Fear reaction: freezing

[thatguy]

I feel that everyone freezes...it takes a certain amount of time to figure out we have a threat and so much time to react. That being said the only "remedy" is training, that is proper training followed by proper practice.

A well trained person will still freeze, but for not as long.

[Mama Abby]

Thanks everyone for the comments. I love the idea of the pepper balls/paintball gun. My neighborhood is very hilly, and 12 feet out my back door is a huge hill and I think that is where the bobcat is coming from. I reinforced the fence to make it harder to come through, and stay closer to the door when I go out at night. I have been going to the range about once a month and firing off 50-100 rounds just focusing on aim, but perhaps I should practice with scenarios while there. I was planning on getting my CHL towards the end of this year and now I am looking at doing other kinds of handgun training as well.

I also put my revolver, loaded, in a case and it is next to me on the bed while I sleep so I can access it easily and that has made me less concerned about freezing. I just put it up when I go to work. I started going to the range about 20 years ago and never had issues with aim until I got this revolver last year. I think I am going to get a semi automatic to use from now on because I have more experience with that than a revolver.

[philip964]

All I know is practice, muscle memory.

Look at this guy

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[AdioSS]

Maybe add more lighting for when you go out to give you more time to react. It doesn't have to be white light. A yellow bug light or even a bulb in red, orange, or blue will be enough to let you see without blinding you at night. I've used those colors in my carport over the years. People initially think it is weird, but it makes sense to me.

Also, other less-lethal ideas that I've used (but not for bobcats) are BB/Pellet guns & Wasp Spray. I keep wasp spray just inside the door to my back porch anyway.

[suthdj]

Maybe add more lighting for when you go out to give you more time to react. It doesn't have to be white light. A yellow bug light or even a bulb in red, orange, or blue will be enough to let you see without blinding you at night. I've used those colors in my carport over the years. People initially think it is weird, but it makes sense to me.

Also, other less-lethal ideas that I've used (but not for bobcats) are BB/Pellet guns & Wasp Spray. I keep wasp spray just inside the door to my back porch anyway.

I would avoid "Red"

[Robert*PPS]

Maybe add more lighting for when you go out to give you more time to react. It doesn't have to be white light. A yellow bug light or even a bulb in red, orange, or blue will be enough to let you see without blinding you at night. I've used those colors in my carport over the years. People initially think it is weird, but it makes sense to me.

Also, other less-lethal ideas that I've used (but not for bobcats) are BB/Pellet guns & Wasp Spray. I keep wasp spray just inside the door to my back porch anyway.

I would avoid "Red"

[CHLLady]

Excellent subject and comments! I have also thought about freezing. Well, quite honestly I worry about it. I want to make sure if I draw that it is 100% clear I am in danger. When I'm under stress, I notice I try and rationalize the situation and still act submissively, as in my nature.

I'm going to read the books suggested. This is something that needs serious consideration.

[EEllis]

Excellent subject and comments! I have also thought about freezing. Well, quite honestly I worry about it. I want to make sure if I draw that it is 100% clear I am in danger. When I'm under stress, I notice I try and rationalize the situation and still act submissively, as in my nature.

I'm going to read the books suggested. This is something that needs serious consideration.

I wouldn't be so hard on yourself. Objectively speaking being submissive is probably, on average, just as good or better a survival technique as anything else. One of the biggest problems with being armed is it tends to make you a bit braver and more willing to put oneself in more dangerous situations. If all you had was a pocket knife you would run but since you have a gun you stay and check things out. Of course there are some situations where the only possible positive result is thru aggression . The trick is to know when to pick what.

[Excaliber]

Excellent subject and comments! I have also thought about freezing. Well, quite honestly I worry about it. I want to make sure if I draw that it is 100% clear I am in danger. When I'm under stress, I notice I try and rationalize the situation and still act submissively, as in my nature.

I'm going to read the books suggested. This is something that needs serious consideration.

I wouldn't be so hard on yourself. Objectively speaking being submissive is probably, on average, just as good or better a survival technique as anything else. One of the biggest problems with being armed is it tends to make you a bit braver and more willing to put oneself in more dangerous situations. If all you had was a pocket knife you would run but since you have a gun you stay and check things out. Of course there are some situations where the only possible positive result is thru aggression . The trick is to know when to pick what.

The additional "bravery" that some find when they first get their plastic usually lasts only until the first real encounter with someone who actively tries to kill them. If they survive that, the "fools rush in where angels fear to tread" attitude is abandoned and the gun is seen as just another option to be used only when all the less forceful ones available have failed.

Those who carry professionally usually reach this point very quickly.

[CHLLady]

Excellent subject and comments! I have also thought about freezing. Well, quite honestly I worry about it. I want to make sure if I draw that it is 100% clear I am in danger. When I'm under stress, I notice I try and rationalize the situation and still act submissively, as in my nature.

I'm going to read the books suggested. This is something that needs serious consideration.

I wouldn't be so hard on yourself. Objectively speaking being submissive is probably, on average, just as good or better a survival technique as anything else. One of the biggest problems with being armed is it tends to make you a bit braver and more willing to put oneself in more dangerous situations. If all you had was a pocket knife you would run but since you have a gun you stay and check things out. Of course there are some situations where the only possible positive result is thru aggression . The trick is to know when to pick what.[/

Upon further thought, I think passive is a better word to describe myself. My situational awareness is on alert, but I do have more confidence while carrying, and on the occasions I am not carrying, I've been finding myself wishing I had it with me. I'm now finding it a comfort, so that is a huge milestone for me. I do want to give this freezing concern more consideration. Maybe it's another milestone and more training and research will help.

[Excaliber]

Excellent subject and comments! I have also thought about freezing. Well, quite honestly I worry about it. I want to make sure if I draw that it is 100% clear I am in danger. When I'm under stress, I notice I try and rationalize the situation and still act submissively, as in my nature.

I'm going to read the books suggested. This is something that needs serious consideration.

I wouldn't be so hard on yourself. Objectively speaking being submissive is probably, on average, just as good or better a survival technique as anything else. One of the biggest problems with being armed is it tends to make you a bit braver and more willing to put oneself in more dangerous situations. If all you had was a pocket knife you would run but since you have a gun you stay and check things out. Of course there are some situations where the only possible positive result is thru aggression . The trick is to know when to pick what.[/

Upon further thought, I think passive is a better word to describe myself. My situational awareness is on alert, but I do have more confidence while carrying, and on the occasions I am not carrying, I've been finding myself wishing I had it with me. I'm now finding it a comfort, so that is a huge milestone for me. I do want to give this freezing concern more consideration. Maybe it's another milestone and more training and research will help.

I think you might find this article helpful. The book by Amanda Ripley that the author recommends is another excellent book on the topic besides the one I recommended earlier.

I am very familiar with the freezing fear response from dealing with victims of violent crime, and it can be overcome once you come to the realization that violence isn't all that unusual and prepare to manage threats successfully when they present themselves.

Incidentally, the Cornered Cat website where the above article appears is an outstanding resource for female CHL holders on many of the topics that women find most challenging (and if truth be told, there's a lot of good info there for the guys as well.)

[CHLLady]

Thank you so much for the link. I will check it out and the book as well.

[SewTexas]

I'm actually one of those odd people in that I am very calm in a crisis, I will get through it almost emotionless, people will wonder if I'm even "there"....then afterward I will curl up in a ball and "lose it", problem is there is no telling when the "afterward" is, it might be after the danger but while I'm suppose to be talking to an officer about what happened, or several hours later....there's no telling....

[CHLLady]

I'm actually one of those odd people in that I am very calm in a crisis, I will get through it almost emotionless, people will wonder if I'm even "there"....then afterward I will curl up in a ball and "lose it", problem is there is no telling when the "afterward" is, it might be after the danger but while I'm suppose to be talking to an officer about what happened, or several hours later....there's no telling....

I think it's a wonderful quality. Thankfully, i have not had the experience of this type of crisis. I often thought of being a police dispatcher, but don't think I could handle the stress and empathy I would feel. I myself have a need to help, but do feel anxious when its my family in danger, in particular when my hubby is driving. Lol. It's not his driving most of the time, it's other crazy drivers. My kids and hubby have had a good laugh at my expense. There are braking footprints on the passenger side of my car. Driving in Texas is much more difficult than driving on the left.

The article is great. It follows along with the books I am reading by Gavin De Becker.

[Pecos]

Gavin De Becker books are great. I have read "Armed" by him. For me it's hard to amagine extreme fear reaction under life threatening situations Unless i actually go through it.
I read about the symtoms & try to mentally prepare.