Understanding the mechanics of adrenalin greatly lessens its impetus. The shock factor of adrenalin can be scarifying if you do not understand or expect it, rendering many frozen in the face of an ensuing attack. [More]Read this. Bookmark it if you can't read it now. I've only had time to scan it, but I'm going back to give it the attention it appears to deserve later today.
[Via cycjec]
Scarify: (verb)
ReplyDeleteTo scratch or abrade, such as scarify a seed with a hard coat to admitwater to the living seed inside.
Is that how the author meant it, or was he trying to say "frightening"?
It also means to frighten.
ReplyDeleteThat's very good. Undirected adrenaline as a paralyzing agent is something I hadn't thought of in that much detail even after reading Dave Grossman's On Killing.
ReplyDeleteIt's chapter 3 of a book; I read the first two chapters after that one, with a little more skepticism. They reprise Cooper's color codes (with due credit), emphasize situational awareness, advise running away if possible, and caution the reader they are not likely to win by fighting back. Awareness, avoidance and escape are all points well taken.
Realism about fighting back is even good to a point if it means not thinking you'll karate-chop a larger, stronger, adrenalized attacker without any training, but the straightforward answer is to equip and train to fight and win. The author has adjusted to the UK's legal climate, though.
Still, Chapter 3 on fear control is good enough and original enough to stand on its own.
I fully intend to read this, but in thinking about just what David said here I realized that I do not remember any such feelings the night I had to shoot an attacker. http://www.thepriceofliberty.org/08/09/22/editor.htm
ReplyDeleteI felt the after affects, certainly, but not during the incident that I can recall.
Very interesting.
MamaLiberty: I well believe it, and that's something I've heard in general terms from others, that they weren't as broken up as society might expect them to be. IF the author linked is correct, then the difference may be that you did direct your adrenaline to a useful course of action: resistance. In other words, cooperation and non-resistance may be more traumatic than fighting back.
ReplyDeleteI think its worth reading and thinking about even without taking it on faith.
I think we react differently--I've thought I was going to die a few times in my life and in each instance time slowed down, I kept my head and reacted appropriately. But these were sudden and without warning. The adrenaline rush and shakes came when it was over. When I knew something bad was going to happen and I had time to think about it, I'd get the butterflies and anxiety and have to work to channel it--generally (but not always) if I have time to think I turn it into cold anger. And there have been times when the stress in an unfolding situation was prolonged and I found myself going into the conscious internal struggle with nervousness before it was over.
ReplyDeleteHaving an irrational fear of crowds is a daily opportunity to practice controlling it, but it sure ruins a lot of potentially fun activities. I find that focus defeats prolonged anxiety, but that obviously has its own set of problems.
ReplyDeleteI've experienced a few "adrenal dumps" in my life, and there's really nothing that helps at the peak except muscle memory. Mine are preceded by a metallic taste in the mouth, and that marks the final opportunity to decide what do before tunnel vision happens.
I know I'm pretty worthless for the few seconds after the peak. Being alert and ready doesn't help someone control himself during the peak; it simply avoids the peak.