stressors. In order to understand which stressor you are responding to, we must define these terms. An acute stressor is usually a sudden, arbitrary, often random event. Crimes committed by strangers are key examples of such stressors. A chronic stressor is one that occurs over and over again, each time pushing its victims toward the edge of their state of equilibrium, or beyond. Chronic child, spousal, partner, dating, or elder abuse are examples of such chronic stressors.
The crisis reaction: the physical response
Physical shock, disorientation, and numbness
Initially people often experience a state of “frozen fright” in response to a dangerous threat. They may realize that something is terribly wrong or that something bad has happened, but they cannot comprehend the event or its impact. They may be unable to move or react. They may become disoriented because seconds ago everything in their life was “normal,” and now the world seems to be radically different and chaotic.
When trauma occurs, your body goes through a dramatic response physically and biologically, causing all types of responses. Adrenaline rushes through your body at lightning speed and immediately affects the body’s response to the event. Once the senses detect a threat, the body generates the power to fight or flee from the situation.
“I have always thought that if someone attacked me, I would run like crazy in the other direction. But when I felt the gun pressed into my back I just froze, time stood still, and it felt like my feet were bolted to the floor beneath me. I could not move, and it really upset me. Why didn’t I run?”
The reaction to fight or flee is generated by instinct and emotion. Thoughtful decision-making is rarely involved. It is impossible to predict what that first response will be. So if you have experienced a response that is counterintuitive to what you thought it would be, please be gentle with yourself. You couldn’t have controlled your response if you wanted to.
“After coming home to find my home was burglarized, I began to throw up. My stomach was wretched and I couldn’t breathe. I just kept thinking about what could have happened had my baby and I been in the house at the time. It made me so sick and I threw up all night long.”
“I was held at gunpoint for over thirty minutes during the robbery, but it wasn’t until I was giving my statement to the police that I realized my pants were soaked. I had urinated and didn’t even realize it. I was so embarrassed.”
Just like our emotional reaction isn’t always as we would think, neither is our physical reaction. Sometimes our bodies react physically in ways we do not understand, and we may vomit, defecate, or urinate. This can be very upsetting, as it adds an additional layer of confusion and sometimes shame to the crime itself. Again, please be mindful that you cannot always control what your body will do; you were powerless over your reaction to this event. Be gentle with yourself; you are only human.
The following charts are provided by the National Organization for Victim Assistance, and help to illustrate the physical and emotional responses to crisis.
PHYSICAL
Frozen Fright
Body takes on reality of threat;
immobilization may be for a few
moments or minutes
Fight, Flight, Adaptation
Heart rate increases, blood pressure rises,
adrenaline pumps, 1 or 2 senses become
acute, body excretes toxins (regurgitation,
defecation, urination); body will fight, flee
or adapt as a survivor skill
Exhaustion
Yesterday—Today—Tomorrow
Past—Present—Future
Body exhausts itself to relax so it can make
more adrenaline; often equated with
sleeping, though most victims don’t sleep
EMOTIONAL
Shock, Disbelief, Denial
Can’t believe what is
happening
Cataclysm of Emotion
Fear/Terror
Anger/Rage
Confusion/Frustration
Shame/Humiliation
Guilt/Self-Blame
Grief/Sorrow
Reconstruction
Time begins anew for
victims as they start life
after the trauma.
National Organization for Victim Assistance
As you can imagine, your body has been through a tremendous trauma. The adrenaline pumping into your system alone can cause a great range of emotional and physical responses. No doubt you are exhausted. It is common to experience severe exhaustion after any trauma or crisis event. What goes up must come down, and this is your body’s natural way of coming down from this heightened experience. In the upcoming days, weeks, and even months, your body will be recuperating from this experience. This is not something that happens overnight. Be mindful that you may feel out of balance for a long time after this event. You will experience a wide range of emotions, and it is important to identify them and understand them. In Chapter Five you will focus on your feelings and identify them one by one. But for now remember that feelings come and go, and they will pass. Feelings cannot kill you, even though sometimes they are so overwhelming that you may feel you cannot get through them. Trust that you can, and know that this, too, shall pass.
AFFIRMATION Right now I am experiencing a roller coaster of feelings, and I am overwhelmed. Today I know that feelings cannot hurt me, and I know that this, too, shall pass. Today I will be patient with myself and allow the feelings to come and go, trusting that they will pass soon.
When feelings rise in us and take over, there are many things we can do to tame them. First and foremost, remember to breathe. Take ten deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. This will help to clear your mind, provide oxygen to your brain, and slow down your heart rate, while allowing you to feel whatever it is that is coming up for you. If the feelings are overwhelming, try writing about them in a notebook or journal. Call upon one of your support people at this time—maybe you need to talk to someone, or maybe you need to go out and do something physical to get the feelings out.
Common
