Psychological shock or emotional shock is a physical reaction of the body to a typically unexpected intense stressor or traumatic event. Causes of psychological shock , which can also be called a freezing or freezing response, can include a range of traumatic events such as natural disasters, earthquake trauma , car accidents, sudden deaths, divorce, separation, witnessing a frightening event, or any event that may cause feelings of fear.
In times of extreme stress, fear or trauma, the fight or flight response occurs in the brain. The person's brain sends a message that there is fear due to a situation and that he/she should run away from this situation. At this point, action should be taken depending on the cause of the trauma.
What are the Symptoms of Psychological Shock?
One of the distinctive symptoms of psychological shock is that the person feels a surge of adrenaline at the time of the event. The person may feel physically ill, such as nausea or vomiting, and may not be able to think clearly mentally. In addition, the symptoms of emotional shock can be listed as follows:
- Chest tightness
- Irregular heartbeat
- Rapid breathing
- Blurred consciousness
- Anxiety and worry
- Sweating
- Thirst and dry mouth
- Feeling out of body
- Feeling as if you are watching a movie from the outside, as if you are not actually there
- Intense anger
- Desire to scream or yell
- Desire to run or escape
These symptoms are part of your fight or flight response. Your body is preparing for a quick, instinctive response.
What Causes Psychological Shock?
A person may experience a psychological shock in the face of an event that suddenly changes their life. This condition, also called acute stress disorder , can happen after an event that affects the person themselves, their family members, their children or their immediate environment, such as close friends. Causes of psychological shock can include the following:
- Natural disasters
- Risk of death or serious injury
- Sudden death of a close person
- Witnessing a death, accident or trauma
- Abandonment or separation
- Having an accident
- Violence
- Domestic violence
What to do during emotional shock?
Since it is difficult to think during shock, one should take deep breaths and try to calm oneself down before taking action, unless a quick action is required. During a moment of shock, a person may tend to make a bad decision, make bad decisions that they do not want to make and may regret later.
It may take several hours for the body to return to normal after psychological shock. There may be involuntary stiffness in the muscles due to fight or flight reactions, while pain may be felt when the adrenaline surge is over. During emotional shock, one should wait for the body to return to normal and try to take control of oneself and make the right decisions.
In the face of a traumatic event, it may not always be possible to avoid the situation. In order to prevent conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder or post-traumatic acute stress disorder, support from the family or close environment should be sought first and psychological support should be provided when necessary.
Psychological Shock Treatment
When the impact of a traumatic event persists for a month or more, it is called post-traumatic stress disorder. It needs to be treated and can lead to a chronic problem if left untreated. For the treatment of psychological shock, support should be sought from a specialist psychologist or psychiatrist.
The specialist will assess the traumas and symptoms the person has experienced and may conduct physical or psychological tests if necessary. Once the condition is diagnosed, a treatment plan is developed. The most common treatment for psychological or emotional shock is EMDR therapy.