Collapsecollapse

Collapse is the nervous system closing down entirely in the face of a threat. When the danger seems too great or unavoidable, the body, as a form of protection, withdraws its energy and, as it were, switches off; this is linked to dorsal vagal shutdown. Collapse can be experienced as a deep fatigue, a numbness, or a sense of disconnection. This is one of the deepest survival responses. The body shuts down to protect itself in the face of what is unbearable.