Sheepdog Tip of the Day, After Combat tip 86
You can and must use this breathing technique after the event, especially during the critical incident debriefing discussed earlier, to de-link the memory from the physiological arousal. The worst response you can have to a traumatic event is to have fear of its memory. The example of the Arkansas State Trooper who had a powerful SNS response upon hearing a starter pistol is typical of hundreds of untold thousands of other people who have lived through a terrifying experience. The first time that memory comes rushing back it can scare the daylights out of you because no one warned you that it might happen. You expect to be scared in combat, but you do not expect to be scared later, for what seems like no good reason. After it scares you the first time, you live in fear of it happening again. The next time it is going to be even worse, because when the puppy comes through the screen door, you are going to run from it and he is going to chase you. If you continue to allow this to happen, you create a vicious cycle that will spin you downhill. Instead, use tactical breathing to control the puppy by putting a leash around his neck and staking him out in the front yard so he cannot come through that door again. Take a deep breath. Do it right now, as you read this.
Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, On Combat
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Additional Resources
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