Life is full of unexpected events. Who has not ever been surprised by an adverse situation? How many times have we been left without answers to inexplicable events? Sometimes, some of these situations cause intense physical sensations and emotions, as well as sudden thoughts that can affect our daily lives.
Having clear and concrete data related to this problem will help us find efficient solutions to overcome it. Do you want to know more about it? In this Psychology-Online article, we will provide you with information about state of emotional shock: what it is, symptoms, phases and how to overcome it.
What is emotional shock?
It is called a state of emotional shock. set of physical, emotional and behavioral manifestations of traumatic events that cause a high degree of stress, and that, according to the DSM-V, can be included in post-traumatic stress disorder.
The diagnostic criteria that must be taken into account for its detection are the following:
- Exposure to real or threatening events linked to death, serious physical injury and/or sexual violence.
- Repeated and continuous exposure over time.
- Distressing and painful memories of an event.
- Traumatic dreams.
- Altered perception of reality.
- Difficulty experiencing positive emotions.
- Lack of participation in social activities.
- Deterioration in work, school, social and/or family performance.
- Symptoms that cannot be explained or related to the presence of other mental disorders or substance intake.
If you want to know more about post-traumatic stress, you can read the article.
Symptoms of emotional shock
What happens when we are in a state of shock? The state of emotional shock can manifest itself in different ways, affecting the physical, emotional and behavioral level. Likewise, detecting symptoms is important to develop appropriate strategies to overcome the trauma and improve the person’s mood.
Below we mention the most relevant symptoms:
- Persistent memories of the traumatic event.
- Low self-esteem.
- Distress and/or anxiety.
- Difficulty falling asleep.
- Confusion.
- Changing mood.
- Fear and irritability.
- Excessive sweating.
- Incrise of cardiac frecuency.
- Accelerated breathing.
- Palpitations.
- Tremors.
- Diarrhea.
- Nausea and vomiting.
It should be noted that the presence of any of these symptoms does not necessarily imply that we have a state of emotional shock. It is essential that the diagnosis is made by a mental health professional specialized in the subject, in order to evaluate the particularities of each person and taking into account their family history, age, sex or pre-existing diseases, among other factors.
Phases of emotional shock
What are the phases of the state of emotional shock? We can divide the state of emotional shock into five stages, explained below:
- Shock: It corresponds to the moment in which the traumatic event occurs. In this phase, the person usually experiences a feeling of perplexity and uncertainty to which he does not know how to respond. In turn, this state is characterized by the temporal and spatial disorientation suffered by people in a state of shock.
- Sadness: As soon as the person understands what happened, sadness manifests itself as a generalized mood. On the other hand, mood variations may be limited by anger and despair.
- Blame: After having analyzed the event that occurred in detail, it is possible that the person feels guilty since they consider having a direct action. For this reason, this has an impact on a lack of self-esteem because the idea of having been responsible for the traumatic moment arises.
- Resignation: It consists of accepting the pain and losses derived from the event that has produced the emotional shock. Generally speaking, at this stage guilt is no longer present, but rather understanding.
- Acceptance: After having overcome the previous stages, the person is able to endure what they have experienced. From this moment it is possible to reestablish the social ties that had deteriorated.
Likewise, it is important to mention that Not all people who suffer from emotional shock go through all five phases. mentioned. Here the resources available to each person come into play to face the consequences of the traumatic event. For this same reason, it is very difficult to make a generalization in this regard, since each person has unique qualities and circumstances that can influence recovery and treatment.
Duration of emotional shock
How long does a state of emotional shock last? Although there is no exact universal pattern to know how long it can last, we can say that the duration of the state of emotional shock ranges from a few hours to several months.
In this sense, we must take into account factors that can influence recovery, such as the severity of the situation, the resources available to the person who suffers from it or the social/emotional environment.
How to overcome emotional shock
Despite the complexities that this clinical condition can entail, there are currently some approaches and practices that have proven effective against the state of emotional shock. Below we explain some:
Psychological therapy
Therapy is in a space where the patient has the possibility of expressing their thoughts, behaviors and bodily sensations linked to the traumatic event. In general terms, therapies work on different areas of the person’s life that may have given rise to the symptoms manifested. In this way, strategies are established focused on coping with situations of anxiety and/or anxiety so that the person who suffers from it can return to developing their daily life normally.
Relaxation practices
There are various methods that can help a person relax both physically and mentally. These practices aim to make stressful events lose their value based on the significance that the present has. Likewise, relaxation practices attempt to achieve calmer breathing that affects muscle relaxation and can influence the individual’s thoughts. He mindfulness and yoga are some examples of this method.
Psychiatric medication
When the person’s emotional and mental state becomes disabling and affects the performance of daily actions, there is the possibility of resorting to the supply of psychiatric medications that make changes in the neural connections linked to emotional processing. However, intake should always be done under the supervision of a mental health professional.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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References
- American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington: Panamericana Medical Publishing.
Bibliography
- Fernández Márquez, LM (2010). Crisis intervention model: In search of personal resilience. National Directorate of Santo Tomás Libraries.
- Figueroa, RA, Cortés, PF, Accatino, L., Sorensen, R. (2016). Psychological trauma in primary care: management guidelines. Medical Journal of Chile, 144 (13), 643-655.