[Paddlewise] Fear

From: James Tibensky <jimtibensky_at_hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2002 12:56:12 -0600
Jolie Smilowicz wrote:
	snip
I can feel my heart race increase when someone says "wet exit."  I still 
don't know how I get out of the boat, but I always do.


Posttraumatic Stress operates on a lot of levels.  It is precipitated by 
being "exposed to a traumatic event in which both of the following were 
present: ...the person experienced....an event or events that involved 
actual or threatened death or serious injury.... and...the person's response 
involved intense fear, helplessness or horror."  One of the effects is 
"inability to recall an important aspect of the trauma."  All this from the 
DSM IV.

I, too, have never been able to recall the steps involved in combat wet 
exits.  My recollections always include every little detail up to the 
realization that I'm not in the situation I wish to be.  And then every 
detail of swimming after getting out.  But no memory of pulling the grab 
loop, sliding out, getting to the surface.  And I never hang on to my 
paddle.

Chalk it up to posttraumatic stress.  I once took a class on the effects of 
trauma and one thing the teacher said was that the perception of time really 
does slow down in some emergency situations.  Just like in the movies.

Jim Tibensky


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Received on Tue Jan 29 2002 - 10:56:24 PST

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