You Aren't Lazy, You're Just Traumatized.
Procrastination: A Nervous System Response, not a Personal Failure
Your Trauma Therapist by Lauren Auer, LCPC is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Procrastination often carries with it a heavy burden of shame. We internalize it as laziness, failure, or a personal flaw. The voice in your head might echo, "Why can’t I just get this done?" or "Why am I so lazy?" These critical thoughts trap us in a cycle of self-blame, as if our inability to act reflects some inherent deficiency. But what if procrastination isn't about lack of willpower at all?
What if procrastination, rather than a character flaw, is actually your nervous system sensing threat?
The Science Behind Procrastination and the Freeze Response
We often think of procrastination as a failure to act, but neurologically, it may be the result of your body’s survival mechanism kicking in. According to polyvagal theory, developed by neuroscientist Stephen Porges, our nervous system is wired to respond to perceived threats in three ways: fight, flight, or freeze. When the nervous system detects a situation that feels overwhelming, scary, or too complex, it may enter the freeze response—sometimes referred to as the dorsal vagal state.
In this state, the body essentially shuts down to protect itself from perceived danger. This isn’t the kind of danger we think of in terms of physical harm, but rather emotional or psychological threat—fear of failure, judgment, or even rejection. So, when faced with a daunting task, instead of taking action, we freeze.
Procrastination, in this sense, becomes a form of self-preservation. Your body is working hard to keep you safe, even if the "threat" is simply a project deadline or a task that feels too big to tackle.
The Vicious Cycle of Self-Blame
Unfortunately, this biological response often spirals into a vicious cycle. As we procrastinate, we begin to criticize ourselves, deepening the sense of shame and reinforcing the idea that we are failing. The thoughts may sound like, "Why can't I be as productive as she is?" or "Why do I feel so stuck?"
This cycle of self-blame only further dysregulates the nervous system. Research on self-compassion shows that when we harshly criticize ourselves, we activate the brain’s stress response, flooding the body with cortisol and making it even harder to break free from the freeze state (Neff, 2011). The more we berate ourselves for procrastinating, the deeper we embed ourselves into the problem.
The Hidden Link Between Trauma and Procrastination
At the root of procrastination, for many people, lies trauma. Trauma isn’t limited to catastrophic events; it can also be the result of subtle, repeated experiences where we’ve internalized the message that taking action isn’t safe. Perhaps you learned early on that success brings scrutiny or that failure leads to rejection. Your nervous system has logged these experiences as threats, and now it shuts down whenever a similar situation arises.
Think of it as a well-worn path in the brain, created by past experiences. Every time you procrastinate, your nervous system is walking down that familiar path, keeping you safe from perceived danger: judgment, abandonment, or rejection. The freeze response, in this way, becomes a defense mechanism against being "seen" by others, avoiding the risks that come with action.
But while this response may keep you safe, it also keeps you stuck. Much like a bird caught in a cage, you’re protected, but you’re not free to fly.
Procrastination in Everyday Life: Signs You’re in Freeze Mode
Procrastination doesn’t always look like just avoiding a task. It can show up in many subtle ways, often disguised as everyday behaviors. You might find yourself:
Mindlessly scrolling through your phone for hours (hey, guilty!)
Staring into space or daydreaming
Overthinking, yet unable to take action
Binge-watching Netflix, unable to break away
Feeling physically immobilized, with little desire for movement
All of these are signs that your nervous system is overwhelmed and in freeze mode. The body, sensing a threat, has opted for stillness over action.
The Path to Freedom: Regulating Your Nervous System
Healing from this pattern is entirely possible—but it’s not something that happens overnight. Nervous system regulation and healing trauma are long-term processes that require patience, awareness, and gentle persistence. The good news is that once you’re aware of what’s happening, you can begin to change it.
Awareness is always the first step. When you catch yourself procrastinating, pause. Recognize that this may be your nervous system’s way of keeping you safe. Instead of criticizing yourself, try to approach the situation with curiosity: “What’s the threat I’m perceiving here? What feels too big or too scary?”
From there, you can start to teach your nervous system that it’s safe to take small steps forward. Somatic practices like deep breathing, grounding exercises, or simply moving your body can help. These techniques signal to the brain that there’s no real danger, helping you move out of the freeze state.
One small action at a time, you can train your nervous system to feel safe in the face of tasks that once seemed overwhelming.
Moving Forward with Compassion
As you navigate this process, remember: your procrastination is not a reflection of your worth or ability. It’s a natural response from a nervous system doing its best to protect you. Healing requires not just action, but self-compassion. As you offer yourself the kindness and grace you would extend to a close friend, you’ll find that procrastination begins to loosen its grip.
Freedom from the freeze response doesn’t come from pushing harder or shaming yourself into action. It comes from understanding, healing, and teaching your body and mind that it’s safe to move forward, one step at a time.
The road to regulation is a journey, but every step you take is a step toward reclaiming your power—and your peace.
Your Trauma Therapist by Lauren Auer, LCPC is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
I really appreciate your, 'it's not this, it's that" style of explaining. Your description fits my experience to a "T". I'd seen this with other issues, but not procrastination. Makes total sense. Thank you so much!
This is very helpful to me now.