There are two kinds of shock. Firstly, psychological shock can occur after a traumatic experience. This experience can be emotionally or physically traumatic, but the shock itself affects your mental health. Psychological shock can produce physical wellness symptoms, such as faintness and palpitations, but you shouldn’t have a serious physical collapse. Physiological shock, on the other hand, is a dramatic reduction in blood flow which can lead to collapse, coma and even death if left untreated.
Either kind of shock can produce common symptoms such as a fast, weak pulse, low blood pressure, feeling faint, weak or nauseous, dizziness, cold, clammy skin, rapid, shallow breathing and blue lips. Psychological shock is less likely to kill you than physiological shock, but its effects can persist for years and cause immense disruption to your wellbeing.
Psychological shock can be caused by bad news, such as the death of a loved one; a traumatic event, such as an accident or being the victim of a violent or other crime. Mild shock in this category temporarily distracts your focus and keeps you absorbed in your thoughts until your brain gets the event in perspective and normal life resumes. However, if the shock is more profound, you might find it harder to return to normal, and may develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD can cause you to constantly replay the event in your mind, go numb or try to avoid the problem with alcohol or drugs, or become prone to irritable behaviour.
The causes of physiological shock are severe bleeding, pulmonary embolus which is a blood clot in the lungs, severe vomiting and diarrhoea, spinal injury or poisoning. This kind of shock also breaks down into specific types. When your heart is severely damaged and unable to pump blood around your body properly, this is known as cardiogenic shock. Septic shock occurs when an overwhelming bacterial infection causes your blood pressure to drop, and more than 50% of the time it’s fatal. Finally, anaphylactic shock is a severe allergic reaction.
Prompt reactions when a friend goes into shock can make all the difference. Lay them person flat and raise their legs by at least 25cm to help restore blood pressure, unless they’re anaphylactic. In this case, it’s better to sit them up and administer anaphylaxis treatment if necessary. Call an ambulance as soon as possible and keep the person warm with blankets (not a hot water bottle). Remember to also loosen tight clothing and don’t give them anything to eat or drink because of the risk of vomiting.
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