Why You’re Not Lazy: Perfectionism, Avoidance, and the Freeze Response

In a culture that glorifies nonstop achievement, slowing down is often mistaken for falling behind. If you’re not constantly doing, producing, achieving—you may feel like something’s wrong with you. But from a trauma therapy lens, what looks like “laziness” is often a protective adaptation—especially if you’ve experienced chronic stress, relational trauma, or high-pressure environments growing up.

Avoidance and paralysis are not signs of weakness. They are signs that your nervous system is overwhelmed—and doing exactly what it learned to do to stay safe.