Recognizing Hypoarousal in a Hyperaroused World

In the landscape of trauma therapy, the conversation often revolves around the symptoms of hyperarousal — racing thoughts, panic attacks, flashbacks, and emotional overwhelm. These signs are easy to spot and, quite frankly, hard to ignore. But what happens when the body and mind go in the opposite direction? What about the quiet, numbing freeze? The profound disconnection, or the internal "shutdown" mode?

This is the realm of hypoarousal, a nervous system state that deserves just as much attention and compassion.

Understanding Hypoarousal: When the System "Shuts Down"

Hypoarousal is part of the autonomic nervous system’s survival response, often referred to as the "freeze" or "collapse" state within the polyvagal theory framework (Porges, 2011). Rather than fight or flee, the body conserves energy by shutting down: heart rate slows, emotional expression dulls, and a sense of disconnection from oneself and the environment takes over (Dana, 2018).

It’s not uncommon for folks in hypoarousal to experience things like, “I feel nothing,” “I’m numb,” or “I’m just going through the motions.”  Hypoarousal can manifest as dissociation, extreme fatigue, difficulty concentrating, or emotional flatness (van der Kolk, 2014). Hyperarousal symptoms typically demand immediate attention because they feel overwhelming, while hypoarousal tends to be quieter. And because of this, it is often overlooked or misunderstood by both clients and practitioners.

Normalizing Hypoarousal

It’s important to name that hypoarousal is not a failure of the person or the therapy process. It is a natural and protective response of the nervous system to overwhelming stress. Our bodies are doing exactly what they are designed to do: preserve us in the face of perceived threat. In fact, many people fluctuate between states of hyper- and hypoarousal throughout their healing journey (Siegel, 2023).

Recognizing and normalizing hypoarousal can alleviate the secondary shame that clients often carry. Many feel frustrated, believing they "should" feel more, do more, or engage more actively in therapy. When we validate hypoarousal as an intelligent survival strategy, we create space for compassion and curiosity rather than self-criticism.

Working with Hypoarousal Through Brain-Body Therapies

This is where brain-body therapies shine — particularly modalities like Brainspotting. Unlike some talk therapies that inadvertently bypass these quieter states, brain-body approaches allow us to gently meet the nervous system exactly where it is, without forcing activation.

In Brainspotting, we use the visual field to access deep subcortical processes. If a client is in a hypoaroused state, we can intentionally anchor into that experience — tracking sensations of numbness, noticing the quality of stillness, or even observing the absence of sensation. Paradoxically, giving full permission to stay with hypoarousal, rather than trying to "fix" it, often leads to natural shifts toward greater regulation (Grand, 2013).

Therapists can support this by:

• Slowing down the pace of the session

• Validating the client’s felt sense of emptiness or flatness

• Using resourcing techniques to build internal safety

• Following the client’s lead rather than pushing for emotional intensity

• Supporting micro-movements in the body or awareness that emerge organically

Gentle Steps Toward Regulation

A brain-body approach is not about rushing to "feel better." It's about noticing and being with the experience, regardless of what it looks or feels like. This might look like recognizing the first flicker of sensation returning to a numb area, or noticing a softening of internal freeze.

Brainspotting and other somatic therapies honor the wisdom of the body and respect its timing. When clients learn that they don’t have to force themselves into activation, but can instead rest and explore within the hypoaroused state, healing unfolds in a way that feels sustainable and empowering.

References

Dana, D. (2018). The polyvagal theory in therapy: Engaging the rhythm of regulation. W. W. Norton & Company.

Grand, D. (2013). Brainspotting: The revolutionary new therapy for rapid and effective change. Sounds True.

Porges, S. W. (2011). The polyvagal theory: Neurophysiological foundations of emotions, attachment, communication, and self-regulation. W. W. Norton & Company.

Siegel, D. J. (2023). The developing mind: How relationships and the brain interact to shape who we are (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.

van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. Viking.