So what *is* your fear response?

[pixy0stix]

And I'm talking when someone scares the bejeebers out of you, and not life or death situations.

Mine is definitely flight with screaming. Basically, I'm the first person in a horror movie that is killed.

DH's is fight. He smacked me pretty good once when I really scared him and didn't get out of the way.

[smock]

Screaming really embarrassingly loud. Also jumping in the air.

[dylanite]

Impossible to say. Completely impossible.

[pixy0stix]

Jul 20, 2012 21:11:44 GMT -5 dylanite said:

Impossible to say. Completely impossible.

You've never been to to a haunted house (not that all people are scared of them), or had someone startle you?

[meshaliuknits]

The couple of times I've almost been hit by a car (twice b/c the driver was texting) I screamed & ran. Once I threw the papers in my hands in the air.

Sent from my EVO

[pixy0stix]

My all time favorite fear response are the people that just drop to the ground like everything short circuits in their brain at once.

What type of survival instinct is that? Play dead?

[Melissa W.]

Possum?

Mine is to run!

sent from my phone. I type like a baby monkey.

[dylanite]

Jul 20, 2012 21:13:47 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

Jul 20, 2012 21:11:44 GMT -5 dylanite said:

Impossible to say. Completely impossible.

You've never been to to a haunted house (not that all people are scared of them), or had someone startle you?

Haunted house never did anything to me. I've been startled, and my impulse fluctuates from being stoic as hell with a smile and an eye roll to jumping like a bitch (no offense to bitches). But when it comes to speculating on how I'd react to something like a mass shooting or a 9-11 or a fire in the house, I have no idea whatsoever how I'd react. Of course I'd like to say, and believe, that I'd be cool and calm and, heh, considerate of those I love. But I don't actually know, and it's no use tooting my hypothetical horn (especially when I have a literal horn of other contexts to toot!).

[bluestreet]

Neither. I just freak. I scream and curse. I have a very sensitive startle reflex. DH comes up behind me unexpectedly, and I'm: "Holy shitballs....fuuck!" Now he'll make little noises to signal his approach. Living with me is like camping in an area with bears.

[emmybean]

I literally feel like I was hit in the face.

I also usually jump and start, but don't scream.


Being scared is about the only time I am quiet, in fact.

[pixy0stix]

Jul 20, 2012 21:17:26 GMT -5 dylanite said:

(especially when I have a literal horn of other contexts to toot!).

My dh has been tooting his horn so much tonight that I had to move to another room to escape asphyxiation.

Take that how you will.

[shadow]

I scream and jump. DH jumps and will lethally attack you. At least, that's what he claims every time I have ever startled him. He's like "omg you are so lucky, I almost hit you. Never startle me like that b/c my first instinct is to attack." Whatever dude.

ETA: I take that back. I'm more like bluestreet. I scream obscenities.

[dylanite]

lol pixy. He sounds like a happy man!

[ttt]

I was in one serious car accident and was kind of amazed at how level headed I was, because I'm usually not that kind of person. I was kind of on automatic pilot and calmly doing things. It was so strange because about three hours later, when I was out of danger, that I suddenly freaked out and started shaking and crying uncontrollably.

Being startled and such, pretty much screaming.

[pixy0stix]

Jul 20, 2012 21:17:53 GMT -5 bluestreet said:

DH comes up behind me unexpectedly, and I'm: "Holy shitballs....fuuck!"

bwahaha! I do this too if I'm startled. The kids at the haunted house last year kept trying to scare me because of my potty mouth. One kid said, "We love scaring you just to hear what you'll say." Really? Fuck off, fucker.

[pescalita]

Jul 20, 2012 21:17:53 GMT -5 bluestreet said:

Neither. I just freak. I scream and curse. I have a very sensitive startle reflex. DH comes up behind me unexpectedly, and I'm: "Holy shitballs....fuuck!" Now he'll make little noises to signal his approach. Living with me is like camping in an area with bears.

Exactly this.

[dylanite]

Not sure what, if anything, this says about me. But my first day in kindergarden, so many kids were bawling that their moms were leaving at the beginning of class. I was cool and kind of a bad ass. After it was over, I strutted out the door, saw my mom waiting for me, and then wailed like a niagra banshee.

[pixy0stix]

Jul 20, 2012 21:24:14 GMT -5 @majorwife said:

I would love to work in a haunted house, pixy

It's an amazeballs experience. I'm so glad that I got into it. Half the time I have a hard time staying in character because I just want to laugh.

[marynjoe]

I was never jumpy or screamy. But, after an experience about 13 years ago, I'm now jumpy. And I scream. The doctor said it PTSD and it never went away. DH knows better than to ever think it's cute or funny to sneak up behind me. It's not funny to me at all.

However, when it's not the fear of being attacked by human hands, and it's something like a fire, earthquake, or car accident, I'm usually pretty darn calm.

[emilyj]

If I am startled, I will jump, curse profusely and strike out at the person. In college, I broke an ex's nose with my elbow when he came up behind me and scared the ever loving shit out of me.

[heightsyankee]

Scream obscenities and flail my arms...

But I do avoid scary situations like haunted houses so I can't actually be sure...

[Deleted]

Jul 20, 2012 21:14:48 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

My all time favorite fear response are the people that just drop to the ground like everything short circuits in their brain at once.

What type of survival instinct is that? Play dead?

A modern one? Evidently, that was completely the correct instinct if you were in that cinema last night.

[pixy0stix]

Note to self - stay far away from SBP and Emily

We have a rule in the house that you have to stay arms length away from people just for that reason. I had a big man try to tackle me and check himself before he reached me. (I was prepared to run fast and far away.)

[poppet]

I'm haunted houses where I'm expecting something I scream and then cry (why I no longer go!) but if I'm not expecting it I freeze.

My grandfather once saw us at the mall and decided to play a trick on me (I was probably 10). He came up behind me, grabbed me with his hand over my mouth and started dragging me away from my parents (he was a jackass). I froze and couldn't have fought/screamed if I wanted too. Not a great response to have. Someone breaks into my home I'm going to be the first to go!

[pixy0stix]

Jul 20, 2012 21:37:44 GMT -5 sandsonik said:

Jul 20, 2012 21:14:48 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

My all time favorite fear response are the people that just drop to the ground like everything short circuits in their brain at once.

What type of survival instinct is that? Play dead?

A modern one? Evidently, that was completely the correct instinct if you were in that cinema last night.

Maybe, but they're usually out of it for several seconds to a minute before they get up again.

[Deleted]

Jul 20, 2012 21:17:26 GMT -5 dylanite said:

Jul 20, 2012 21:13:47 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

You've never been to to a haunted house (not that all people are scared of them), or had someone startle you?

Haunted house never did anything to me. I've been startled, and my impulse fluctuates from being stoic as hell with a smile and an eye roll to jumping like a bitch (no offense to bitches). But when it comes to speculating on how I'd react to something like a mass shooting or a 9-11 or a fire in the house, I have no idea whatsoever how I'd react.

That's my answer too. Generally, I might jump a little when scared, but I'm not a screamer and tend to go super calm in a car accident. But I can't compare that to this.

In the other thread, I'm all over that guy who ran away and left his family behind - but honestly, it's more for the douchey way he's acting now and the fact that he actually DROVE HOME. But up to the point where he drove away, I can't guarantee that I would have acted any better.

[eclaires]

I scream obscenities and lash out. I do not like feeling like I've been backed into a corner. It makes me scary. If my husband startles me on purpose, he's usually in motion so he doesn't get caught.

Unless it's a snake, and then I will flip the fuck out and probably piss myself with fear.

[basilosaurus]

I'm really calm. Haunted houses do nothing to me. At the last one I went to apparantly someone was following me and whispering in my ear. H was behind me so he watched the woman get frustrated at my lack of response and give up.

I do get paralyzed in mid air. Like, if I jump off a high dive I can't figure out how to move. This has led to belly flops.

[bluestreet]

Jul 20, 2012 21:39:00 GMT -5 poppet said:

I'm haunted houses where I'm expecting something I scream and then cry (why I no longer go!) but if I'm not expecting it I freeze.

My grandfather once saw us at the mall and decided to play a trick on me (I was probably 10). He came up behind me, grabbed me with his hand over my mouth and started dragging me away from my parents (he was a jackass). I froze and couldn't have fought/screamed if I wanted too. Not a great response to have. Someone breaks into my home I'm going to be the first to go!

Whoa. Thanks for pretending to abduct me, Grandpa! How awful. And to think I resented my grandfather for tickling me too much.

[meshaliuknits]

I laugh my way through haunted houses & roller coasters. They make me giddy.

Sent from my EVO