Functional collapse can be hard to recognise because, from the outside, life may still appear to be moving. You may still be working, replying, caring for others, and appearing composed — while inside you feel numb, foggy, depleted, or shut down.

This article explores functional collapse as a protective response rather than a personal failing: when the nervous system has carried too much for too long and begins to conserve energy by reducing feeling, contact, and responsiveness.