Stu

So, you’ve just been attacked. You’ve put into action all those things that you’ve been practising in your self-defence lessons, and you’ve done well enough to either get away in one piece or completely incapacitate your assailant. Great, well done. Don’t think that you’re done though. You have almost more to do after a violent encounter than during one, and how you deal with the phase after such a situation can make the difference between one that ends happily for you in the longer term and one that continues to cause you problems for years to come.

Getting Safe

Your first priority after a violent encounter is to get to a safe place, whether that is just a spot in your home where you feel happy, or a police station, or a spot surrounded by the door staff of a nightclub. You need to find somewhere where you can be reasonably sure that you aren’t going to be attacked again while you are dealing with the things that come out of an assault. Yes, it would be nice if we could all just shrug off these things immediately after they happen, but it doesn’t work like that for many of us, so it is almost invariably better to take the time to deal with things properly instead.

Post Fight Shakes

The first thing you should watch out for comes in the form of the adrenaline leaving your system after an encounter. It can manifest itself in a number of ways, but the most obvious physical symptom is shaking or trembling. That is perfectly normal. Other signs can be feeling suddenly much weaker, having trouble remembering what has just happened in detail, and feeling nauseous. These are all just from your body coming down from the adrenaline spike it created to help deal with the situation as part of its natural fight or flight response, but they are one reason why you should look for a place of safety.

A few people should watch out for the opposite: the continuation of high adrenaline. This can make them much more aggressive, and can lead them into additional conflict situations after an initial assault. If you are breathing rapidly, or feeling ‘pumped up’ try to take the time to calm down before you do anything else.

Checking For Injuries
After any fight where you are struck, pushed, etc. you should check yourself for injuries. If you were punched during the fight, check yourself for knife wounds, because often, people mistake being stabbed for simply being hit. It’s an unpleasant thought, but it is better to check than to sit there bleeding from a wound that is being masked by the endorphins your body is producing. Check the extent of soft tissue injuries too. Do you need medical attention? Don’t take risks here. Assault injuries can sometimes feel much more minor than they are.

Talking to the Police

For any situation that goes beyond a scuffle with a friend, you will want to talk to the police. Indeed, if they have been called to intervene while the situation was going on, you might not get much of a choice. The first thing to remember is to stay calm. Be honest. Tell them exactly what happened. Remember that you were the one being attacked; you just need to get that across to them. If you are still feeling shaky after the attack, or if you suspect you may be having trouble with an injury, say so. The last thing you want is to give a confused account because you still aren’t thinking straight. When talking to them, particularly if the situation was one that called for a high force response, try to get across the fear that the situation put you in, as well as the simple facts.

Longer Term Issues

In the longer term, many attack victims have problems with flashbacks, panic attacks or other, related problems. If that is something that affects you, don’t be afraid to seek help. Remember that, no matter how tough you are, or how well you dealt with things on a physical level, the mind is still a tricky thing, and can cause problems for years if you don’t get the right assistance. You aren’t alone though. There are always people willing to help if you ask.