wccountryboy: I agree that training and experience is key. I’m more concerned in learning to utilize the adrenaline to my advantage; I’m just not sure how to do this. I’ve been thinking through this quite a bit since I started this thread and what I’ve come to realize is that maybe it’s not the adrenaline, per se, but the shaking and loss of fine motor skills that is probably the result of rage, combined with the adrenaline. I think the problem is controlling the anger, but again, as I stated before, these are rare occurrences for me and it’s difficult to pin it down. Based upon my previous experiences, I am confident that I can handle myself in an emergency, but more training would certainly help.
Snorkrl: Thanks for your insight. Like you, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve recognized that my fuse has gotten longer too. I also agree that when in dangerous situations, staying focused and on point is key to success and I’m confident that I can do so.
AgentFlounder: The more I’ve thought about this, the more I realize that it is the adrenaline I need to learn how to channel. The anger, likely, needs to be controlled, which is far easier than preventing an involuntary, perfectly natural adrenaline response. Obviously, training for an adrenaline response would be difficult simply due to their rarity in daily life; however, confidence instilled through training for self-defense, shooting, hunting, etc. probably goes a long way towards handling any given difficult or dangerous situation successfully. Knowing how you will respond and having a plan definitely helps.
Kurusu: You might be correct. More likely, it’s a combination of anger, blood pressure and adrenaline.
M-Peltier: I am aware of the triggers that illicit an anger response and I am able to control it, as long as I can step away. I have the ability to control it when I can’t, but it can be difficult, especially if I’m dealing with my irrational ex.
Sarge: I think I need to do some more work on identifying and understanding the difference between an adrenaline dump and the shaking and loss of fine motor control due to rage. I think an adrenaline dump is likely more akin to exhilaration (in some cases), but I don’t know how I would go about accessing them on a regular or semi-regular basis. I am no longer in my twenties and I don’t want to risk unnecessary injury, but I can understand how that feeling of exhilaration could be addictive. Every situation is different and the feeling, for example, of being pulled over by the State Police in NM for doing 8 mph over the limit, with my young daughter in the back seat of my vehicle, and then having the officer ask me questions I have no intention of answering – questions that are specifically designed to give the officer probable cause, and then being surrounded by 5 cruisers, and having the officer lie to me about NM State law, that I know for a fact is false, and then being threatened with arrest, only to be sent on my way after 45 minutes of wasted time is far different than that of driving flat out on a W. TX highway or sky diving… Yep it’s likely the anger that leads to the shakes.
LOU_D: How do they induce adrenaline?
demirosapat: I’ve read that tunnel vision can be an issue. After a particularly strong reaction, I’ve found that stiff single-malt does wonders to calm me down. My ex wife turned out not to be a good one and my lab died some years ago. The good news is that my young daughter wants me to get her a lab puppy, so that may happen sometime in the near future.
Fatboy46: Good point. Yes, in many cases, we choose to let the anger get the better of us, but there are cases where it’s pretty much unavoidable, if one ever hopes to maintain their integrity. Still, most of the time a better choice is simply to walk away and not engage the person who like to press your buttons over and over. Thanks.