fight or flight response

[Roadtrip]

I can clearly remember the time my mom and I were involved in an accident where another car struck us from behind. I clearly recall hearing the tires from the other car screeching as he tried to stop and thinking to myself... that's odd... I wonder what that is... I think thinking I should turn and look to see what that noise was.. then BAM. It was like those three-five seconds where slowed down and magnified. After it was over I looked over at my mom and the rest is a blur of trying to avoid traffic and finding a phone (prior to a cell phone mania) to call and report the accident.

Luckily I've never been involved in anything remotely like a violent crime, but I'd like to think my body would take over, doing what needed doing.

Just glad you are OK!!

Shannon

[Eden]

I think I first heard about this on NPR - it's a very interesting scientfic article about how peoples' brains work in emergencies and why some people survive when others do not - less flight or fight, more flight or freeze...

http://www.ingentaconnect.com/search...pe=text%2fhtml

[ny biker]

Luckily I've never been involved in anything remotely like a violent crime, but I'd like to think my body would take over, doing what needed doing.

I thought the same thing until I found myself unable to move, scream or even breathe.

Now I hope the self-defense course that I took will help me if I'm ever in that situation again. Or at least help to decrease the chance I'll ever be in that situation again.

[OakLeaf]

Eden, that link doesn't work for me. It looks like a subscription site? Do you know the name of the publication? Maybe I could find it in a library, or an online abstract?

[Eden]

Eden, that link doesn't work for me. It looks like a subscription site? Do you know the name of the publication? Maybe I could find it in a library, or an online abstract?

I was able to read the whole article free - it was open source. Here's a link to the abstract, at the top of the page there's a link to html or PDF of the entire article - no registration, no fee required.

http://www.ingentaconnect.com/conten...00006/art00011

[lauraelmore1033]

Wow, 75% of the population tends to freeze in an emergency! very unsettling.
Thanks for the link Eden.