Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled “Ayoob: Post-Shooting Trauma Realities” and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/post-shooting-trauma/.
Ayoob: Post-Shooting Trauma Realities
- Thread starter Mike H.
- Start date
Mr. Ayoob, speaking as a not particularly good Catholic, I would recommend receiving the Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation if your Church practices it, and seeking out counseling from clergy even if your faith does not use that Sacrament. Knowing you are right with God goes a long way to self-forgiveness and not letting "Illegitami carborundum." Doesn't solve everything, but it should help.
Smiledon#57
Operator
Lot to think about in this article. I have a membership to a legal defense plan. They do a great deal of educating its members about what to do before, avoiding, and after a use of deadly force. Education is the key here. Knowing when to pull the trigger is just as important as know how to pull that trigger. Whoever said this, said it best; you win 100% of the fights you walk away from. Avoidance is another thing to consider; keeping one's head on swivel, or 360 degree security. During the racial unrest in the 1960's, my parents would not even let us go outside. As a child, I failed to realize the reason why. Articles like this proved the wisdom of my parents decision.Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled “Ayoob: Post-Shooting Trauma Realities” and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/post-shooting-trauma/.
Mr. Untactical
Master Class
I've been living the so-called armory life since about 2017 (although I wouldn't have termed as such back then). One of the first serious considerations I had making the move from recreational shooting with my wife to every day carry was, "Can I shoot someone?"
When someone puts on a gun in the morning and walks out the door to work, school, whatever, they are tacitly admitting, "I can shoot someone today if I need to."
As @Smiledon#57 noted above, avoiding the fight is a guaranteed win. That's my go-to strategy, and it involves being alert and aware, staying out of sketchy areas, and so on. But every once and a while, I sit down for a gut check. All the range practice, training, dry fire, holster work, etc. is geared toward one thing: being prepared - physically - to draw and fire in self defense when no other option is available. Being prepared mentally? I'm not sure that's possible. I've walked through various scenarios where I've had to use deadly force, but until I actually must (which I hope never happens), I don't know that I can know what my reactions will be, after the fact.
Good article to help us all think about a life-changing moment.
When someone puts on a gun in the morning and walks out the door to work, school, whatever, they are tacitly admitting, "I can shoot someone today if I need to."
As @Smiledon#57 noted above, avoiding the fight is a guaranteed win. That's my go-to strategy, and it involves being alert and aware, staying out of sketchy areas, and so on. But every once and a while, I sit down for a gut check. All the range practice, training, dry fire, holster work, etc. is geared toward one thing: being prepared - physically - to draw and fire in self defense when no other option is available. Being prepared mentally? I'm not sure that's possible. I've walked through various scenarios where I've had to use deadly force, but until I actually must (which I hope never happens), I don't know that I can know what my reactions will be, after the fact.
Good article to help us all think about a life-changing moment.
KillerFord1977
SAINT
Closest I hope to ever be pulling my pistol and shooting in self defense is the countless hogs that have charged me in pursuit of them.
At first, the charge gave that split second thought of do I loop my arm up a tree branch or jump on the four wheeler, etc ..
As it happened a few more times, it was step to cover and fire where possible or stand ground if no cover and lay down the fire.
Its now second nature to draw and shoot. I’ll say in the beginning it took some thought to power thru the “oh
” as they charge in close. Training takes over now and its all muscle memory, with a slightly smaller “oh” 
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Mr. Untactical
Master Class
Closest I hope to ever be pulling my pistol and shooting in self defense is the countless hogs that have charged me in pursuit of them.
At first, the charge gave that split second thought of do I loop my arm up a tree branch or jump on the four wheeler, etc ..
As it happened a few more times, it was step to cover and fire where possible or stand ground if no cover and lay down the fire.
Its now second nature to draw and shoot. I’ll say in the beginning it took some thought to power thru the “oh
This is great; I'm betting those hogs provide more of an adrenaline juice than any PACT timer every could! (note to self: get some wild hogs for next training sessions
)
The Night Rider
Professional
What I'm about to say is my opinion, I'm going to talk a little bit about my religious beliefs but I'm not asking any of you to subscribe to them.
Four times in my life I have been in the wrong place in the wrong time and been caught in the middle of a shooting. I never fired a shot. I never shot anybody. I've never killed anybody. I don't have any combat deployments. IOW I don't really have a dog in this fight, and I pray to God I never do.
I believe that God created human beings in His own image. I don't know how else to say this but to say that I believe that when He created us He hardwired into us the idea that killing another human being regardless of provocation is Wrong.
I believe that that's where these feelings of guilt come from even if you were 100% Justified and taking the other person's life.
At the very beginning of the war in Afghanistan there was an article published and a news story on one of the major networks regarding PTSD.
This was 20 plus years ago I can't find a link but what the article said was that according to a study of soldiers who had killed somebody in combat, those soldiers whose religious beliefs included some type of confession and absolution (such as confession for Catholics) had a significantly lower instance of PTSD.