Chronic Shock and What You Can Do About It
Who is most at risk for shock?
People who tend to be "care giver" types are at high risk. First responders, including therapists, counselors, and medical personnel, are continually inundated with intense emotions and life and death situations. They are often too busy caring for others to take care of themselves. Individuals who have had personal tragedies, been diagnosed with a serious illness, or had to deal with a financial crisis, may move from stress into shock.
When life comes at us too hard and fast, we move into a fight or flight mode, (sympathetic shock) and/or a freeze mode (parasympathetic shock) and some of us get stuck there.
Chronic Shock and How it Affects Your Life
Divided attention, crazy schedules, overflowing to do lists - these are all symptoms of shock. Who knew?
Certainly not me. When our teacher asked us to turn to the shock questionnaire you'll see below, I took one look and burst out laughing.
"What?" she said.
"You're telling me people have less than three things on their To Do List? Like, for real?" said I.
She smiled at me, very kindly. "Yes," she said.
I probably rolled my eyes. I think I might have. What sort of functional person doesn't have an overflowing, insane list of stuff to do?
So I did the little screening test you'll see below, and guess what? I'm insanely high on the sympathetic shock scale, and I flip over into parasympathetic on a regular basis.