Physical 'shock' after minor things

[Blimmingdull]

I'm seeking help from the many minds of Mumsnet. I have this thing which I would like to understand better.

If I have a minor incident - like I nearly fall down a stair, or slightly slip and almost twist my ankle, or if I'm driving and I bump into the curb - I get a physical 'shock'. It's a bit like an electric shock (or at least how I think it would feel) - like a jolt through my whole body which I can't control.

It takes me a little while to recover afterwards as I guess I am going into fight or flight mode, but the pain is very brief. My body's response is way worse than it should be.

To me this feels like it is related to anxiety. I am sub-consciously scared of physically injuring myself and so I am over-reacting to very minor things.

I had a long-term injury that caused me to live with fairly constant pain for about 3-4 years, which has now been cured by surgery. I am fit and healthy and pain-free again, but I guess on some level I am scared that something will happen again. I don't spend any time worrying about having chronic pain again - but its like there is some worry tied up in my body somehow.

Has anyone else experienced this? What is it called? I can't google it! Could it be treated?

It sounds like a form of PTSD. Possibly.

I wondered that - but having read about it, it feels a bit too minor to be PTSD?

Is it just an adrenaline surge, which you are reacting to with a nervous jolt? Obviously our nerves are fired up by electrical impulses. Yours are a bit over zealous due to previous stresses.

It's definitely a trauma response. The body remembers even when you're able to rationalise what's happening.

Bessel van der Kolk "The Body keeps the score" is the seminal work on this.

It usually improves with time. Any activities that calm you and hence your nervous system, are worth investing in.

I experience something similar OP. It started when I was going through a very bad time with my mental health, primarily brought on by alcohol dependency.

It would happen when I had some sort of "near miss" - for example in the car if I had to brake suddenly due to someone pulling out without indicating, if my phone rang or someone knocked the door when I wasn't expecting it, basically anything that happened very suddenly and could potentially be a danger or a threat. I would experience an accelerated heartbeat and a distinct prickling sensation in my chest.

Although my mental health is now much better and I am clean and sober now, I am still experiencing it occasionally. It is less frequent and I hope that it will eventually stop, once my body kind of catches up with my mental health.

I think it’s an extreme stress response. I get it too - down my arms and it leaves my fingers tingling. Like being hit by lightning!

I also get a sharp pain in my belly if I see or imagine anyone being injured or cut. That’s a type of pain synaesthesia apparently. Don’t know if there is any link between the two?

Do you think this is like where you think you're going to hurt yourself and you say "ow" before you've even done it. Almost a physical version of that? I would have a think about what your self limiting core beliefs are around accidentally getting hurt eg you might realise you subconsciously have been thinking "I can't deal with getting a long term injury again and having to cope with the pain like last time" and rationally have a conversation with yourself to soothe that anxiety and address those thoughts. Your body is trying to protect itself but it might mean it's overreacting to perceived threats. EMDR is good for almost reprogramming memories to take the emotion out of it too.

I’ve always had this from as far back as I can remember when i was a toddler it’s a physical sensation as if something heavy drops through the middle of me. Anything can trigger it from dropping something , a fright, seeing someone else trip over, a loud noise etc

To me it sounds like an adrenaline response. I get it and it has an aftershock, but it fades after a while. Certainly a 5 to 10 minute reaction.

Lots of food for thought - thank you to everyone who has replied.

@colouringindoors I've heard of that book - have you read it? Does it include strategies to help you recover?

@bootlicker I also get a pain in my tummy/lower abdomen if I see other people's physical injuries, or someone's burns for example. I think I have always had that - its uncomfortable, but it doesn't feel unnatural (although it may be!)

@Enjoysomerum reading your post made me cry... so I think yes, I am definitely holding on to that 'not feeling safe in the world' somehow, as if I couldn't cope with going through something like that again. Maybe I should go back for more counselling (I have had quite a lot related to my childhood, and an incredibly stressful job). Have you had EMDR? I wonder if I need something like that? It feels like I'm in a good place emotionally, but I keep getting these 'shocks' that just add to my mental load.

@TaylorsSecond interesting that you have always had this sensation. I wonder why? For me, I know its quite a new thing. I used to be a complete dare devil doing all sorts of dangerous sports and taking way more risks than I ever do now.

@EvenMoreFuriousVexation did you ever talk to anyone about it, or have you just noticed it fading away?

I get them. Adrenaline surge as pp said.

I get this. It’s painful/uncomfortable and is like getting an electric shock. I feel the shock and ‘pain’ especially in my extremities (arms/fingers) but it’s like a whole body adrenaline surge. I just thought everyone experienced it…but I have been on anti- anxiety med for a decade so Im rather prone to anxiety.

When I get a shock (eg a car pulls out unexpectedly) I get a sudden “whooshing” feeling through my whole body that ends with my fingers fizzing and prickling. I’ve always put it down to adrenaline - fight/flight response. I thought everyone had it…but to be fair I’ve never asked!!

Interesting to read about the range of different physical responses people have.

I think what's different, or out of kilter, with my response than the last few posters is that it is out of all proportion.

Fine to have a physical reaction to something truly dangerous, like a near miss accident - but I'm talking about really minor things, like stepping down one step and feeling slightly off balance, or driving over a tiny bit of kerb accidentally (with no danger of injury or damage to anyone or anything).

So it's like I'm experiencing 'near miss' dangerous events several times a day, when in reality my life is very safe!

It sounds like you are hyper vigilant so that even small events provoke this fear response. Could definitely be caused by trauma. CBT or EMDR supposed to work well. The Body Keeps the Score is an excellent book as is ‘When the Body says no’ by Gabor Maté. Could help you identify what’s going on.

Yes I've read it. It was hugely helpful in my understanding of the impact of trauma on me and my son. It doesn't have bulleted strategies as such but I found it helpful in our recovery. It's on Audible etc which is a bit easier way to access as it's quite a big read (I gave up and switched to Audible!)

Sounds like general anxiety but reads like you want it be more than that.

Sorry don't mean that to sound a bit flippant by the way, I think it's easier to want a big diagnosis but that might not always be helpful when it's possibly normal anxiety, have you ever had any CBT? That helped me a few years back but might not be for everyone.

I've always had that electric shock feeling in response to something that 'might' be about to happen.
A car suddenly too close, you almost drop the sharp knife when you're not wearing shoes, the stepping stone wobbles under your foot.
I've always assumed it was just the adrenaline response. I might ponder a moment on the peril that I've just avoided and then get on with whatever I was doing and think no more of it.

hiya @DoYouRememberLesDennis

I think I'd be OK with it being general anxiety... it's not a symptom that comes up for that on Dr Google, which was why I asked. And I'd say I've been anxious on and off over the years, and this is a new one on me.

I've not had CBT, but I would try it. I've done a fair bit of talking therapy / counselling over the years. I think I'm a bit tired of talking about myself and would like to be cured! So EMDR feels quite appealing. But likewise CBT might be good.

I used the Paul McKenna havening technique YouTube video to help me reset the physical/ emotional reaction I was having to certain thoughts and memories. Counselling is valuable to unpack your mind and find blocks and unprocessed feelings and to reframe it and reach a conscious helpful perspective. For me doing the EMDR from the videos almost was a shortcut to my subconscious and to addressing my body's response. It helped to reduce the complex anxiety and upset associated with certain things and very quickly helped me feel calm and in control when I thought about them. For me it's been an invaluable part of healing from trauma.