Many Faces of Adrenalin

For information purposes only. Exercise at your own risk

1. Impending Conflict Adrenaline
This can last anytime from a few minutes up to a few weeks. It’s the slight flutter in the belly when you think of an impending confrontation, an event, a presentation, a visit to the dentist. The effects of this type of adrenaline are a slow build up, not unlike a dripping tap. To combat this get out and have a run, punch a bag, do some training or sport. Get rid of this pined up adrenaline and put it to good use.

2. Pre- Conflict Adrenaline
This is where you confront a person and they can be aggressive, abusive and hostile. They may posture in front of you or reach into their pocket for a possible weapon. You are switched on and thinking on two levels: a) What is the person doing? b) What will I do? What will be the consequences? Will I be successful? Will I fail? Is this life threatening? Will I get hurt?

3. Back up Adrenaline
Before, during or after confrontation something may happen that you didn’t expect or foresee. The brain sensing this unpreparedness gives the body a second surge of adrenaline to help. E.g.

Attacker reinsures a struggle.
Suddenly produces a concealed weapon
Threatens comebacks
Goes unconscious
A third party appears unexpectedly

4. In Conflict Adrenaline
During the course of a struggle you lose footing and fall losing control of the situation. The attacker gains the upper hand and you sense extreme danger. You then receive a new surge of adrenaline to help you fight on and hopefully come out as winner.

5. Unpredicted pre conflict adrenaline (Adrenal dump)
This happens when you have no expectation of a situation occurring. The shock factor can either make you freeze or flinch. This is the ‘startle reflex’. E.g. a barking dog, a gunshot, an explosion, person appearing from nowhere, being ambushed or attacked.

6. Post Conflict Adrenaline (Aftermath)
This can occur with the slow release of adrenaline. Nausea, shakes, breathlessness, fear of consequences, come backs, police involvement.

7. Compound Adrenaline
This is a mixture of all the adrenaline responses such as a situation changes or ebbs and flows. Good and bad.