What term describes the physical response to trauma that includes shock, disorientation, and numbness, often called frozen fright?

• A. Fight-or-Flight reaction
• B. Frozen fright
• C. Acute stress syndrome
• D. Hyperarousal

Answer: (B)

When people face overwhelming danger, a freeze response can occur—a brief, involuntary immobilization that brings shock, disorientation, and numbness. This specific reaction is often described as frozen fright. It’s different from the general fight-or-flight response, which drives action like fighting or fleeing and involves heightened arousal rather than numbness. It’s also not the broader set of symptoms that can follow trauma (acute stress disorder) or a state of ongoing hyperarousal; those describe longer-term or different patterns of response, whereas frozen fright pinpoints the immediate, temporary immobilization and dissociation in the moment of threat.