Study Module 2 - Avoiding Criminal Attack

Avoiding Criminal Attack and Controlling a Violent Encounter

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Emotional aftermath of a Defensive shooting After prevailing in a violent encounter, you may experience a number of emotions. These emotions often occur in the order listed below, but are not universal; some people may not exhibit any of them, while others will experience some or all of the following emotional reactions, butin varying sequences. Elation. Often there is an immediate feeling of elation at having survived and prevailed in a life threatening encounter. In today’s social and political atmosphere, attack survivors may feel that they should downplay or ignore this emotion. The survivor who feels this elation is not cold bloodedly rejoicing at the death of another, however. Rather, it is a euphoria resulting from both a sense of relief at having survived, and an invol untary biochemical reaction resulting from the release of endorph ins and other sensory- and mood enhancing chemicals into the bloodstream. The feeling experienced by the victor in a defensive shoot ing is similar to-and just as uncontrollable as-the rush felt by a skydiver when the parachute opens. It is important to realize that there is nothing wrong with a momentary or lasting feeling of elation at having prevailed. Often this emotion is quickly followed by guilt at having felt elation in the first place. Revulsion. After the initial elation at having survived the violent confrontation, there often arises a feeling of revulsion at what has happened. The victorious victim may become nauseous, vomit, or even faint from the emotional shock of seeing the result of the confrontation. The absence of revulsion does not mean you are a bad or cold person. Your own experiences (such as military combat duty or work as an emergency medical technician) may have given you a greater tolerance for the unpleasant consequences of a shooting. However, in preparing for the aftermath of defensive firearm use, you must recognize that the scene of a shooting contains many distasteful and even sickening sights and sounds. While you cannot completely steel yourself to what you will see and hear, visualizing potential outcomes may decrease the distress you experience after a shooting. Remorse. Many survivors experience remorse at having killed an attacker. This has nothing to do with the moral justifiability of their actions. It is simply a normal feeling of sadness or sorrow at having been forced to kill.

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