Observing People Dealing With Stress

[Ruth]

Yes, agreed. I realised pretty quickly that the ppl in the room needed personal direction. While I was busy on the phone to 000 I was thinking ‘okay everyone just do something, realise that if u can’t help u should leave’ but I had to wait to get off the phone to direct them and when I spoke to them it was like I snapped them out of their shock for a moment to help them move along.

I worked at a swimming pool and at the beach for years since a teenager as a lifeguard and I am grateful for the skills it gave me when dealing with first aid in general and also for the leadership qualities it taught me in these group situations.

People in Australia (I think) have been too conditioned to be obedient to, and expect to be directed by authority. They have no opinions of their own and those that they do have are usually 'approved' by authority and/or are never directly challenging authority (i.e. non theatening towards authority). The younger ones are particularly vulnerable to thinking this reality is normal and they should just do as they're told.

Is there a possiblity that this may be overall, responsible for what you were seeing? Perhaps it's just different people all reacting in less than helpful ways when presented with a crisis?

Australians have been taught not to think for themselves and just obey authority. I must admit to being extremly frustrated by that. I can't see a future for a nation of people who've been reduced to responding like cattle or children and completely giving up their freedoms. This does not guarantee survival when TSHTF. To me, all it guarantees is a big "harvest" for 4D STS. I'm just a tad cynical after Australia's obsequious response to Covid 19. Ok, that's really a lot cynical!

 

[SOTTREADER]

I think there are a number of reasons why most people don't do anything in such a situation unless specifically asked.

• Some people can be in shock and therefore frozen in place.
• Some people can consciously decide not to do anything because they literally don't know what to do.
• Someone else acting first can make others decide to "watch and see" rather than crowd the situation i.e. too many people trying to do exactly the same thing which may then make the situation worse.
• Some people may fear that "taking charge" then means they have overall responsibility which scares them.

I once heard a doctor say that if he were on the street and someone had a medical episode, he'd usually think twice before jumping in and disclosing he is a doctor. He said that once you disclose you are a doctor and someone calls the emergency services and says this, that the ambulance call out will be lower priority than if someone hadn't said that there was a doctor already on the scene. Not sure if that's true everywhere.

 

[Jones]

A while back a small boy vomited in the shop where I work. It was fairly busy and two of my workmates were out on lunch. I put a call out over the radio for assistance, and asked one other work mate if she could grab some paper towel and a mop and bucket. I was surprised at the number of clients who actually did not smell or see the vomit and either pushed their trolley right through it or walked through it including one regular, who is a nice woman always easy to serve generally. The child's father was incredibly embarrassed and wanted to help clean it up. The work mate that I asked to get the mop and bucket doesn't speak much English and, bless her, she went and got the boy a packet of chips instead of the mop and bucket. I guess she was thinking of settling his tummy down. In the end, I had to stop trying to clear the shop and went out into the warehouse to find some paper towel myself. When the workmates on break returned they said they'd heard my call over the radio, but weren't going to come in because....vomit. It wasn't until after they returned that I could actually get to the mop and bucket to clean the floor properly. I'm not a parent, but it often surprises me how often workmates that are parents are reluctant to deal with kids vomit or otherwise in the work place. Might be some unconscious thing going on where they are avoiding taking germs home to their own kids or something.

 

[Tuulikki]

A very interesting post @KTC . Meg doesn't sound as if she has a very supportive family. I could understand their reactions if she was regularly having seizures...but a first. That is just downright disinterest in an unwell family member.

I am an ex-nurse and have been trained to act rapidly in response to an emergency. I am also a first aider at the major supermarket I work for. I agree with Gaby that you react automatically in an emergency and do the correct things automatically. I have seen people who have reacted in stressful situations in a very similar way to those described by KTC. Some will become frozen and apparently unable to hear or speak. Others will carry on with their daily lives as if nothing has happened. Luckily there is usually someone to take charge and direct operations...thank goodness. I have also noticed that if you have an emergency situation in public, you are more likely to get assistance if there are only one or two people around. If there is a crowd of people, there is a general reluctance to act. I do think that the main reason that people don't assist is that they are frightened of doing the wrong thing and being judged by the watchers.

The general inability to react to a stressful situation is deeply concerning. Our world is getting more and more stressful and will continue to do so. The tendency of the public is to retreat into themselves if they see something they don't like the look of, or move away and pretend not to notice.

 

[Fluffy]

Just an aside, Nehls just published a book Aprill 22, 2025, listed on Amazon. The description has this paragraph. After reading the sample on Amazon, Nehls has dug deeper into the role of the hippocampus, expanding on the 'frontal lobe brain battery'. It is fascinating reading!

Partial book description:



The Exhausted Brain: The Origin of Our Mental Energy and Why It Dwindles by Michael Nehls MD PhD and Andy Jones Berasaluce | Apr 22 2025

So, for what it's worth, my 2 cents is that the results of more computer, wifi, mercury, aluminum, glyphosate, polarization, tyranny, spike protein, and the many things that deteriorate our ability to think are encapsulated in your recounting of the seizure episode. So much of this is wonderfully covered here on the Forum in the many discussion threads, too.

The Exhausted Brain. Hmmmm. I'm glad you wrote about this experience, KTC. I don't think I'd have found Nehls new book this quickly without it, for one thing. Our play reading group just read 'Waiting for Godot' yesterday, you get a big dose of dissociation and Exhausted Brain in that play. Interesting.

That book looks really excellent. Going to add it to my list. Thank you Lyndi.

The AI overview that popped up, gives a little break down of the concepts. For me particularly, the sleep deprivation issues. I’m still not getting quality sleep with my almost 2 year old waking at 4am everyday and nap time in the day interrupted by a barking neighbour . I also have a partner with a chronic illness that’s declining. It’s a tough ride!

I’ve noticed myself being aloof and unable to think clearly, sometimes very irrational, often emotionally unstable, highly reactive nervous system and all over chronic fatigue and exhaustion in every way. I don’t know how well I’d react in an emergency situation in my current condition. I don’t know when or if things will improve either.
It’s quite a worry, other people are most likely experiencing their own stressors, we live in a highly volatile environment, stress is pandemic.

Understanding the Exhausted Brain:

• Mental Fatigue:
  Characterized by decreased alertness, difficulty focusing, forgetfulness, increased irritability, and heightened stress levels.
  
  
• Ego Depletion:
  A state of reduced mental energy where it becomes harder to exert self-control and make sound judgments, similar to how a muscle weakens with overuse.
  
  
• Disrupted Sleep:
  Poor sleep quality, particularly disrupted non-REM and REM cycles, can contribute to mental fatigue and brain fog, as the brain doesn't fully recharge.
  
  
• Inflammation and Dopamine:
  Chronic low-grade inflammation, often linked to stress, can reduce dopamine levels, impacting motivation and cognitive function.
  
  
• Brain Conservation Mode:
  The brain might reduce dopamine and effort to conserve energy when facing prolonged mental exhaustion, leading to a feeling of being wired but tired.
  

Key Insights from The Exhausted Brain:

• Brain Battery:
  The book posits that there's a specific area or function within the brain responsible for mental energy, akin to a battery that depletes with use.
  
  
• Recharging Mental Energy:
  Dr. Nehls's research focuses on identifying the mechanisms behind mental energy and how to stop and reverse the decline in its capacity.
  
  
• Impact on Individuals and Society:
  The book emphasizes the consequences of chronic mental exhaustion, not just for individuals but also for society as a whole.
  
  
• Potential Solutions:
  The book suggests strategies for improving mental energy and cognitive function, which may involve lifestyle changes and targeted interventions.
  
  

 

[Laurs]

Meg was fortunate to have you there, KTC, I hope she receives the help she needs and makes a full recovery. My husband had similar symptoms as you describe what happened to Meg, and he turned out to have a brain tumor that announced its presence that way (this story had a happy ending though, thanks DCM).

I’ll tell ya, if I’m on burning airplane, I’ll be walking over peoples heads to reach the exit!

Yeah, you'll probably be one of the few. My husband once was on a plane of which one of the engines had caught fire mid-flight. They had to make an emergency landing and everyone was well instructed that once the plane touched down and the slide was out, everybody had to leave the plane asap. The flight attendants are the last to leave the aircraft, so once the plane successfully landed and the slide was out, they were shouting frantically at people to get moving. My husband wasn't near the emergency exit, and was totally mind blown that some people in front of him slowly stood up blocking the way and began rummaging in the overhead lockers looking for their stuff. He couldn't believe it, shouted at them to start moving and when they didn't, he just shoved them along hard, go, go go and made it to the slide and safety that way. He said most people though just stayed in their seats, probably until the very last moment. Ever since, he pays extra for an emergency exit seat.

 

[Wandering Star]

When I was about 18 years old, I was riding a public transport bus.

The bus was packed to the brim and there were people standing by the bus exit door.

When the bus door was open, a child was playing and put his hand in while the hydraulic door was closing and his arm got caught.

The child began to scream and the mother began to cry for help.

About three or four seconds would pass and no one did anything.

Nobody moved.

They just watched without doing anything.

So I went over there, pushing aside several people. I grabbed the door and pulled hard. The door didn't budge even a millimeter, so I pulled with all my might and moved the door a little, enough for the boy to free his arm.

The boy looked at his arm in fear, but the arm was unharmed, without wounds or injuries.

The mother began to examine her son.

I returned to my bus area.

Nobody told me anything.

I arrived at my stop and got off and that's it.

Then with my work, the situations in which people do that are of an infinite nature.

 

[sid]

I'm not a parent, but it often surprises me how often workmates that are parents are reluctant to deal with kids vomit or otherwise in the work place. Might be some unconscious thing going on where they are avoiding taking germs home to their own kids or something.

That’s one of the reasons in this post-covid mad society. Also, they are sometimes mentally tired from cleaning after their kids. Further, in some cases, they are neglectful parents themselves, particularly ones on govt assistance.

Agree with @Ruth above. Australia including NZ are crown property and a socio-cultural experiment; think Truman show at a larger scale. They test everything in these two countries before launching it elsewhere in USA and commonwealth countries. People are not allowed to have real freedom here and most have been co-opted into willing slaves. Fwiw

 

[stellar]

Are these things sent to me to help me grow or are they sent to me to distract me from growing? I'm not sure.

What a day!
Right off the bat, I'd say prepare for X times what you just went through. I'm seeing a lot of it too, family and strangers in bizzaro world.

 

[Jenn]

Wow, what an ordeal! I hope Meg recovers from the seizure. Well done for responding so quickly and appropriately.

Thank you for sharing in so much detail; it provides insight into how different people respond to emergencies. We all like to think we’d keep a cool head, but you never really know until you’re in the moment. I guess that’s why things like first aid training and disaster prep are so useful because they train our brains ahead of time, and it becomes almost automatic. It's about time I did a first-aid refresher course!

Are these things sent to me to help me grow or are they sent to me to distract me from growing? I'm not sure.

Maybe both, or neither, it could be the natural result of the world getting more chaotic and people becoming less healthy. Even if these events aren't sending us a direct message, they can still be an opportunity to grow and learn something new.

 

[KTC]

Thank you everyone for your responses and thoughtful contributions. An update on the situation.

Yesterday I was at home and wrote up an incident report and emailed it to Meg just in case she might need it for any follow up medical appointments.

She texted me to say thank you and told me that she got out of hospital at 11pm the night of the seizure which happened at about 1pm so it was a long day for her, I think mostly due to waiting times at the hospital.

I was surprised for her to tell me that she was at a massage course for the day and that she would be in touch to come in to the studio for some work experience.

I haven't had a seizure before but I imagine if I did have one and then spent that long in hospital waiting to be seen I wouldn't have felt like going to another training course the next day. Maybe I'd spend some time reflecting on my health, spend the day in nature, read a book, sit and watch the garden.

I would imagine that I'd be pretty exhausted emotionally from the experience and would take the day at home to relax and recover.

Meg had said before she got in the ambulance that she didn't remember the seizure coming on or happening so I offered in my email to her to give her an account of the event if she wanted clarity at all.

It's fascinating to me A. that she didn't email me back wanting to know anything about the event and B. that she's out and about the next day doing more stuff like it's just another day.

I'm glad she's feeling okay and I haven't said and nor will I say anything about my opinion of her possibly taking some time out to recover. It's none of my business how she chooses to go about her day; but I do wonder if she is either ignoring what happened because it's uncomfortable or if she's disconnected with her own body/health for some reason. I'll leave the offer open if she wants to discuss the matter, otherwise it's onwards and upwards.

Today I was back at work and am making a plan to ensure that on every shift we have one staff member on who is willing and able to be the first aid officer. If anything the event is a good opportunity for us to improve on our training as a team and tighten up on procedures.

 

[Lyndi]

Thank you everyone for your responses and thoughtful contributions. An update on the situation.

Yesterday I was at home and wrote up an incident report and emailed it to Meg just in case she might need it for any follow up medical appointments.

She texted me to say thank you and told me that she got out of hospital at 11pm the night of the seizure which happened at about 1pm so it was a long day for her, I think mostly due to waiting times at the hospital.

I was surprised for her to tell me that she was at a massage course for the day and that she would be in touch to come in to the studio for some work experience.

I haven't had a seizure before but I imagine if I did have one and then spent that long in hospital waiting to be seen I wouldn't have felt like going to another training course the next day. Maybe I'd spend some time reflecting on my health, spend the day in nature, read a book, sit and watch the garden.
.....

That is stunning. No follow-up? No advice from Emerg Dept to see her MD or a specialist. I've never known a seizure to just happen and go away and never happen again for anyone. I suppose it's possible. But??? It's a symptom.

Strange too that she had such a long wait time. A seizure would be higher priority I'd think than some of the other emergency cases, as I've seen time and again. Maybe they got to her earlier and just wanted to observe for some hours. Maybe they did a scan. A regular scan may not be properly read by staff on duty at the time, or be revealing enough to give the whole picture. I dunno!

 

[nortkee]

Thank you everyone for your responses and thoughtful contributions. An update on the situation.

Yesterday I was at home and wrote up an incident report and emailed it to Meg just in case she might need it for any follow up medical appointments.

She texted me to say thank you and told me that she got out of hospital at 11pm the night of the seizure which happened at about 1pm so it was a long day for her, I think mostly due to waiting times at the hospital.

I was surprised for her to tell me that she was at a massage course for the day and that she would be in touch to come in to the studio for some work experience.

I haven't had a seizure before but I imagine if I did have one and then spent that long in hospital waiting to be seen I wouldn't have felt like going to another training course the next day. Maybe I'd spend some time reflecting on my health, spend the day in nature, read a book, sit and watch the garden.

I would imagine that I'd be pretty exhausted emotionally from the experience and would take the day at home to relax and recover.

Meg had said before she got in the ambulance that she didn't remember the seizure coming on or happening so I offered in my email to her to give her an account of the event if she wanted clarity at all.

It's fascinating to me A. that she didn't email me back wanting to know anything about the event and B. that she's out and about the next day doing more stuff like it's just another day.

I'm glad she's feeling okay and I haven't said and nor will I say anything about my opinion of her possibly taking some time out to recover. It's none of my business how she chooses to go about her day; but I do wonder if she is either ignoring what happened because it's uncomfortable or if she's disconnected with her own body/health for some reason. I'll leave the offer open if she wants to discuss the matter, otherwise it's onwards and upwards.

Today I was back at work and am making a plan to ensure that on every shift we have one staff member on who is willing and able to be the first aid officer. If anything the event is a good opportunity for us to improve on our training as a team and tighten up on procedures.

Wow, that's pretty wild.

I'm no medical professional, but from what I understand, seizures can be pretty physically exhausting (not to mention emotionally/mentally, especially if it comes out of nowhere), and combined with the fact she was in the hospital so late I genuinely cannot imagine doing anything at all the following day, let alone attending a potentially physically demanding massage course.

Everything about this situation is, as you said, fascinating. The various ways people responded, the disinterested spouse, the way Meg just seemed to carry on as normal without any disruption in her routine... it all adds up to a pretty strange confluence of events.

Definitely gives me "we live in a simulation" vibes -- how everyone just acted so blasé and moved on with life after a pretty disruptive event.

 

[Ina]

Terrible experience! Your students are lucky to have you as an instructor. Just some aspects for health and safety.
1. Have your students complete a health questionnaire that would include any chronic medication they are on.
2. Before the lessons ask the students to fill in if they have taken any medication for headaches or pain /fever especially opioids.
3. Optional, a course in physiopathology combined with functional medicine would add to your skills.

Last but not least, take an assistant that was in the military service. His / her presence of spirit and support capability would help you in crisis moments and could even open an avenue to veteran rehab later.

 

[Ina]

Wow, that's pretty wild.

I'm no medical professional, but from what I understand, seizures can be pretty physically exhausting (not to mention emotionally/mentally, especially if it comes out of nowhere), and combined with the fact she was in the hospital so late I genuinely cannot imagine doing anything at all the following day, let alone attending a potentially physically demanding massage course.

Actually foaming combined with seizure is the warning sign, as mouth foaming is pretty rare and specific.