USBP Weapons, Part 9

As your stress level increases so does your heart rate. As your heart rate increases your ability to process information decreases. You quickly become an animal.

In the following discussion the heart rate increases are NOT due to physical exertion but only due to stress. The best way to understand this is to imagine that you have been sitting quietly at your desk in deep thought for 20 minutes and someone sneaks behind you and blasts a football game air horn right behind your head. NOW take your pulse....

60 to 80 beats per minute

You can consciously remember what to do. The forebrain is for reason and abstraction: "If this happens then I'll do this". At this nominal stress level you function normally.

115 beats per minute

Vasoconstriction starts. Your body starts to close down in a way similar to being in a cold environment. The body core temperature is maintained but you lose motor skills. This can make the removal of your pistol from the holster more difficult. You might drop the pistol. By now most prudent people would have removed their pistol from the holster and directed it .. its open end … toward the stimulus in question.

115-150 beats per minute

Fight or flight. All fine motor skills are now gone. Your forebrain is still working. You can aim the pistol in a gross way but have lessened control over the trigger. You might not know that you have even pulled the trigger or you might think that you have pulled the trigger but actually have not.

175 beats per minute

Your forebrain is hijacked by midbrain -- the primitive part. You don't bleed much if you are bitten. Blood is now being directed to your large muscle groups so that you can fight to the death. The midbrain is for fight, flight, feeding, fury. You will physically be unable to think or even remember. You will do only what you have been well conditioned to do.

By now you should have taken whatever steps needed to stop the threat.