Thawing Out: Surviving Functional Freeze as a Neurodivergent Black Woman
There’s a particular kind of exhaustion that comes with living in survival mode. The kind that keeps your body moving—going to work, responding to emails, showing up for family—but your mind? It’s frozen. Numb. Stuck. That’s what they call a functional freeze, and if you’re a neurodivergent Black woman like me, chances are, you know it all too well.
But here’s what I’ve learned: functional doesn’t equal well. And you can’t heal in survival mode.
Rest Is Radical: Navigating Inauguration Uncertainty as a Neurodivergent Black Woman
As another inauguration unfolds, many of us feel a swirling mix of hope, anxiety, and even disappointment. For those who identify as Black women—and especially those of us who are neurodivergent—these feelings can run particularly deep. At the intersection of race, gender, and neurodiversity, we’re often on the front lines of systemic shifts and policy changes, bearing the weight of historical inequities and ongoing stigmas around mental health.
Black Brains are Wired Differently?
Recent findings by researchers have shown that Black youth are impacted by “toxic stress” as a result of poverty and other adversity at a higher rate than White youth. I have a psychology background, educationally and professionally, so I had a pretty decent familiarity with the concept of ACEs and how these adverse experiences can continue to affect the outcomes for individuals during adulthood. But as a mother, it is a devastating reality. Some of the life factors that I hope to shield my child from, are likely directly impacting her.
Counting Down the Days: I set my Expiration Date!
“All these losses on top of my new grief sends me over the edge often. The realities of life hurt so badly that I actually threw in the towel. I allotted myself a little over six months to get things in order and then I decided I will end my human experience.”