The Paralyzing Grip of Trauma: Reclaiming the “Instinct of Purpose”
A Journey Through Neuroscience and Shamanic Perspectives
Trauma—especially when it involves overwhelming helplessness—can deeply affect both psychological and physiological functioning. Many people describe a sense of immobilization, disconnection, or difficulty accessing motivation and direction. In Western neuroscience, this is often discussed in terms of limbic system dysregulation. In various Indigenous and shamanic traditions, similar experiences may be described as forms of “soul loss,” referring to a fragmentation of presence or vitality during overwhelming events.
While these frameworks use different language, they often point to overlapping observations: when the body cannot effectively respond to threat, something shifts—affecting perception, agency, and one’s sense of continuity with self.
A Personal Reflection on Immobilization
Part of my interest in this topic comes from my own early experiences.
As a child, I spent extended periods hospitalized and largely immobilized. During moments of recovery, movement was limited, and there were times when even basic physical engagement felt out of reach. Alongside this, I experienced intense fevers that altered my perception and sense of control.
Looking back, these experiences seem to have shaped both my relationship to my body and my sense of agency. At the time, there was no framework to understand what was happening—only the lived experience of being physically present but, at times, disconnected from a sense of movement or direction.
For others, immobilization may come through different pathways—abuse, neglect, emotional absence, or experiences of not being seen or supported. Some traditions also include interpretations that extend beyond a single lifetime, though these perspectives vary and are not universally held.
What many people recognize, regardless of framework, is the experience of feeling “stuck”—what psychology might call learned helplessness, and what some shamanic traditions might describe as a loss of personal power or vitality.
The Experience of “Stuckness”
In the process of healing, it’s common to move through phases—sometimes feeling progress, and at other times returning to familiar patterns or questions.
This process is rarely linear. It can involve revisiting similar themes from new perspectives, often bringing up deeper questions such as:
- What direction feels meaningful?
- What is actually possible right now?
- What does it mean to move forward?
Rather than seeing these moments as setbacks, they may be part of how integration unfolds over time.
The Neurobiology of Trauma and Immobilization
From a neuroscience perspective, trauma—particularly when escape or defense is not possible—can disrupt the brain’s natural response systems.
During intense threat:
- The prefrontal cortex (involved in reasoning and planning) may become less active
- The limbic system (involved in survival responses) becomes more dominant
- Speech and narrative processing (associated with Broca’s area) may be impaired
This can result in experiences such as:
- difficulty articulating what is happening
- feeling overwhelmed by internal sensations
- alternating between hyperactivation (anxiety, agitation) and shutdown (numbness, dissociation)
These responses are not dysfunctions in the usual sense—they are adaptive responses to overwhelming conditions.
Parallel Interpretations in Shamanic Frameworks
In some shamanic traditions, these same patterns are described differently.
Experiences of dissociation or fragmentation may be understood as aspects of consciousness withdrawing from overwhelming conditions. Other concepts—such as “intrusive energies” or “power loss”—are used to describe ongoing states of imbalance or distress.
Whether interpreted metaphorically, symbolically, or literally, these frameworks attempt to describe similar lived experiences: a disruption in continuity, presence, and vitality.
It may be helpful to approach these interpretations as different languages describing overlapping phenomena, rather than as mutually exclusive explanations.
The “Instinct of Purpose”
Research by physiologist Ivan Pavlov suggested that organisms have an inherent drive toward purposeful action—what he described as an “instinct of purpose.”
When this drive is disrupted—such as through immobilization—motivation and engagement can be significantly affected.
In human experience, this may show up as:
- difficulty initiating action
- loss of direction or meaning
- reduced engagement with life
Some traditions frame this as a disconnection from purpose or life force. Others see it as a consequence of nervous system dysregulation.
Again, these perspectives may be describing related aspects of the same experience.
The Impact on Daily Life
When this sense of purpose or agency is disrupted, it can affect multiple areas:
- Motivation – difficulty engaging with goals or activities
- Identity – feeling stuck in past roles or unable to transition
- Executive functioning – challenges with planning and follow-through
- Emotional engagement – reduced access to curiosity, joy, or meaning
These patterns can feel persistent, but they are not necessarily fixed.
Pathways Toward Reconnection
Approaches to healing often focus on restoring a sense of agency, safety, and connection within the body.
Movement and Action
Engaging the body through movement—whether through structured practices like yoga or martial arts, or more intuitive forms like dance—can help re-establish a sense of agency.
From a neurological perspective, movement activates brain regions involved in coordination and planning. From other perspectives, it may be understood as reconnecting with instinctual or embodied intelligence.
Embodied Experience and New Associations
Experiential practices—such as roleplay, somatic therapy, or guided imagery—can create new associations that coexist alongside older patterns.
These experiences don’t erase the past, but they can expand the range of available responses.
Regulation and Interoception
Learning to recognize and respond to internal states—sometimes called interoception—is a key aspect of healing.
This can involve:
- noticing physical sensations
- developing tolerance for emotional states
- gradually expanding one’s “window of tolerance”
Different practices—such as mindfulness, breathwork, or somatic techniques—approach this in different ways.
Multiple Modalities
Many people find that no single framework fully addresses their experience.
Combining approaches—such as:
- psychotherapy
- somatic work
- community support
- contemplative or spiritual practices
can allow for a more comprehensive process of integration.
On Shamanic Concepts Like “Soul Retrieval”
In some traditions, healing includes practices described as “soul retrieval,” where lost aspects of self are symbolically or ritually reintegrated.
While interpretations vary, people often report:
- increased sense of presence
- shifts in memory or perception
- changes in behavior or emotional response
These outcomes can also be understood through psychological and neurological lenses—such as memory reconsolidation or changes in neural integration.
Rather than needing to choose one explanation, it may be possible to hold multiple perspectives simultaneously.
An Integrative Perspective
What has been most meaningful in my own experience is not choosing between frameworks, but allowing them to inform one another.
Different lenses—biological, psychological, relational, and symbolic—can each highlight aspects of the same process.
None of them fully capture the whole picture on their own.
Reclaiming a Sense of Direction
Recovery from trauma is often gradual and non-linear.
It may involve:
- re-establishing safety in the body
- reconnecting with motivation and curiosity
- developing new ways of relating to past experiences
Rather than “restoring” something lost in a definitive sense, it can feel more like rebuilding relationship with parts of ourselves that became less accessible.
A Closing Reflection
Experiences of immobilization, disconnection, or loss of direction can be deeply challenging. At the same time, they often reflect systems that adapted in order to survive.
The process of healing, then, is not about removing those adaptations, but about expanding what becomes possible alongside them.
There is no single path through this work. Different approaches resonate for different people at different times.
What may matter most is finding ways to reconnect—gradually—with a sense of presence, agency, and direction that feels sustainable.