Help
Sign In
vegan
September 2008 
fight or flight
Posted on Apr 4th, 2006
by 
jacqui
jacqui
I got bit by a dog on Saturday. It was weird. I haven't been bitten by a dog since I was like 7. All of those feeling of being 7 came back. I'm telling ya, it was weird.
(I'm not very articulate, so the only word I can think of is weird.)
The story:
I was at a class at this woman's house. I went to her kitchen to see if she needed help setting up and all of a sudden this dog attacks me.
He first bites my finger and then my inner thigh (thankfully he only got my pants - these very cute new pants that I just got at Target.) then my calf (mostly pants again) and then by thigh (not just pants).
It was only after the 4th bite that the owner did anything. and just to make this clear, I know play bites, these were not play bites, these were "rip you to pieces, I'm attacking you" bites.
So, after all this happened I went back into the class. as soon as i sat down I started crying. I tried calming down, but couldn't stop. After excusing myself, I went to the library of the house and cried some more. I was in there for hours trying in vain to pull myself together.
The Question:
I felt foolish for not being able to control myself. The bites hurt, but it wasn't that. They weren't that bad, after cleaning up the blood they just looked like scrapes. I wasn't scared of the dog, but at the same time I didn't want it to come near me ever again. Why was I crying? Why couldn't I relax? Besides the multiple reasons of karma and energy, I wanted to know what else was making this so hard.
The Answer and Another Question:
During a break in the class my boyfriend came to check on me. And while petting my head, he reminded me that it was all the Adrenalin in my body making me so tense. That I could either cry it out or run across some field some where. That my brain was hard wired to fight or flight when being attacked.
We needed this Adrenalin rush, and i guess still do. But how do our bodies deal with excess Adrenalin? I assume we all just don't sit around and cry over a cup of tea.
(I'm not very articulate, so the only word I can think of is weird.)
The story:
I was at a class at this woman's house. I went to her kitchen to see if she needed help setting up and all of a sudden this dog attacks me.
He first bites my finger and then my inner thigh (thankfully he only got my pants - these very cute new pants that I just got at Target.) then my calf (mostly pants again) and then by thigh (not just pants).
It was only after the 4th bite that the owner did anything. and just to make this clear, I know play bites, these were not play bites, these were "rip you to pieces, I'm attacking you" bites.
So, after all this happened I went back into the class. as soon as i sat down I started crying. I tried calming down, but couldn't stop. After excusing myself, I went to the library of the house and cried some more. I was in there for hours trying in vain to pull myself together.
The Question:
I felt foolish for not being able to control myself. The bites hurt, but it wasn't that. They weren't that bad, after cleaning up the blood they just looked like scrapes. I wasn't scared of the dog, but at the same time I didn't want it to come near me ever again. Why was I crying? Why couldn't I relax? Besides the multiple reasons of karma and energy, I wanted to know what else was making this so hard.
The Answer and Another Question:
During a break in the class my boyfriend came to check on me. And while petting my head, he reminded me that it was all the Adrenalin in my body making me so tense. That I could either cry it out or run across some field some where. That my brain was hard wired to fight or flight when being attacked.
We needed this Adrenalin rush, and i guess still do. But how do our bodies deal with excess Adrenalin? I assume we all just don't sit around and cry over a cup of tea.
Access: Public
Aw! Sending you {{{HUGS}}}!!! Yes, cry…. damned adrenaline! And about the dog…. uhm… owner took responsibility, yes? (getting protective of you here! hehehe) Any critter attacking you can set you back a step or two. Run through all the feelings completely.
I think you and your BF are both probably right, a combination of adrenaline and old feelings from being 7. Frustration with the dog owner for not doing anything until the dog had bit you several times (crazy!) probably added to it.
It sounds like you handled it just right. Glad you're doing okay.
Did the owner do anything to make amends? Just curious. I would be mortified with embarrassment and seeking forgiveness if any of my charges (animals, kids, etc.) did something violent to any one in an unprovoked situation like that.
Our body produces so much adrenaline because it's an instinct response. Our instincts do not look at a dog attacking us with some kind of slow measure and try to meter out exactly how much adrenaline is appropriate. It just opens up a vent and out it comes. There is absolutely no shame in crying, being angry, etc. That might also be emotions deep inside us that need to get out, and the dog's attack was a convenient excuse.
Someone much wiser than me once said all fear and anger comes from the most basic fear of death. Perhaps meditating on your own fear of death, and finding a point of sympathy/appreciation for the dog and owner would help heal this particular wound.
I deal with adrenaline by exercising. All the little surges of it I get throughout an average day, plus the occasional big surge like the one you had, are much better deal with when I have a regular physical outlet.
The owner dropped off a very generous Gift Certificate a couple days later to Nordstrom’s.
Once, I got my Tao teacher, Young, involved she began to make a bigger deal about it. She was eventually very apologetic, but kept making excuses up for the dog. Such as, he doesn’t like women, or that he is vegetarian, or that he is hyper.
It started me thinking of ethics and manners. When you are in the wrong it is best not to make excuses for yourself. Just apologize and keep your mouth shut.