Choking is a threat and survival disorder. It’s an act of self-preservation, a desperate attempt to shut down, to avoid, to insulate our sense of self, ego, and status from the deluge of attacks it’s experiencing. Sometimes that threat is conscious. Other times, it lies deep underneath. It doesn’t originate only from physical danger. It doesn’t occur only in sports. In a world filled with constant stimulation, comparison, and stress, we all spend a lot of time in survival mode, where protection is the name of the game.
