While many people associate anxiety with racing thoughts or panic, others experience the opposite—extreme fatigue, fogginess, or drowsiness. The article will explore the freeze/dorsal vagal response and what happens in the brain and body when anxiety leads to this kind of shutdown.
To support the pitch, I’m collecting insights from qualified mental health or neuroscience professionals. I’d greatly appreciate brief input on the following:
What’s happening in the nervous system when someone gets sleepy or shuts down in response to acute anxiety?
Why do some people experience this freeze response while others experience fight-or-flight?
If the article is accepted, I’d love to follow up with a full interview and feature you as a quoted expert in the piece (with full name, title, and professional affiliation).
Ideal sources include:
Clinical psychologists or neuropsychologists
Neuroscientists or psychophysiologists
Licensed therapists familiar with trauma or autonomic regulation
posted6/9/2025
deadline6/10/2025
processing
published
Recently published by Self.
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