What is Shock and Am I in it? How Can I Get Out of it?

Shock is a psychological (mental/emotional) and physiological (physical) response to any stressful or traumatic situation that seems intolerable, and in which a person feels intensely helpless (Zimberoff & Hartman, 2014). This shock state initiates the “fight, flight, or freeze” responses. These shock states don’t just happen with the initial traumas and then go away or resolve after the event is over. If the trauma is never processed , which very often it is not, these responses become consistent ways of “operating” for the body and nervous system . A traumatized person can then go back into shock whenever that person is “triggered” by another person, place, or situation, which causes the body and subconscious mind to think it is in the original situation and to revert back into the automatic survival response of either fight, flight, or freeze. Not to mention, our current pandemic could also be considered a new traumatic event, a global trauma, so there is this current trauma and the shock of this situation happening, on top of our other unhealed and compounded traumas and the compounded shock of those events. And we know that compounded trauma which has not been processed and “released” from the body and the psyche puts one at a much higher risk of developing PTSD.

There are two different types of shock, which depend on which branch of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) is being overly activated in the moment: the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) or the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). An easy way to remember the difference is to use the “S” for “stress” and the “P” for “paralyzed” (or even “peaceful” as you will see below). The paralyzed shock state happens when the dorsal (back) of the vagus nerve is stimulated, but the “peaceful” state happens when the ventral (front) of the vagus nerve is activated.

It is very important to understand that nearly everyone is in shock at different times in their lives and most people go back and forth between sympathetic and parasympathetic shock states frequently (Zimberoff & Hartman, 2014).

The sympathetic nervous system is the branch of the nervous system which sends us into “fight or flight” mode. This is a very important built-in survival mechanism that, in some circumstances, can save our lives in the event of a true emergency (i.e., being chased by a bear, etc), in which we need to stay and fight or to run and flee. This “shock” response causes our heart rate to increase (pumping blood to our vital organs), our muscles to tighten, our pupils to dilate, and so forth, so that we can fight or flee this dangerous situation.

However, when the sympathetic nervous system is constantly activated due to consistently being in an unsafe situation (such as an abusive household) OR when we never got an opportunity to process traumatic or overwhelming events, our body and nervous system gets “stuck” in this shock state, and it can create an almost constant state of fight or flight. Sadly many of us live in this every single day. It can create an almost constant state of hyperarousal. When something, anything, happens that “triggers” or even remotely reminds the body and subconscious mind of the original event and the subsequent survival response (which we may not even be consciously aware of) our body goes right back into this survival mode. 

The parasympathetic nervous system is the branch of the nervous system which houses the vagus nerve and as mentioned above, depending on which aspect of the vagus nerve is being stimulated, this could send us into the “freeze” mode. The healthy, or “peaceful,” parasympathetic state (ventral vagal) is one of a natural, relaxed, peaceful, and calm state, one in which many people often call the “rest and digest” state.

However, if we are in this state of constant “freeze,” collapse state (dorsal vagal), or parasympathetic shock, this can create multi-system disruption and dysregulation. This survival state can happen when, in a traumatic event, our subconscious mind has assessed the situation and fighting or fleeing is not an option, so the only option is to freeze.

This parasympathetic shock response causes our heart rate to decrease, our blood pressure to drop, our breathing to slow to almost a stop, our pupils to constrict, and our muscles to either become rigid or limp.

This response is similar to animals who “play dead” to protect themselves. Also what happens in parasympathetic shock, a part of the mind, or psyche, splits off and disconnects and dissociates from the body in order to endure and survive the trauma.

If the trauma is never processed, which again it often isn’t, the parasympathetic nervous system gets “stuck” in this mode and can create an almost constant state of freeze, which again, sadly many of us live in every single day. It can create an almost constant state of hypo-arousal and disconnect from one’s body and emotions. And again, when something, anything, happens that “triggers” or even remotely reminds the body and subconscious mind of the original event and the subsequent survival response (which we may not even be consciously aware of) our body goes right back into this survival mode.

What is even more complex, is that we often don’t experience just one of these shock states (although we do tend to “live” in one more than the other), we often experience both, and we are often oscillating between these two extremes, all throughout our lives. We can almost look at these shock states in how they manifest as a “diagnosis.” Those who are often in sympathetic shock (fight or flight) states are often diagnosed with anxiety disorders. Those who are often in parasympathetic shock (freeze) states are often diagnosed with depression. However, we know that these two issues very often accompany each other and we typically have both, one just tends to be more dominant.

Also note that shock is very contagious, so when one person goes into shock, another person witnessing the shock is likely to go into shock as well. This happens a lot with therapists who haven’t resolved their own shock and trauma and who get triggered into shock when their clients go into shock. It also happens with many healthcare providers and service workers who witness a lot of shock and trauma (doctors, nurses, paramedics, firefighters, police officers, etc). It is the phenomenon behind mob mentality, when people are witnessing others being frantic and they become frantic, or when people witness others being frozen and they become frozen. (Hence what is happening right now with both forms of shock).

The bad news is that we often don’t even know or recognize that we are in shock (see ways to recognize it below). Anyone who has ever experienced any form of trauma and the resulting shock which accompanies it, has or is probably experiencing some level of shock right now, some more than others of course. I would be willing to bet that this includes most ALL of us, although there are certainly levels of trauma and shock, and it compounds into layers, such as with complex trauma. Also, I will say that some people have done extensive work to resolve trauma and shock in their body (even if they didn’t term it as “shock” dissolution), as there are many mind-body modalities available to do this. For example, in my heart-centered hypnotherapy training, the main focus was resolving trauma that had gotten “stuck” in the body and dissolving the subsequent shock from the body and nervous system. Some people may fare a little better with their shock, if they have already dissolved layers of it. But right now, most people are likely still experiencing bouts of shock, just from the sheer levels of global shock that are happening currently and with so much fear and panic circulating the planet right now. And again, shock is very contagious. 

The good news is that shock is “treatable” and we can learn to bring ourselves out of it, and how to slowly reprogram and re-balance our nervous system, once we can understand what is going on and how to recognize when we are in it. Our bodies are very miraculous and can heal and restore themselves, given the proper environment. Trauma therapy is a big part of this; however, there are things we can do in the moment to bring ourselves out of shock and back into the present moment. Present moment is a big key. Shock happens when the body is either “stuck” in a current trauma or is reverting back to the original trauma and reacting as if it is happening again right now.

SYMPTOMS of PARASYMPATHETIC (PARALYZED) SHOCK, aka FREEZE:

-Feelings of being “frozen” and almost “paralyzed”

-Feeling “spacey” or “floaty” or “foggy”

-Stuck in a daze (aka “shock eyes”)

-Feelings of numbness, not really feeling anything; emotionless

-Dissociating, feeling like you’re “outside yourself” or “disconnected;” not “being” in your body

-Feeling really cold (especially hands and feet)

-Feeling suddenly drained and/or suddenly sleepy

-Being under-reactive, very little emotion or energy; hypo-arousal

-Appearing distant as if in “another world;” checking out

-Decreased heart rate and blood pressure

SYMPTOMS of SYMPATHETIC (STRESSED) SHOCK, aka FIGHT or FLIGHT:

-Feeling frantic

-Feeling fidgety

-Feelings of always “running” or being on a “treadmill going nowhere”

-Inability to get still and/or quiet

-Mind-racing 

-Can’t think clearly

-Feeling completely overwhelmed

-Excessive multi-tasking

-Talking really fast (aka “shock talk”)

-Being over-reactive or overly aggressive; hyperarousal

-Snapping at others reflexively or lashing out

-Feeling hot, flushed

-Increased heart rate and blood pressure

WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT SHOCK?

Once you begin to recognize that your body may be going into shock, according to the signs and symptoms above, you can then start doing things to help dissolve the shock. 

More good news is that most of these techniques can be used for both forms of shock. Meaning, when you implement techniques to treat one form of shock, it often helps with the other as well, bringing the body and autonomic nervous system into a state of homeostasis, or a healthy state of balance and regulation.

Below are some things you can do to dissolve shock. Most of the mind-body tools and techniques listed below have supporting evidence and research to show that they greatly help reduce stress, help restore the nervous system, help boost the immune system, and/or restore balance and homeostasis in the body. (References to be posted soon!)

BREATHING

One of the quickest and easiest ways to bring yourself out of shock and to restore balance to the nervous system is also one of the seemingly simplest things on the planet: BREATHING. It is “seemingly” simple because we all know that we have to breathe to stay alive. However, our breath often becomes either rapid and shallow with sympathetic shock or slow and almost stopped (aka holding the breath) with parasympathetic shock.  This keeps us in this shock state. Taking slow, deep breaths sends a “signal of safety” to the nervous system and shifts it back into a calm, relaxed state, restoring balance in the nervous system. Read more about “shock breathing” here: Shallow Breathing and Breath-Holding are Trauma Responses.

GROUNDING

Bring your body and mind into the present moment and out of the past traumatic moments that are automatically playing subconsciously in your mind. Some ways to do this:

• Counting from 1 to 10 and then back down again. Do this over and over until it feels sufficient. 
  

• Counting while breathing, which combines breathing + grounding together. A simple breathing technique that is easy to remember is “box breathing,” which is: Inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts, exhale for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts. Repeat.
  

• Naming 3 things in front of you. Naming 3 colors you see. Repeat until you feel more grounded in the present.
  

• Stating the present day of the week or the date including the year. This reminds the subconscious mind and the body that it is actually in the present moment and not in the past situation.
  

• Feeling your feet. Wiggling your toes. Rubbing your feet back and forth on the ground. Feeling your feet on the ground. Stomping your feet. Actually walking barefoot on the earth. 
  

• Getting in nature (see below).

MINDFUL MOVEMENT

Getting the body moving in a mindful way, will help pull you into the present and will also discharge the excess shock energy, whether that is frantic energy (sympathetic shock) or stagnant, frozedn energy (parasympathetic shock)

Some excellent forms of mindful movement are:

• Walking (add the intention of releasing tension and shock with every step)

• Stretching (especially the neck and shoulders where we hold a lot of tension)

• Mindful meditative movement practices: Yoga, Qigong, Tai Chi, etc.

• Jumping up and down to release the excess or stagnant energy or stomping on the ground (add the intention of releasing tension and shock with every jump/stomp)

• Shaking the body to release and “shake off” pent up energy. Animals do this after a traumatic event where they shake off the excess shock energy to restore balance.

• “Wiping” off the excess or stagnant energy by literally brushing your body from head to toe with your hands in a wiping motion. 
  

*Doing these activities in nature increases the benefits, as nature in itself is very grounding and healing.

GETTING STILL

Meditation is a practice which has so many benefits to help regulate the nervous system. There are many forms of meditation, including moving meditations, but there is also significant benefit for the mind and body with stillness meditation. If you aren’t accustomed to being still and quiet, this may be very difficult at first (this is a clear sign that you need it).  I only recommend 2 -5 minutes of meditation starting out. This is because there is such thing as rebound anxiety with meditation because the body can be literally addicted to the stress hormones. For example, if your body is so accustomed to being in a fight or flight state and having constant stress hormones circulating (i.e., cortisol, adrenaline), when the body relaxes and these levels start to taper off, the body freaks out and says, “Wait! Where’s my adrenaline?! I need that to survive!” This is why I recommend starting low and slow. It is a practice and requires a slow re-programming of the nervous system to operate from a place of calm. After a while, the nervous system begins to operate from this place of calmness automatically.

There are so many forms of meditation, but in my opinion, one of the easiest to start with is guided meditation. Here is a quick and easy 5 minute anxiety reduction meditation that I recorded for the free app, Insight Timer: 5 Minute Anxiety Reduction Meditation. There are literally thousands of free guided meditations and teachings on there. Find some which suit you. 

FEELING YOUR FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS

Often accompanying shock, are a host of stuck and trapped emotions stored in the body, which were never really able to be processed. 

Actually feeling your emotions and allowing them to rise up and to be felt, and therefore released, dissolves shock in the body. During traumatic events, these emotions get “stuck” in the body and contribute to shock. When we are feeling our repressed emotions, we are also dissolving our shock. 

Most of us were raised in families where we weren’t allowed to feel and express our uncomfortable emotions, or we learned that it was unsafe to feel them. We were raised to believe that expressing emotions was bad, scary, or weak. Nothing could be further from the truth. It takes an extremely strong and brave person to get comfortable with sitting with and expressing their uncomfortable emotions. Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor says it only takes approximately 90 seconds for an emotion to pass through and out, if we allow it. (If you have years of repressed emotions, like many of us do, it could take longer and is best done in small, manageable doses to not be too overwhelming).

Sadness and Grief. Crying is an extremely therapeutic and natural stress reliever. If you are one who is very numb to emotions, try watching a sad movie to evoke this catharsis. Many of us have rivers of grief that have been repressed. Safely allowing this grief to flow out in manageable doses helps to dissolve shock.

Anger. Many of us have mountains of repressed anger from things we may have experienced as children or other times in our lives. Allowing yourself to get angry and to discharge it in a healthy way is extremely beneficial.  

Anger is actually a higher energetic vibration than apathy and depression. This is why often people who are coming out of depression and a “frozen” state, will start to have lots of anger. This is normal. This anger has been repressed and covered up for a long time. The key is to learn to feel it, to validate it, and to release it in a healthy way, which involves not harming yourself or another person. Anger is a normal human emotion, one that we often get “scolded” for having. We learn to be very afraid of anger because it was either explosive or it was held tightly in and not allowed to be expressed (or both). Anger is actually a mobilizing emotion, one which gets us “moving” and active to make necessary changes. Again the key here is to express anger in a healthy way, which involves not harming yourself or another person. The important thing is to get it OUT of you, so you don’t continue to carry it.

NOTE: Rage is different and can actually be a severe state of sympathetic shock. Often, when people are raging, they are completely in shock and disconnected from their bodies and the present moment (unconsciously caught up in a past traumatic event). This is why some people who commit horrific crimes often report “blacking out” or not remembering what happened. *In Transpersonal and Trauma Focused Hypnotherapy, we use a very safe and therapeutic process to release/discharge anger and rage in a safe and healing environment.

To release and discharge anger you can try:

• Stomping the ground with the intention of releasing pent up anger

• Hitting a pillow or a punching bag with the intention of releasing pent up anger

• Journaling is an excellent way to express anger (or any emotions). Write a letter to those who harmed you telling them all the things you are angry about, and then tear it up or burn it.

• Using your voice: yelling or screaming into a pillow or alone in your car. This helps to release the pent up anger and allows you to activate your voice, which is often not an option during traumatic events. This is empowering for those who were not able to use this powerful energy center (chakra) during their trauma.
  

Laughter. Laughing is an excellent way to dispel tension and stress. It can sometimes evoke other underlying feelings as well. Have you ever laughed so hard that you started crying? Or have you ever laughed and cried at the same time? Sometimes laughter can be a gateway to open up other feelings and emotions that are “hiding” underneath. Watch a funny movie to help evoke this catharsis. 

TEMPERATURE REGULATION

As mentioned in the symptoms above, our body temperature changes when we are in and out of shock. Heat and cold can really help with restoring temperature regulation. Notice when you suddenly become either really hot or cold. Could you be having some shock symptoms? Often, whatever temperature you are feeling, the opposite temperature is effective in bringing you out of shock. For instance, if you are feeling very cold (especially your hands and feet), you can try using a heat pack, a warm cup of tea, or a blanket to create warmth and temperature regulation. If you are feeling very hot, you can grab some ice to hold in your hand or hold an ice pack to your neck or forehead. I have a friend who would stick her hand in a cup of ice water when she was feeling “shocky.” This immediately brings the body back into the present moment and helps restore balance in the nervous system.

WATER

Drinking water helps to dissolve shock and bring the body back into the present. This is also why hydration is so important. Our entire body, and especially our nerve cells and nervous system, works better when well hydrated. When you feel “shocky,” take several big gulps of water which can help restore nervous system balance. 

Furthermore, actually getting into water helps dissolve shock. Taking a warm or cool bath or shower (whichever feels more comfortable in the moment), helps to relax the body and to restore temperature regulation. Water is very calming for the nervous system. This also explains why being at the beach or ocean is relaxing.

CONCLUSION

These are a few ways to start recognizing and treating your own shock. As mentioned above, trauma therapy (whether via conventional therapies such as EMDR or via mind-body therapies such as hypnotherapy) is very important. If you know you have some unresolved traumas and would like to work through and process these and further release the shock of your nervous system, I encourage you to reach out for help. I also highly commend you. Not everyone is willing to do this and it takes a lot of courage. Just remember, on the other side of the fear and discomfort of facing our traumas, awaits a new world of healing, peace, and freedom from the shackles of unhealed trauma. 

If you would like to schedule sessions for heart-centered hypnotherapy, please email info@burkholderwellness or call 980-428-6070. *Virtual sessions available!

Liz Burkholder, NP

Nurse Practitioner, Hypnotherapist, Trauma Specialist, and Intuitive

Burkholder Wellness

Charlotte, NC 

Reference: Zimberoff, D., & Hartman, D. (2014) Overcoming Shock: Healing the Traumatized Mind and Heart. Far Hill, NJ: New Horizon Press.