Forms of Collapse Spiral

Silhouette of a person wrapped in a blanket sitting beside a sunlit window with a plant.

Forms of Collapse Spiral

  1. Sudden emotional shutdown
  2. Dissociation or going blank
  3. Silent withdrawal
  4. Physical stillness or freezing
  5. Emotional numbness
  6. “I can’t talk about this” collapse
  7. Overwhelm leading to disappearance
  8. Shutting down mid-conversation
  9. Retreating into silence or isolation
  10. Collapse triggered by accountability
  11. Collapse triggered by conflict
  12. Collapse triggered by boundaries
  13. Collapse used to end conversations
  14. Collapse used to avoid responsibility
  15. Collapse used to regain control through absence

We Believe You

Collapse Spiral


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