grounding yourself is important to combat anxiety paralysis. There are different ways to do it. I just pretend there are tree roots coming out of the bottom of my feet going into the earth. Just like a tree trunk. It sounds funny, but it works really good.

Grounding Objects:

Carry around an object you can feel in your hands when you’re anxious.

This can be something like a smooth stone or silly putty.

I use a large pendant necklace that I wear most of the time.

Hold the object in your hands and really focus on what it feels like.

Differentiate between the big and small decisions or actions

Think about what you’re trying to achieve or what your end goal is before making a decision. Knowing what you want and how this choice will help you get there makes everything so much clearer. It’ll not only make the decision easier, but also give you a sense of direction and purpose along the way!

Before making any big decisions, take a moment to think through your options. Consider the possible outcomes and how each choice might play out. Focus on what will be best for you in the long run, not just what feels right in the moment.

Set a hard time limit

Set a date for when you want to make your decision or finish your project. Then, create an outline or timeline to help you stay on track. Trust me, it’s amazing how much easier things get and how quickly you can make progress when everything is organized. Having a clear plan is so important for big decisions or projects—without a deadline or timeline, it’s easy to lose track of time and feel overwhelmed. A little organization goes a long way!

Setting a specific date to make a decision or finish a project can give you a nice boost of urgency and accountability. It’s a great way to stay motivated, keep yourself on track, and hit your goal right on time!

Pick something and go

Whether it’s making progress on your project or tackling a smaller step before a bigger decision, just go for it! Procrastinating may lead to anxiety paralysis and keep you stuck in the same cycle. It’s time to break free and take that first step—you’ve got this!

To break this cycle, try a simple strategy: just go for it! It might sound easier said than done, but by simply starting a task or making a decision, you’re already one step closer to reaching your goal.

Try focusing on the present moment instead of stressing about what might happen down the road. Taking small steps now can keep you from feeling overwhelmed by the bigger picture and help you make steady progress toward your goals.

Mindfulness techniques

Mindful techniques are a great way to stay focused. Whether you’re tackling a project at work, studying for an exam, or just trying to get through your household chores, distractions can throw you off track fast. But by adding a few simple mindful habits to your day, you can take control of your focus and get more done with less stress.

One of the best ways to practice mindfulness is through mindfulness meditation. It’s all about focusing on your breath and noticing your thoughts and surroundings without judging them. With regular practice, you’ll get better at staying present in the moment and not letting distracting thoughts take over.

A great tip is to set specific intentions for each task or activity. This means deciding exactly what you want to get done and really committing to it. When you have a clear goal in mind, it’s easier to stay on track and not get distracted by other things.

Stress Management

Managing stress is super important for anxiety paralysis. When we feel stressed, our bodies switch into fight-or-flight mode—a natural response that helps us handle tough situations. But if stress sticks around for too long, it can take a toll on both our physical and mental health. That’s why finding ways to manage stress effectively is such a big deal!

Managing stress doesn’t have to be complicated! Simple techniques like deep breathing, meditation, yoga, or even regular exercise can make a big difference. These practices help calm your mind and reduce cortisol levels (that pesky stress hormone) in your body.

Managing stress starts with identifying its source. Once you know what’s causing it, you can take steps to handle or avoid those situations. Whether it’s work, relationships, or money, understanding the cause is the first step to feeling better.

Emotional Resilience

You’d be surprised by the emotional resilience you have. I know I was when I didn’t think I had that much strength. I always considered myself weak when it came to speaking up for myself. Resilience is something nobody can take away from you. It’s deep within you, so you can use it whenever you need to.

Having emotional resilience helps you get over the really tough times when you just don’t think you can make it. It shines with all its brightness within you. I almost gave up my life because of mental illness, but my resilience brought me through that time. I hope yours does the same for you.

Sum It All Up

Anxiety paralysis is something to be reckoned with. It makes you feel lost and scared simultaneously. When I had my first episode, I was confused about what I was experiencing. It felt so strange that I couldn’t speak or move. The anxiety had been high that day, and as the day went on, it got worse.

Having a panic attack is scary enough, but in my book, anxiety paralysis is scarier. Since my anxiety is lower thanks to meds, I haven’t experienced one in a long time. When I look back on how my behavior was back then because of the anxiety, it makes me scared. I don’t want to ever go back to that again.

Hopefully, the meds will continue to work, even though I have some techniques of how to deal with it under my belt. It’s all about the easy way out, isn’t it? Peace and always love. Until next time…