Forums · Mind in shock
I was wondering how many of you experience seeing something and being completely unable to take it in, your mind going into shock. Yesterday my husband and I witnessed a terrible car accident. Steve saw mostly the whole thing and I saw it about a half second after. I was ofcourse to upset to think about it yest. and ended up with my mind spinning like a hyper active top but today I've been thinking better and see signs that I went into shock. At the time I just couldn't take it in. It just seemed so impossible that I refused to believe it. It seemed like time stoped and I think it must have because I know that within a min. we were out of the car and crossing a very busy street with other witnesses to see if we could help. I remember the same thing happening on Sept. 11 when Steve told me that two planes flew into the world trade center. I was unable to take it in. I couldn't understand what he was saying. I find it interesting to see how the human brain protects itself when something is just too traumatic. It really does seem like time stops or slows down but the body continues to react. Yest. I must have tensed every muscle in my body because I was sore from head to foot.
I don't know how those people in the car are. I saw one come out alive but we left because we couldn't do anything that wasn't already being done and would only be in the way. I didn't see the accident in the newspaper so hopefully that means nobody died.
I don't know how those people in the car are. I saw one come out alive but we left because we couldn't do anything that wasn't already being done and would only be in the way. I didn't see the accident in the newspaper so hopefully that means nobody died.
Renee, I'm so sorry you had to go through that, it can be a very upsetting experience. I always say a little prayer when I come across accidents, especially involving the elderly or children, but anyone for that matter.
Yes, it does feel like time stands still, or at least slows down, and yes, I know exactly what you mean about Sept. 11. I guess it is just our mind and body's way of handling a severe shock.
I experienced something similar when I had the only wreck I've ever had in my life. I was going back to work after the holidays a few years ago on a rainy morning. The streets were slick, and there had been an accident on the highway up the road from where I was driving. A man in a slicker was re-routing traffic and I was getting ready to turn when I saw him with a terrified look on his face, running backwards. It was like it was in slow motion! The next thing I knew, I was hit from the passenger side, glass flying everywhere, and my car knocked several yards. Then everything just stopped and was silent. I got out, after what seemed an eternity, amazed I was still alive, and started checking on the other people, some of whom were cut up pretty badly. Turns out there was a high school kid speeding merrily along in his little truck who rammed the truck in front of him who in turn rammed my car. To make a long story short, I found out later I was in shock, oddly enough though, I felt great, I was running around taking care of everyone else!
Every one turned out to just have relatively minor injuries -- broken ribs, cuts, etc...The sherriff's deputy told me if I had not been wearing my seat belt, which I have a bad habit of not doing :redface: , I would have been splattered onto the road. Unfortunately, after I left the accident, not 30 minutes later, this same sweet man lost his legs when a car careened out of control and struck him in the exact spot where we were standing. ='(
Yes, it does feel like time stands still, or at least slows down, and yes, I know exactly what you mean about Sept. 11. I guess it is just our mind and body's way of handling a severe shock.
I experienced something similar when I had the only wreck I've ever had in my life. I was going back to work after the holidays a few years ago on a rainy morning. The streets were slick, and there had been an accident on the highway up the road from where I was driving. A man in a slicker was re-routing traffic and I was getting ready to turn when I saw him with a terrified look on his face, running backwards. It was like it was in slow motion! The next thing I knew, I was hit from the passenger side, glass flying everywhere, and my car knocked several yards. Then everything just stopped and was silent. I got out, after what seemed an eternity, amazed I was still alive, and started checking on the other people, some of whom were cut up pretty badly. Turns out there was a high school kid speeding merrily along in his little truck who rammed the truck in front of him who in turn rammed my car. To make a long story short, I found out later I was in shock, oddly enough though, I felt great, I was running around taking care of everyone else!
Every one turned out to just have relatively minor injuries -- broken ribs, cuts, etc...The sherriff's deputy told me if I had not been wearing my seat belt, which I have a bad habit of not doing :redface: , I would have been splattered onto the road. Unfortunately, after I left the accident, not 30 minutes later, this same sweet man lost his legs when a car careened out of control and struck him in the exact spot where we were standing. ='(
Oh that's awful. Fate can be cruel.
It is something when the brain slows down events so we can take them in. When I was in High School I was walking home from school. I was crossing the street and a man in a Monte Carlo (grey) was looking to the left and turned right. When he turned he hit me. I had taken about 2 steps into the crosswalk. Well he ran over my right foot. As I fell I could see my slushie drink hanging in mid air and falling to the ground. My cousin was walking with me and I saw her get hit in the hip and pushed into busy traffic. She was OK though. I slammed my hands into the hood of the car. I hit the ground (May in AZ meant a very hot street) and saw the tire of the car on my ankle. The other kids yelled at him to back up! He went forward off my foot then backed up again right over it! Then I remember my cousing saying Oh look theres blood! And she got sick. I was screaming but I didn't realize it was me! I was wondering who is making all that noise? The driver gets out and yells at me to stop screaming. So I did. :crazy: Well I just remember it being so hot on the street and all I could do was complain that my back and arms were burning. A passerby took the shirt off his back and slipped it under me. I didn't realize how hurt I was. I thought I could just stand up and go home. Fortunately a police man was across the street and witnessed the whole thing. It's all so clear to this day and I remember it in slow motion. Strange.
It is something when the brain slows down events so we can take them in. When I was in High School I was walking home from school. I was crossing the street and a man in a Monte Carlo (grey) was looking to the left and turned right. When he turned he hit me. I had taken about 2 steps into the crosswalk. Well he ran over my right foot. As I fell I could see my slushie drink hanging in mid air and falling to the ground. My cousin was walking with me and I saw her get hit in the hip and pushed into busy traffic. She was OK though. I slammed my hands into the hood of the car. I hit the ground (May in AZ meant a very hot street) and saw the tire of the car on my ankle. The other kids yelled at him to back up! He went forward off my foot then backed up again right over it! Then I remember my cousing saying Oh look theres blood! And she got sick. I was screaming but I didn't realize it was me! I was wondering who is making all that noise? The driver gets out and yells at me to stop screaming. So I did. :crazy: Well I just remember it being so hot on the street and all I could do was complain that my back and arms were burning. A passerby took the shirt off his back and slipped it under me. I didn't realize how hurt I was. I thought I could just stand up and go home. Fortunately a police man was across the street and witnessed the whole thing. It's all so clear to this day and I remember it in slow motion. Strange.
Those were dreadfull experiences for both of you. Carrie please, please, please do continue to where your seat belt. Pandora I can't believe that the guy backed over you again. Was he drunk or just an idiot? I hope they locked him up for a while. I do think that the mind can only take so much and it protects itself in these times by letting only a little bit in at a time. I still remember in my one and only car accident that slow motion feeling. I distictly remember reaching down to shift into second gear, trying to go faster and get out of the way, and at the same time pulling the stearing wheel hard to the left so I wouldn't run into the pole on the opposite side of the street. I did all that by instict but I remember it in incredably slow motion. Fortunately nobody was hurt, except my car. It's just a strange thing to know that you had a lightening quick reaction but only saw it and remember it in slow motion.
Oh, Renee, That was a terrible site to have to see!!! I know what you mean by time halting, or slowing down. I was in the middle of a high-speed chase one day on my way home from work one day on a busy street. There were two teens in an old '76 Bronco, who had stolen the vehicle and some firearms, and they were speeding past me on the left side, shooting at the police car coming a ways behind them with lights and sirens! (this was East of 19th Ave, headed Westbound on Indian School, for the Arizonans who read this)
The speeding vehicle entered the intersection against a red light, and a lady coming North, on 19th hit the back corner of the Bronco, rolling it over on it's top, and it continued to sled on down the street on ther top!! When the rollover occurred, the lady wasn't involved in it, but the windows on the sides of the Bronco burst out the sides in millions of little pieces.... the oddest part being, the broken pieces remained in a rectangular shape as they flew thru the air!!! It all seemed to happen very slowly... with the glass landing peacefully on the pavement with little sparkles bouncing up, and then settling. It was absolutely wierd!!!!! I couldn't believe how strange it looked!!!! I hope that you are finally getting back to feeling better, after such a horrid experience. You probably did have a multitude of physical reactions happening, the muscles, and the shock feeling.... with all that adrenaline, something has to happen!!
Pandora!!! OMG!!! Sweetie, I had no idea you were hurt like this!!! How absolutely excruciating it must have been. This is just the saddest thing!!! I can't believe that this negligent a$$hole had the nerve to tell you to stop screaming! Someone should have layed him down on the hot pavement, and ran over his ankle twice, and see if he screamed. How absolutely lowdown and mean. I sure hope that someone got you to medical aid quickly, and that you don't have lingering problems with the ankle. Our poor little Panders!!!
I am just so sorry to know that this happened to you. Hugs to you, and lots of them!
Blessings,
azspirit
The speeding vehicle entered the intersection against a red light, and a lady coming North, on 19th hit the back corner of the Bronco, rolling it over on it's top, and it continued to sled on down the street on ther top!! When the rollover occurred, the lady wasn't involved in it, but the windows on the sides of the Bronco burst out the sides in millions of little pieces.... the oddest part being, the broken pieces remained in a rectangular shape as they flew thru the air!!! It all seemed to happen very slowly... with the glass landing peacefully on the pavement with little sparkles bouncing up, and then settling. It was absolutely wierd!!!!! I couldn't believe how strange it looked!!!! I hope that you are finally getting back to feeling better, after such a horrid experience. You probably did have a multitude of physical reactions happening, the muscles, and the shock feeling.... with all that adrenaline, something has to happen!!
Pandora!!! OMG!!! Sweetie, I had no idea you were hurt like this!!! How absolutely excruciating it must have been. This is just the saddest thing!!! I can't believe that this negligent a$$hole had the nerve to tell you to stop screaming! Someone should have layed him down on the hot pavement, and ran over his ankle twice, and see if he screamed. How absolutely lowdown and mean. I sure hope that someone got you to medical aid quickly, and that you don't have lingering problems with the ankle. Our poor little Panders!!!
I am just so sorry to know that this happened to you. Hugs to you, and lots of them!
Blessings,
azspirit
Renee, I hope you're feeling better after having had to witness such a thing. It really does shake you up. =( *hugs*
Kim... geezz! What a creepy thing for him to do! I had to chuckle though when you said he yelled at you to stop screaming, so you did. :crazy: I hope you don't have any longterm problems from that. =( *hugs to you too*
Carrie... wear that seatbelt, little lady! We like you just the way your are... in one piece. ;-)
I've had one of those 'everything in slow motion' situations when I was hit by a car while riding my bike back when I was 13. Very strange! I saw that he was too close to the sidewalk for me to get around him and my bike started to stray out into the street - he wasn't watching and went ahead and made the right turn. I was literally at a stand still on my bike in the street - couldn't get any momentum going to get around him! I remember at the moment of impact (low-speed) I passed out *just as* the car made contact w/ my bike. I'm told I went up onto the hood, then fell head first onto the pavement (maybe that's what's wrong with me :lol: ). My bike went up under car and was mangled. I'm thankful I passed out! Another one of those protection measures our brain takes.
No broken bones, just muscle trauma in the leg and a huge swollen black eye - slight concussion. I was on crutches for awhile and all is well now. Just a scar in the middle of my right eyebrow that I can color in to obscure. =)
Kell
[ July 12, 2002: Message edited by: KellKell ]
Kim... geezz! What a creepy thing for him to do! I had to chuckle though when you said he yelled at you to stop screaming, so you did. :crazy: I hope you don't have any longterm problems from that. =( *hugs to you too*
Carrie... wear that seatbelt, little lady! We like you just the way your are... in one piece. ;-)
I've had one of those 'everything in slow motion' situations when I was hit by a car while riding my bike back when I was 13. Very strange! I saw that he was too close to the sidewalk for me to get around him and my bike started to stray out into the street - he wasn't watching and went ahead and made the right turn. I was literally at a stand still on my bike in the street - couldn't get any momentum going to get around him! I remember at the moment of impact (low-speed) I passed out *just as* the car made contact w/ my bike. I'm told I went up onto the hood, then fell head first onto the pavement (maybe that's what's wrong with me :lol: ). My bike went up under car and was mangled. I'm thankful I passed out! Another one of those protection measures our brain takes.
No broken bones, just muscle trauma in the leg and a huge swollen black eye - slight concussion. I was on crutches for awhile and all is well now. Just a scar in the middle of my right eyebrow that I can color in to obscure. =)
Kell
[ July 12, 2002: Message edited by: KellKell ]
OMG Kell! How lucky you were. And scary, probably more for your mom and dad than for you! =O!
I didn't go into all the details of my accident but I had to mention that during the deposition with this guy he said that when he hit me, it was like hitting a dog. He was a drop out from Az State University because he broke his wrist in his right hand and couldn't write. :crazy: His father was a dentist and he was borrowing the car when he hit me. I have scars on my ankle that will never go away even after some cosmetic surgery. And every once in a while the ankle locks us and I am in terrible pain. I also have back problems as a result.
Y'all this is turning into such a depressing thread! =\
I didn't go into all the details of my accident but I had to mention that during the deposition with this guy he said that when he hit me, it was like hitting a dog. He was a drop out from Az State University because he broke his wrist in his right hand and couldn't write. :crazy: His father was a dentist and he was borrowing the car when he hit me. I have scars on my ankle that will never go away even after some cosmetic surgery. And every once in a while the ankle locks us and I am in terrible pain. I also have back problems as a result.
Y'all this is turning into such a depressing thread! =\
(yidedy, yigedy, yigedy {rapid headshakes})
WOW!!!
I go into that mode whenever I get into a position where I might get hurt. Like slipping or falling or being in an accident.
I've come to the conclusion that we enter into an altered state of consciousness. Not so much as that we can't handle the input, but to be able to deal with the situation better. When this happens to me I end up, in the slowed time, what's going on, what will likely happen and work out what's best for me to do in the most likely outcome.
Sometimes there's not much you can do about it. Sometimes you can only just mitigate what's happening to the least painful outcome.
I think it is a spiritual thing having to do with our souls rather than just with our minds. this is just the conclusion I've come to in my own experiences.
I've had some experiences along this line that if I didn't experience it myself I probably wouldn't believe it.
WOW!!!
I go into that mode whenever I get into a position where I might get hurt. Like slipping or falling or being in an accident.
I've come to the conclusion that we enter into an altered state of consciousness. Not so much as that we can't handle the input, but to be able to deal with the situation better. When this happens to me I end up, in the slowed time, what's going on, what will likely happen and work out what's best for me to do in the most likely outcome.
Sometimes there's not much you can do about it. Sometimes you can only just mitigate what's happening to the least painful outcome.
I think it is a spiritual thing having to do with our souls rather than just with our minds. this is just the conclusion I've come to in my own experiences.
I've had some experiences along this line that if I didn't experience it myself I probably wouldn't believe it.