Has Fear Done This to You??

[@jamesmc8055]

I hate telling stories because it makes me feel like I'm a douche looking for attention but John shared so I will. I experienced the panic trap during my first deployment. One night a sister company's patrol was hit with an IED returning to their JSS. QRF was spun up to escort the wrecker for recovery and QRF hit an AT mine making their way in, flipping a HMMWV on it's top. My platoon was spun up as secondary QRF tasked with escorting Navy EOD in to clear the way for us and the secondary recovery team. EOD clears another IED then their truck runs over an AT mine. It was the last set of tires on the left side of their vehicle so they were able to charlie-mike. As we're rolling along at a crawling pace, the eye in the sky radios my LT and informs him there are multiple packs on the rooftops, following us and positioning themselves every time we stop. We couldn't see anything from ground level so it really puckered our buttholes. During this period my position was rear gunner and after my HMMWV turns the corner the power lines right above where EOD hit the mine started sparking and flashing. I almost opened up, I could feel the pressure in my thumbs and I think if a fly would've landed on one of them the 50 would've fired. A few seconds later when one of our lead vic dismounts believed they found an IED near their truck and I think to myself EOD already missed a mine so they could miss more. Thoughts of if how it will feel when my limbs get blown off or when I'm burning alive in a flipped truck begin to uncontrollably fill my head. More warnings come in about packs on the roof and I'm waiting for the shot or RPG that I know will come. I pictured my parents getting that visit. The power lines sparked again and right at that moment I panicked. My throat closed up, I couldn't breathe, and the only thought in my head was I need to get the fuck out of here, right now. All I felt was fear. I think if my throat wasn't closed up I would've voiced my panic. The next thought that popped up in my head was someone in my platoon getting killed because my bitch-ass causing them to focus on me instead of the rooftops. I pictured my PL or PSG having to walk over to my truck and stepping on a pressure plate. I pictured me being the distraction that gave the assholes on the roof the opportunity they were waiting for. I told myself I need to swallow this shit and lock it down. Suck it the fuck up, stop being a pussy. Don't be that guy. I forced myself to take slow, deeps breathes and the panic slowly faded. The dickheads on the roof never did anything, EOD blew up one more object, trucks recovered, we RTB'd. When I put myself back there my throat still gets dry and I feel stupid because I shouldn't have even gotten that scared. I guess I was just a little 19 year old cherry that got his first reality check.

[@Steve-ls3yy]

James M I'm reading comments here looking for tips on how to pull myself back from a panic if it every happens. Great story. Thanks for putting it up.

[@lloydswiney7363]

Quite honestly I think you handled that situation quite well. You managed to pull yourself back into reality and recover and overcome your fear.

[@terry8794]

Thank you for your service Mc

[@twistinprops604]

You probably wont get this but thank you for sharing this story. Teach your kids these stories and experiences that you bravely loved through. Thank you for protecting my freedom.

[@Ihateutubecontextandsensorshit]

If it comes from a place of humility it cant be douchey (even if it containes elements of heroism), read the recollections of MOH recipients that survived and recognise that nobody feels adequate in the moment, they just know that it is their duty to accomplish the task at hand, God bless you and thank you for your service, do not fear to let others know what it is to be a man.

[@diver165]

I remember years ago. I had moved into a new apartment complex. One of those places where every unit looks the same from the outside. Anyway, it was like 3 AM. I was in bed asleep. I was suddenly awakened by this loud banging noise. It took a second to register in my brain what was going on and that someone was kicking my kitchen door! I was caught between sleep stupid and fear. And after watching your video it dawned on me why I did what I did. I got out of bed and rushed into the kitchen and stared at the door. I remember vividly how hard it was being kicked on. I could see the door flex, I could see the door facing crack. And I was fixated on that door. It wasn't until the guy started screaming he was going to come in and kill me, did it snap me into "save my ass mode". I ran back to my bedroom and retrieved my my 45. I peeked through the blinds on the window next to the door and saw this dude kicking the hell out of my door. Never seen him in my life.... He was cussing and kicking. The door was about to give way. I started to really think I was going to have to kill this dude. I flipped up the blinds on the kitchen door and we were face to face (only a single pane of glass between us). I raised my 45 and leveled it at his head. He was leaning against the door now. I guess kicking a door wore him out. I put the gun up to his head. I said I will kill you if you come through this door. I''ll never forget the dudes eyes looked up at the barrel of the gun. You know that motherf&*ker rared back and kicked it again. I thought I better get this on tape. I looked over at my phone and in that split second glance to grab the phone the dude disappeared. I had overcome the dreamers trap. And now I was frozen. My legs were locked in position and I couldn't move. The hair stood up on the back of my neck and I was FROZE! Not knowing where he was 1000x worse!!! I just stood there with the gun up and the phone to my ear. I couldn't move. All I could do was fixate on that door and wonder where the hell did he go!!!!!! Is he coming through a window? Is he going to the front door? I didn't loosen up until I saw the reflection of the blue lights lighting up the neighborhood. I can remember the Trooper saying my name and telling me it's OK there's nobody here. Put the gun down, it's OK. I went through 2 different cycles of fear that you talked about. That man, whoever he was, was 2.5lb trigger pull from death. The hammer was back and there was a 230gr black talon (yes that's how long ago this was) ready to go. After the incident I can remember the jelly legs. I couldn't even dial the phone to call my family or girlfriend. I couldn't do anything. The police never found the dude. They played it off as a drunk guy going to the wrong apartment. I can remember saying, WTF I almost killed this guy!!!! I remember I kept saying to the 911 operator, "if that door gives in I'm pulling the trigger!" Believe it or not she said, "honey, you do whatever it is you need to do to protect yourself." Anyway, the door had to be replaced. It was literally split in two. I don't know how it stayed together. But I know I would have pulled that trigger if he would have made it through. WIth all of my heart I know I would have killed that man.

[@conker206]

Crazy story thank you for taking the time to type it out. I'll admit, as I read your story and putting myself in your shoes I could feel my heart rate increase the more I read.

[@diver165]

EIB Archives it’s one of the biggest reasons I started to carry everyday. And every one of my friends knows to NEVER visit unannounced at night. Call / text first lol

[@scavmanch]

I had a similar thing happen to me back in college. I dont know if it was because my girlfriend at the time was sleeping over or what, but my ass skipped right past the freeze response, grabbed a chefs knife, and rushed the door. He didnt hear me approach because of the noise he was making, and by the time he looked up to a 10 inch blade near his eye, i was directly in front of him. Thankfully, I managed to catch him off guard and scare him off because it was NOT a smart thing to do. Same deal, i wasn't really grounded back into reality until the cops showed up, but i didn't freeze, it was more like my legs were filled with bugs and walking around/pacing my livingroom was the only way to stop them. The brain does weird shit man. Glad you snapped into it for that .45 or it could've been way worse.

[@Sam-iw6te]

Late to the game here but I'm curious. Did you remember to deactivate the safety?

[@ZenNeonRazor]

Hey thanks for sharing that story, Definitely frightening experience, Honestly sometimes it sounds easy to just go ahead and shoot, But the biggest issue is the fact you are going through something that rarely happens, On top of that the issues that come afterhand of shooting someone, I can only imagine how terrible of a situation it would be especially if you never seen gunfight to begin with.

[@friedrice9535]

In a high stress fear situation, a person resorts to their training. Old timer cops, who carried revolvers, would take the empty cartridges and put them in their shirt pockets on the range. In a firefight, they did the same thing, even though it made no sense. When I went through the academy, instructors insisted, for that very reason, we dump empties on the ground. It is true, you fight as you train, so always train as you fight. And in those high stress fear situations, a person who isn't trained, panics. Train hard, brothers.

[@packinaglock]

I'm always fearful that my wife is going to realize I bought another gun.🤣 I try to keep them all black so she can't notice any differences.

[@chancecarlton8403]

"Umm no, just painted it for season..." has worked for me lol.

[@boardwalkpomade9275]

A wise strategy 🤣

[@SuperWagner23]

You are afraid of the 3 prices. The price you paid for whatever bought. The price you told your wife you paid for whatever you bought. The price you are going to pay when she finds out what you actually paid for whatever you bought.

[@nomad155]

david wagner, Gold!

[@AnythingOutdoorswithSteve]

Its OK, the one I am buying in a couple hours "is a rescue!" So ya, its fine because im rescuing it from this guy that doesn't even appreciate it and is selling it like an object.

[@Mrgunsngear]

A good war story come to mind: A convoy of 88Ms were doing what they do---driving supplies to where they were needed and we were the QRF. They get ambushed (minor, one IED in the front, another in the rear then small arms fire). This PFC driver is standing there as we arrive and he has his M4 unloaded with the bolt locked back. I was like "yo bro---we're in Iraq and you just got ambushed.... might want to load that rifle." but he had a crazy training scar of when he did his yearly qual and was done he cleared his rifle to be rodded off the range and he did that very same thing not 10 mins after an ambush. Fear does funny things to folks...

[@WarriorPoetSociety]

Wow. I don’t doubt this at all. Yep.

[@dylank.9573]

I had a friend in the Air Force that was involved in an IED attack, the truck in front of them was struck. He said they had to pry the hatch on the roof open because all the doors were jammed, and when they did, one of the guys within the vehicle was so shook up he grabbed his rifle and attempted to shoot at them, but his gun was melted and destroyed from the blast.

[@danrugbyman]

Wow says so much about training habits too

[@chrisbrownson6]

Wow...this is a great video.

[@patronsaintofswitchbladefi2944]

Had something similar happen to me .. it took my Ssgt. screaming what seemed like right in my ear to snap me out of it .. I was lucky & got more chances at getting shot 🤔

[@jedimann7468]

Good for you for admitting that you were not a complete stud and killing machine in every combat situation. Not sure if it was ever hard to admit these issues but I feel its a perfect point to the fact that if you are in combat and you arent afraid, there may be something wrong with you. I imagine everyone in combat is afraid, its just how you deal with that fear is what makes the difference in success and failure, life and death. Thanks for your service and welcome home! Semper Fi!

[@deltazero7012]

We always told guys if stuff goes south, and you piss yourself, it happens to a lot of people so dont be embarrassed, stay in the fight, and listen for commands. Some guys piss themselves and that breaks their confidence because of the embarrassment, and that makes them lose their willpower to push back against the fear. We did our best to prepare the new guys for that reality. To not let it effect them, because it's often a razor line between performance and panic. You are absolutely right, if people arent scared when their number could get punched at any moment, there is something wrong with them.

[@MrCrumb34]

I think there might actually be a good biological reason for someone to pee themselves in a life or death situation. Biology isn't my expertise, I'd like to hear from someone who knows more about it.

[@Kross8761]

MrCrumb34 from what I've been told by medical professionals, it's because every muscle in your body snaps as tense as it possibly can, causing one to urinate and in some cases even void the bowels, fear is the one emotion that you can't really teach people how to respond to, everyone responds to fear uniquely.

[@deltazero7012]

And that's why we tried to get them over the mental hurdle of embarrassment, so it wasn't an added mental pressure. Some peoples fear of being embarrassed is extreme. Trying to teach them to at least limit what is causing the fear was all we could do really. Someone trying to blow your head off is enough to worry about by its self.

[@deltazero7012]

Because fear for yourself is not the only fear you have. You can fear for the lives of others. Perhaps in your case those who have not accepted God into their hearts. Perhaps a falter in your faith. Fear for your family if you dont come home There is always some fear. Its natural. The absence of it would be totally unnatural. Remember who gave us fear to begin with. Fear is a survival mechanism. Fear is what makes mothers lift cars off their child. But as with anything, if you have too much, it can be bad.

[@anderedgell4751]

Best inadvertant advertisement for Sportsman's Guide ever! You have way too much fun when left alone talking to no one. Thanks John!

[@threatmitigationresearchgr7755]

3 and 4 both happened to me during an 80mph motorcycle crash last year. I was getting run off the road by a truck that didn't see me, but all I could think about was not missing my exit. So I throttled up to over 100 with the exit 1/4 mile away so I could get past the guy. I found myself at the exit still going 95mph, knowing there was no way to maintain control through the turn that fast. So I figured I could just straighten out into the grass and roll to a stop. "Everything will be fine". I missed a metal sign post by about 6" and skidded for 50yds, down a steep hill, with the bike pinning my knee to the ground the whole time. Never once did I consider holding in the clutch, flipping the engine cutoff switch, or just taking the next exit. I didn't even see the signpost until looking back at the skid marks in the grass. It's easy to get tunnel vision when under high stress.

[@jkugler1776]

Great video. I would add 'Statue Syndrome'. Where as shear panic you tend to take lots of unexplainable actions, 'statue' you just completely freeze in terror. I remember being in a convoy that ran over a family in their car. I was in the middle of trying to pry metal from flesh when I realized I was covered in the tissue of a dying toddler. I just froze in place for what seems an eternity.

[@danielg19]

Damn. What a gruesome story. Sorry you had to live it. Thank you for your service.

[@WarriorPoetSociety]

Yikes. Terrible. Freeze or flight or fight are the actions whereas these are mental traps which could be playing out during any action. Your trap looks like the Panic Trap and it froze you instead of sending you flying or fighting. This has happened to me too. No fun

[@packinaglock]

Damn! What a horrible experience. 😔

[@danielg19]

@@WarriorPoetSociety I don't think it was panic. Sounds more like he was catatonic.

[@WarriorPoetSociety]

I think we’re talking semantics. I’d say panic drove him catatonic. Party on bro

[@mikek7414]

Don't forget about a tunnel-vision trap. You become so focused on one threat or important item that you fail to notice others. I am sure that everyone has experienced this one. Thanks John, I always enjoy your videos and most of the time I learn something too.

[@packinaglock]

One time I was asked by my wife to take her visiting 12 year old niece snorkeling at the beach since she had never been to a beach. About 10 minutes in we caught the attention of around a 8' bull shark. I told her not to splash and to calmly swim to shore as I kept myself between the shark and her. He followed us all the way in. Once on the beach I had to check my swim trunks to see if I expelled any fear in them.😂

[@WarriorPoetSociety]

Well done Poet

[@pawngrabber226]

Yes bullsharks are very dangerous.

[@WhoWouldWantThisName]

Great job, keeping it together for her,,,, and you.

[@Julian-bq9qv]

Good on ya, man! Kept it together and placed yourself between the danger and the child. Saluting!

[@lauriestlyon8773]

That's okay brother. It is a scientific FACT...adrenalin IS brown!

[@mathieurivest3538]

When i was like 8 or 9 years old, i was stuck under something in a pool, slowly drowning, i remembee paniking at first, trying to push the thing i was stuck under but it was impossible.. Some moment later i felt really calme and relaxe.. I heard the voice of my mother in my head telling me to think and find a way to get myself out of this, and it worked... I dont know if the lack of oxygene broke me out of my panic stance or whatever but i felt really calm and that saved my life. Im a french lad so sorry for mistake hehe, keep up the great work john!

[@waxhawcreek1717]

You died that day, you just don't know it

[@YetiMama]

I'm a big fan of training with blanks. The stress inoculation I think is key. Of course I'm also a fan of simunitions for that same reason. Having been a grunt and a cop, I constantly try to figure out why soldiers react so much better in firefights than cops. (Not trying to hurt feelings). I think mindset is the big difference. Soldiers have the army values, and one of those is selfless service. You're aware that somebody's gotta go in that door first, somebody's gotta be the body breach (lol). Cops are taught to "go home every night, no matter what." That is an inherently different mindset. I also think of course leadership is so important and very present on the military whereas it's simply not in cop world. Supervisors in cop world are just that, supervisors...few are leaders. As a soldier, you can be assured your team leader or squad leader will lead you into whatever shitstorm is present. To wrap this slightly off topic post up, I think more of the above listed training and institutional changes will assist in keeping guys out of the fear traps mentioned. Great video John!

[@Steve-ls3yy]

YetiMama. Great comment out of a lot of good observations. Love the handle.

[@esulich5747]

It shouldnt be that way for the police. The police are not soldiers nor need to have the mindset of a soldier. There is a reason why our military are not our police officers. The police serve warrants, and bust the bad guys. You know this. They are not at war with us but are here to keep the peace. That is why that mindset is so different.

[@IKECH545]

This comment is pure gold. Absolutely incredible observations with stark differences that you wrote out very well. Thank you.

[@polaire801]

Rory Miller discussed that freeze in his latest book. He mentioned it’s usually not noticeable unless you’ve trained for it. The sensation feels a bit warm and it’s as if you’re hearing the ocean in your ears. Apparently, the best way to get yourself to break through that freeze is to recognize it, then talk yourself through it as you act.. “Ok I’m bleeding, now I’m gong to get to my bag, now I’ll find my TQ, now I’ll put it on”, etc.

[@AlwaysRight1776]

I bought the tactical cap you have on while sitting at a restaurant waiting to eat lunch. As soon as I hit the “checkout” button, I’ve been propositioned by 3 different women to father their child... and their husbands offered to pay for my lunch. God Bless You, Mr. Lovell.

[@WarriorPoetSociety]

It is not supposed to work that fast. This is truly troubling.

[@AlwaysRight1776]

John Lovell Just imagine if I bought the “Signature Polo” together at the same time like I initially planned???

[@WarriorPoetSociety]

Don’t do it man. Brother to brother, I’m telling you, people can’t handle that much sexy

[@AlwaysRight1776]

John Lovell You are wise beyond your years. *Full Disclosure* I edited down this original reply post. My phone is set to ding during the night STRICTLY for ONLY two reasons: (1) EMS broadcasts to save myself, my family and children, and (2) Any and all things John Lovell. My phone dinged and I grabbed my war belt and promptly responded to your last comment. Not always the best time to put thoughts into words. God’s Speed.

[@melaniekoukola7173]

Late to the game in finding these videos so first off wanna say love this guy and his wife! Your intros are hilarious! I’m not in the military but I did come into contact with one of these examples of fear while I was working at Walgreens some years ago. Closing up the store around midnight and being a mindless teenager at the time didn’t think to find my keys before getting into the parking lot. It was close to Christmas in Chicago so pretty much everything was covered in a sheet of ice. As I’m fumbling in my bag for my keys some guy comes up and asks for change I told him I didn’t have any but I never ate my lunch so I gave him my lunch. As I was handing over the plastic bag he grabs my arm.... in that moment the only thing that was going on in my head was “man... I should have warmed up my car earlier. It’s going to be a cold ride home” don’t know what would have happened if one of my male coworkers didn’t see this and run after the guy.... needless to say I always ALWAYS go into parking lots not just with my keys ready but also fashioned in between my fingers so stab a MFer in the eyes next time.

[@gear3country639]

I remember every single SWAT op I was on with exception to the first one, I was in the dreamer. But I loved being in it. Things would go in slow motion then speed up then back to slow motion. Sound would even fall away the smallest of details would become so vivid and colorful. But when I was on patrol alone and it was go time I can’t tell you how many times the broken record got me. The broken record got me ALL the time. What’s strange about it is the whole time it was happening I was calm and could fight and handle myself without being afraid. It seemed my heart rate wouldn’t even elevate when I knew it was gonna happen, I could use extreme violence and feel under control. It was only when it was all over and I made it back to my car or returned home that the fear of the situation would set in. I would sit there scared to death, but it was already over. Never understood it. Several times I remember I wouldn’t be asleep more than an hour I would snap awake and be frozen unable to move for a few seconds, never understood that either. Why be so calm in chaos but so fearful because you survived?

[@528grave]

what habits did you get stuck while on the broken record trap?

[@marktony4842]

Happen to me when I escaped a Armed robbery at a trap house with my girlfriend I'm a degenerate but she's not even close and she had no business there but she wanted to save me money on transportation so she came with and I was waiting for my guy to show up with something and she was sitting next to me I told her 5 times she shouldnt be here or belong in a place like this. But I didn't leave and a guy showed up pulling out a 45 and putting it to the guys head who opened the door saying you know what time it is whole time we're sitting 7 feet from them in same room around a table the guy who has gun to his head ducks and runs between the table were sitting at and couch robber follows I waited till the guy got between me and my girl and I yelled run she was 12 feet from the door I'm 16 feet from door and the table was round I ran unlocked the door she got to a split second before me I open it out my hand on her back pushing her out as she starts to run look back as I open the door for me robber is yelling stop and don't leave pointing the gun at me and he's chasing us the people's hotel room it was grabbed there guns in the back room where another girl was already watching TV and started shooting through the walls at the living room we were just sitting in and I slam the door shut and sprint to the stairs and run down the 3 Floors and I grab my girls hand call a Uber and dip. Nobody ended up getting shot and they just fired through the walls at each other till he ran away. I freaked the rest of the night and my girl was just perfectly fine like nothing happened at all and she's never been around things like that except me taking her to the gun range I just worry about what ifs and if I didnt tell her run and they shot through the walls we were surely going to get shot

[@HeyZeus096]

I haven't been in war, but I struggle with anxiety. When you're in the middle of the action, your body is running on your "fight" adrenaline response. You have a clarity brought on by adrenaline and focus, but once you're at home your body is processing the brain chemicals and hormones differently and you're able to think logically instead of using your instincts. Once your "human" side gets hold of you, then you realize all the danger you're in. In my case it's more dumb stuff like "oh man, that one sentence was so awkward, I bet everyone thinks I'm an idiot now," in your case it's in the moment no big deal and an hour later "holy shit, I think that one bullet went 3" from my head" Same thing with sports-in the moment, calm, cool, collected. After the fact, replaying the one mistake you made and all the frustration that comes with it. I think the adrenaline rush of the moment really allows you to be completely second-to-second, but once you can think again your brain processes the entire stressful situation all at once.

[@tmisuracosr]

I fell into the "retirement trap" once..... I was being car jacked, and all was going smoothly for the carjackers (3 + 1 unwilling participate) and my mind raced to how am I going to get to work, to pay my bills, to provide for my kids, BAM! "Snapped back to reality". The fear of not seeing my kids snapped me back. And I was a warrior before I could rhyme, so I kept my car, life, and I sustained no injuries..... And per the nature of the criminal case that fallowed, I cannot say what happened to the carjackers. But they'll not be attacking anyone else.

[@Steve-ls3yy]

Tim Misuraco SR. I've been reading all the comments and yours is one of the few that mentions, recognizing a trap in real time, and how you pulled yourself out. Good job and thanks for sharing.

[@j.v.7451]

I remember one in particular very vividly. Growing up I was always afraid of heights, so of course i signed up for airborne school when I joined the army. During the first jump when we were minutes away from getting the order to "STAND UP" I remember everyone was talking non-stop, laughing nervously or freaking out I was just sitting there quietly and not nervous at all. It was as if a peace had come over me and I want scared. It felt like no matter what would happen I was resigned to the fact that I was about to walk out of a perfectly good airplane and into the open sky. I remember my buddy asking "aren't you scared?" I was just like, "no" a few minutes later we stood up, hooked up, and headed out. I remember after the few seconds of sheer chaos, with the wind, the noise from the C130's engines, the straps banging against the side of the aircraft, the total quietness as the plane left me behind. It seemed as though I were deaf for like 30 seconds. But eventually as I fell closer to the ground, I could start to hear the SGTs over their bullhorns. Them shouting their instructions on performing a proper PLF seemed to wake me up and I started running through my checklists and slipping to find a clear landing area. I was never afraid of heights again. After all it's not the falling that kills you, it's the bouncing. You just have to remember to grab on when you hit the ground and you'll be fine...right?

[@oregonoutback7779]

Very well explained, sir.

[@brandon4383.]

I dont think i will join the military, but if the us were to enter a war and a draft is coming i dont want to dodge it. Think it would be totally insane to enlist before im drafted and try to be a paratrooper?

[@oregonoutback7779]

Brandon …… When drafted, they put you wherever they need you. If you enlist before being drafted, there is a chance you can find a place where your interests lie or maybe a better fit for you. Not always, but sometimes.

[@brandon4383.]

Oregon Outback ok. That makes sense

[@oldesertguy9616]

Reminds me of my first time I flew in a Huey (1977) with the doors open and that really loose belt they had that was supposed to restrain you. I just knew I was going to fall out of it. I was getting really nervous, but suddenly I realized two things, I had never heard of that happening, and two, if it happened there was nothing I could do about it. After that I was fine and really enjoyed it.

[@chriscline9545]

I’m just catching up on your past videos and I really appreciate this one. Looking back at my very first fire fight, I didn’t realize I was afraid. I was hunkered down behind a concrete barrier, being shot at and looking at my watch thinking, “my kids should be in Atlanta by now”. I knew they were going to Disney in Florida that week. It did give me enough time to get my collective crap together and fight back. That was 6DEC2006. You always remember that first fight.

[@stevenlewis8028]

I'll never forget being about 8 years old my sister cut her leg open at home really bad and my mother told me to hold a rag on the wound and apply pressure to stop the bleeding while she ran off to get a phone for help. I did it because mom told me too and later my mother somewhat horrified from the whole thing apologized after the fact. She said that i turned completely white but did what I was told. My father who is now retired served in the gulf war as a tanker and in Afghanistan as a sapper. He was a cop at the time and I will never forget him sitting alone with me in his police uniform at the hospital asking if I was scared. I hadnt even thought about it yet but i said yeah i was scared and he said but you did the right thing, you listened and helped stop your sister from bleeding and thats what people call courage. That always stuck with me into adulthood and I had to face other scary moments but always tried to do what I had to do and maintain control but realize fear is normal but doesnt have to cripple you. He was full of stuff like this and I appreciate you sharing similar anecdotes with people. I only hope I can give my sons nuggets of wisdom like this. Ill never forget learning a new word and what courage was.

[@timmyd.7665]

I was in Nicaragua on a missions trip and locals we were staying with took us to the beach on our last day there. It was an hour drive through the jungle and the coast was beautiful. I was told not to go far away from the truck except on the beach. I’d never seen a scorpion before and grew up in my woods at home so i felt confident and decided to look for a scorpion in the jungle. I got through a field about 150m and i heard the local guide with us start screaming in Spanish and i turned around, the only English word I’d heard was landmines. He was waving at me to come back and didn’t move more than 20 feet from the truck. So, unsure if 18 year old me was in the middle of a mine field or not, I stood there for a second and easily in that brief moment, the whole scenario played out in my head. I find a landmine, no one can come to get me as i just hear ringing and confusion and numbness as i fade out, and if they did get me, we’d have to drive back into town and I’d definitely bleed out while the group i was with is there helplessly. I remembered a man begging in town who had most of his legs amputated and part of his left arm and realized he may have stepped on one. I thought I’d not be as lucky as him if i step on one. Then I thought about my family and what they’d go through. I’ve never had so much tear through my mind in such a brief moment. So i snapped back to the world but instead of panic or anything i just said ehhhh, if i walked here, then i can walk back. And i put one foot in front of the other. And that easily fits those scenarios you outlined John. I emotionally disconnected from the reality of the situation. Now, i may not have been in one. But when i got back, our guide, a Nicaraguan, was about as ghost white as A native Nicaraguan can be.

[@ratroute8238]

Why the *FUCK* would they not tell you that there were *LANDMINES* near by, that's just dumb.

[@JD-hs7ib]

There were no mines. They just wanted to see how white a scared whiteboy gets.

[@mlo7609]

U should sell this story to Barnes and noble

[@timmyd.7665]

Rat Route i asked that afterwards too. It’s second nature for them not to go into the jungle in some parts. They said stay near the truck and maybe they said more in Spanish and i never understood it

[@timmyd.7665]

Keyser Soze i don’t think so man. He had a genuine look of panic on his face

[@jhlemaster]

Thank you for sharing the reality of fear. If not addressed fear will destroy you. The broke record trap has impacted me the most in many aspects of left. This has been the hardest to control.

[@lightfighter3023]

I found your thoughts on the third, dreamer's 'trap' particularly interesting as, although it may be birthed from fear, it seems to me more like a form of Grace - an opportunity to see things as they really are. As you spoke, I remembered a scene from The Last Samurai where Ken Watanabe's character, dying from battle wounds, sees a beautiful cherry tree in full blossom fluttering in the breeze. He recognizes the moment, deeply welcomes its beauty, and then says, 'Perfect.' and dies. Of course that's the movies and not like having your vehicle blown up by an IED in some forsaken hole in Afghanistan .... but I've always felt that this 'dislocation' is a form of God's presence.

[@MrCrumb34]

I agree. It is a moment of clarity that God has given you if you get that experience. In the grand scheme, it doesn't really matter if you die or not, everything will be ok. The great spirit doesn't talk in words, it reveals through powerful feelings and direct knowledge. I have had that experience and now I know that more surely than any worldly fact.

[@johnsartain6464]

Thanks for the great content John Lovell. Five years ago, when I was 19, myself and a female friend were out 4-wheeling on a series of back roads out in the country, and we were confronted by a small group of armed, drunken men who seemed convinced that we were casing the area for homes to burglarize. It was dark, none of our friends really knew where we were, and had they decided it made sense to shoot us there really would have been nothing we could have done but die. I understand what you mean about the feeling of facing your death at the hands of another; it's not really like a fear of heights, or spiders, or being startled by someone. It's almost... electric. Like you can feel your shell stretching away from you. Somewhere in the midst of calmly explaining our way out of the situation (a lot of "I'm sorry sir" and "what would you like me to do sir?") I distinctly remember two things; the first being that I forgot that I was really present in the situation and my primary objective became keeping my friend alive. Then there was the absolutely breathtaking way the shadows danced across the cornstalks of the fields around us. After a few minutes, they let us leave with a volley of expletives and explicit death threats if they saw us again, so we drove away. I have not taken the feeling of air filling my lungs for granted since.

[@mattdg1981]

Its amazing what the human mind will focus on when faced with certain levels of fear. Most of us cant help it when the time comes. Very one track minded type of scenario. Its hard to say what an individual will do and training will only get you so far. Seeing beyond that fear is what will make the difference but even then an individual still has to process that fear properly in order to make the right choices. That's a lot of variables in a fighting situation that I myself would probably struggle with. Now that I think about john, you have just stirred another type of fear within me. Damn you! Good stuff lol.

[@doubled8553]

I’m not gonna say what it was I was doing because it’s embarrassing but I will say the only time I’ve ever felt fear it was almost out of body. I froze up, my mind went elsewhere and I started to think of death and the worse things beyond death. Like getting others killed BECAUSE I froze up. That thought alone made me seek other opportunities and let me know that if that line of work was to be in my future, there were some things, mentally, that I needed to work on. It wasn’t really the death part that scared me or made me change my mind. It was the freezing up part and then the thought that if I froze up, it could cost someone’s life. That, I wasn’t okay with. Thanks for sharing this.

[@judasdwinter8239]

thank you for posting this John. I like that you were able to break-up fear into categories. Most of us just think of fear as a single, evil entity. You have shown us that it is a team effort against each and every one of us.

[@kingkole09]

I love your content not only because it’s informative, but because it makes me aware of points I would never think of. Experience is true wisdom. Keep up the great work sir.

[@exploited8779]

When I had my first pro fight this was what I had to work to over come, I wanted to quit, walk away, even injure myself to try to get out of it. What worked for me was focusing on my training and how hard I worked to get there, I dunno if any other fighter feels this but it feels like life and death you are not in there for fun you’re in there to rip the other guys head off with your hands and he has the same goal towards you and you feel nothing but panic and fear and an overwhelming survival instinct kicks in. Love the vids man everything you talked about I have seen effect other fighters.

[@ElectroLiets]

I was a 13B doing an 88Ms job during my first deployment as the convoy commanders driver. I remember looking to the side of the road and seeing 2 artillery rounds partially under a tarp and a black strip running across the road. We were going too fast to stop so so all I could do was floor it and pray to god we survived. It was the longest 10 seconds of my life. I felt like I was pulled from my body watching the whole thing calmly. Everyone in the vehicle said a lot of choice words but I didn’t really feel scared. My gunner fell down out of the turret and huddled into a ball inside the vehicle. I thought about stuff like I should learn to play the guitar and when I went on leave which friend should I visit first. It didn’t go off. We were lucky. EOD came later and blew it up and I can say that if I’d did go off I probably wouldn’t be here today. It was a crazy experience that I never put much thought into until this video. Thanks for some good info brother.

[@RollieFingers59]

I’ve been a firefighter/fire officer for 32 years. You describe these well. I’ve had a few of them when confronted with some really bad situations. 32 years of experience and training enables me to overcome these - but the physiological effects I still can’t fully control - once I was commanding a bad fire scene where I had guys inside a very large building in a bad situation and my mouth became so dry I couldn’t even speak on the radio - there was literally nothing I could do as I needed to bark out some important orders and was frantically searching for a bottle of water or anything. I finally calmed myself down and mustered up some saliva and moved on. Also the loss of fine motor skills in stress situations cannot be fully described to anyone that hasn’t experienced it.

[@C_L_Thomas]

You hit the nail on the head with this one John! I have experienced these reactions also. During the due course of therapy for PTSD I became fascinated by how our brains do what they do. In just a millisecond our brains can flip a switch and we will say or do things we could never imagine ourselves doing, both good and bad. On the flip side of the things you mentioned are the hero's. The people who, under great duress, will commit great acts of bravery and fearlessness. The same kind of thing is happening in their brains. I recommend the book Brain Rules by Dr. John Medina for anyone interested in what is going on in our brains on a molecular level.

[@timpike1976]

I have just discovered your channel and I'm hooked because the things you talk about are things that I have thought about a lot - like just because I have guns and ammunition and know how to use them doesn't mean I am going to be successful in stopping a bad guy who enters my home in the middle of the night. IF I hear him and IF I wake up and IF I don't think it's my wife or daughter in the kitchen getting a drink and IF it registers in my mind that there's a threat I still have many disadvantages. I've just woken up and I'm in a dark room. I'm confused and can't see well. I don't know what might have already taken place before I woke up. I don't know how many bad guys there are. I don't know if they have already made it to my daughter's room and have her hostage. No matter what scenario I can dream up in my mind and try to be prepared, if something goes down, that's not the way it will go down. I think people fool themselves into thinking they are secure because they have lots of guns and ammo, but we should be realistic. No matter how many weapons we have and how comfortable we are with them, when someone takes you by surprise, he's always going to have the advantage. Having weapons and knowing how to use them helps to lessen our disadvantage but does not eliminate it. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Have dogs, security systems, prickly shrubs around low windows, strong locks AND have weapons, a plan and knowledge in case all that fails.

[@silascochran9705]

I have a tremendous amount of respect for you. I've been watching your videos for a couple of days now. I have to go back and finish. God and gun fighting I made 3 long comments. That dropped off. I'm glad they did. Religion is a subject. I should never really get into. Because I pissed people off on that one. I will re comment there. why. I'm a little down this morning. I don't know why. But I have BPD and cptsd There is no controlling my moods. To any certain degree even on meds But I know my mood will change if I crack that beer open. Thank you for your service and your sacrifice. Sir🇺🇸🦅⚓🎗🇺🇸

[@lacygorman9154]

This is an excellent video. You did a great job. These fear mindsets play into trauma from any kind of situation where programmed responses are keyed into behaviors. Your examples are excellent! Nice work, Dude!

[@Jamoni1]

I work as an industrial rescue instructor, and I've done some other stuff that caused me to experience all of these affects. I try to pressure test my students, and often they get varying degrees of adrenaline dump. Behaviors I've noted include: 1. Behavior loops. They get stuck doing the same thing over and over, even though it's not working 2. Tunnel vision: inability to even think about something they aren't looking at. If it's not right in front of them, it doesn't exist. 3. Fumbling: Not only do they lose fine motor control, but they begin doing things at random hoping for the best. 4. Hyper aggression: smashing tools and equipment, yelling, etc. I had one guy take a swing at me. 5. Hyperventilation or holding their breath 6. Auditory exclusion: They can't process spoken communications 7. Time traveling: Students report that tasks only took 2 or 3 minutes, when it was nearly 30, or vice versa. I lecture new students on what to expect, and they usually blow me off. After the first pressure test, they listen a little better. :) I love my job.

[@douggould5690]

This video is definitely a relatable one for me, I’m a full time Tech and volunteer Fire Rescue and at work, have had more than a handful of times that I caught myself experiencing more than one of these things, if I could add one it would be forgetting skills that aren’t trained, you feel like you know it once you’ve done it and realize how wrong you are when fear sets in.

[@elizabethbailey787]

I recently discovered your channel.. thank you! I had an experience 3 years ago in which I was overcome by fear.. but don’t see it addressed and hope you can offer tips. Scenario: I was awoken @2:20 am by the sound of someone trying to get in my front door. At first I thought I was dreaming. I wasn’t. Here is what happened: The Good: I quietly grasped my .38; verified it was loaded (it was); disengaged safety; I then hit the panic siren on my Ring Fllod lights. This worked... then, I called 911 and Sheriff’s Dept was there in about 3 minutes. The Bad: while I functioned properly I felt disconnected.. I was shaking terribly - which alone frightened me; afterwards I began I’ll; the very idea I may have had to use my firearm was incredibly upsetting; I felt as if my heart would jump out of my chest. While I remembered “how to act”... is there something one can do to control the way my body reacted?? Thank you so much. 🙏🏼

[@jhanks2012]

I know we've all felt those moments of clarity you're talking about. when on a 15+ kill streak in Call of Duty. you're adrenalized and caffeinated out of your mind and been sipping on ginseng and guarana extract and you feel like nobody can touch you. you're seeing everything and nailing headshots and making all the right tactical plays and bankshotting flashbangs off of doorjambs. we've all been there.

[@jhanks2012]

god i miss that rush

[@Stew357]

Excellent teaching. Thanks John!

[@cmboerger]

I'm a software developer on a new project, with new technology, on a tight schedule. You have helped me identify what I'm going through as I learn all the new tech in such a short time! (Retirement trap) Definitely not a life or death situation, but this stuff helps in all situations in life. Thank you!

[@evanmendez-perez5960]

Great video John, I find myself falling Into the dreamer trap nearly everytime I feel fear, I just never realized it. Thanks for all that you do

[@umami0247]

Brought this up in a conversation on another channel just two days ago. It was a site where the topic was self defense and how they planned to do this that and everything. I brought up what happens when fear over takes you. They had no response because they had never had that experience so was something they hadn’t planned on. This area is probably one of the least covered subjects in any self defense class and truly one of the more important ones. If you have never experienced this it’s not something you learn as you go this will get you killed.

[@301joey1]

This is not smoke up your butt, you really nail human emotions and your honesty about them is the true measure of a man...I recently was in a situation where it felt and could have been deadly force, I reacted well, strong and aggressively taking command until I clearly saw the guys hands were empty and he was backing up fast wanting no more of me... but then all of a sudden all my energy drained, my legs became stone, at that point it was very vulnerable for a hand to hand fight...How do you deal with this, is it more common than I think.?

[@WarriorPoetSociety]

Common, yep. The end of the video recommends some building fighter mindset videos worth a look!

[@301joey1]

Great thanks.

[@301joey1]

Well I must have been so focused on the topic and how it related to me that I missed the very end where you mentioned the other videos. little of #4 creeped in I guess! LOL

[@jtop2038]

That reminds me of the time I accidentally startled a guy who was daydreaming and suddenly he started acting aggressively and talking loudly but with mumbling and unintelligible words. I backed away and showed him my empty hands. I knew that I could easily take him but he was crapping himself. His legs were like stone but there was crap all over and I did not feel like getting crap all over myself. Of course, he may remember it differently as soon as he changed clothes. ;-)

[@301joey1]

This guy got into the back seat of my car. I went drill sergeant from hell on this guy and got him out about as fast as he got in, hes lucky I was able to think, I did not become scared and drained until I saw clearly his hands were empty and he was heading away...This all happened in a matter of seconds, bad shit happens fast.

[@ferebeefamily]

Sportsman Guide is a good company. I am glad they are sponsoring you. Thank you for the video.

[@JuanDiaz-ts8rr]

I really miss these mindset videos. Pretty much why I subscribed when this channel started.

[@debramcjunkin5717]

But grandma's blueberry pancakes....are worth dying for....especially with homemade butter, covered with a dusting of powdered sugar and topped with blueberry syrup and just a small dollop of blueberry compote....lol.

[@WarriorPoetSociety]

I’m not judging. It’s not a bad dream to die in! 😆

[@drewschlosser26]

Dude I'm 5 days into a fast and am hating you for writing that right now....

[@debramcjunkin5717]

@@drewschlosser26: I'm sorry brother...I was just messing with John when he mentioned that grandma's pancakes weren't worth dying for....lol.

[@drewschlosser26]

@@debramcjunkin5717 ya I read your comment before he mentioned it. No worries, just gotta work thru it

[@WhoWouldWantThisName]

I'm coming over for breakfast. I hope grandma doesn't mind.

[@MikeForce111]

In my experience in EMS/ER, I would say there is a sort of "Deer in the headlights" Fear Trap as well. Some people react to intensely stressful situations involving life or death by shutting down and freezing up like a Windows 95 Blue Screen. What also sometimes happens is the situation itself was not life-threatening, but the victim or patient perceived it to be, and sometimes they make it worse for themselves out of hysteria. Most common types of fear I observed were panic or being frozen with fear by ER patients who were awake and conscious.

[@oregonoutback7779]

I'm retired, so I live in the retirement trap ALL the time :) My worse case of fear happened many years ago in Central America when an extremely large woman took off all her clothes and wanted to "party on". Still suffer from PTSD after that one. I'm relapsing right now, as I type this :((

[@oregonoutback7779]

Ellison .…. No IHOP's for many hundreds of miles from where this happened, but I get the jest of your recommendation. Duly noted :)

[@WhoWouldWantThisName]

There should be a hotline for you. Maybe John can hook you up. Thanks for the good laugh.

[@JD-hs7ib]

OO...Just like a motor scooter. Don't be afraid to ride the Big Bad Bush. They are so much fun jump on and just givem' heck. Varooom Varoooom

[@oregonoutback7779]

Keyser .….. I think they used her to clear the place out at closing time. Worked better than an air raid siren.

[@JD-hs7ib]

It sounds like a Hillary Supporter. kzbin.info/www/bejne/j2ecpZ55l8p2a9E

[@geoffist]

he believed we "actually are dead." wow. so much depth to that. there's a lot of psychology, philosophy, and spirituality to back up everything you're saying. these are all real. being aware of the traps is a good start; training is the next step.

[@MrNathanDS]

I'm pretty sure I have fallen into 3 of the 4 at different times and not really understood what they were. That last one, the broken record. That one has had me a couple times. Pretty humbling video. Thanks

[@allseriousness]

I appreciate this video. I have felt the dreamers trap at least twice; once in particular, a neighbors house was on fire, and I managed to appreciate the beautiful image of the embers in the sky as I was running to spray water on our house so it wouldn’t burn.

[@moonasha]

I reacted different in the two different situations I was most scared in life... first time, I was trapped in a basement that was filling with boiling water (from a boiler), the exit was behind the busted pipe, scalding steam was filling up the place. I felt incredibly calm and clear and managed to alert the other people with me and we hid in a small side room with our feet off the ground until the fire department got there and shut down the water supply second time, I woke up with a gun pointed at my face, and I couldn't even think I was so scared. I cant even describe it, the feeling of the gun in your face. It ended up being sleep paralysis. But oh boy, did that wake me up. I realized if someone robbed a bank I was in or whatever, I would be no hero. It made me want to buy a pistol, cuz I never wanted to feel that kind of powerlessness ever again, it's a violating feeling

[@Tragicide]

sid meier alien crossfire for a profile pic. Man I haven’t seen that game in ages.

[@truehope287]

Hope you did buy a pistol & got trained!

[@henrique3045]

You should thank god you're able to buy a gun that easily in your country. To buy a gun here you must be 21 yo, wait 10 months for your gun license, and pay like 300 dollars for it. Then you have to buy a gun 2x more expensive bcs of taxes. Also until like three weeks ago you couldnt buy any imported gun if Taurus had a similar one (so we could only buy shake-to-fire pistols), and still these updates migt fall apart. Well you get it, they prived us from protectig ourselves, NEVER let anyone do this to you.

[@checkmate610]

Well said, brother. Thank you again, for your military service, Sir!

[@madcapmagician6018]

LOL John you had me going thinking there was someone in the room with you lol😆😆😆

[@congamike1]

John, This is exactly what I was looking for to share with my buddies. Thanks!

[@Eman-wj8gq]

Dude mad mad MAD respects you are one hell of a man. Great mind great teachings great attitude.

[@thebadguy21k_official51]

Great video. I've seen soldiers in the middle of a firefight freeze and not know what to do. "What's going on" "is this real" quotes I remember hearing a fellow soldier say to me while hiding behind a humvee while incoming rounds are whizzing by

[@motu28]

I almost never comment but this struck a big resent cord with me. The title made me watch it and I thought, well I've never been in a fire fight yet but im a paramedic and this really applies to me. Then lo and behold you mentioned paramedics... One trap I fell into was a 'I have to do something' trap. A guy in an 18 wheeler wrecked and the truck was engulfed in flames. The guy was out of the truck about 150 ft. away with bad extensive burns. I ran to him and the ambulance was coming to where we were and it took about 5 minutes... aka an eternity. I had no equipment and a deputy came with me and asked ' what do we do.' For about 10 seconds I froze. There was so many things to do but I had none of my equipment. I then composed myself enough to grab my shears and start cutting clothes off, but couldn't do much else except assess the pt. Finally the unit showed up and everything fell into place. I felt near useless without my gear. I was frozen by thinking of all the things to do, that I couldn't do, instead of thinking of what I could do. Great video and thanks.

[@blulight1170]

Wow excellent, so very true with what goes on in the mind......Well done G.I.

[@chrishugs6173]

Being in my own few situation and reading all the other stories in the comments I think the most critical thing in breaking a state of fear or panic is to recognize you are in a panic. I once came up on a crash where the car was upside down and no authorities had yet arrived. My buddies in the car in front of me kept driving past but I stopped and got out to help. (This broke the bystander effect and they turned around to come back to help.) Then I went over to the car where 3 men were thankfully unharmed but one was not making sense. I asked him "is anyone hurt" which he responded "I am the father of those two." He was obviously in fear and not recognizing and processing what was happening. Every situation I was in a panic I had to slow my breathing and had to verbally tell myself I was in a panic. Those two steps instantly calmed me down and I was able to perform.

[@FlyPiper]

I dont have any military background but I never realized how important and true these traps are. And you explained them so so well. Thanks for the video!!!

[@skubz81]

Very interesting. Another great video and a topic that I've never heard other channels talk about. Great work.

[@innovacraft]

The passage from the book was exactly how my last motorcycle accident transpired it also happened when I got my arm wrapped in my static line. These experiences actually were moments of clarity that saved my kiester. The two most fear inducing moments on all my jumps was when the wheels left the ground and when we recived the stand up command. I was also "smart" enough to never volunteer for door position.

[@saladfork4]

That was a good positive beginning of a conversation that I am starting to have with my self. Thanks

[@GRRtheFeminist]

I remembered this content slightly different than what I just saw looking it today. Anyway, number one was about the panic shock that you get into with the fast breathing while not being able to anything but to be in shock. I was playing XCOM2 and really got myself into that game, and had just gotten introduced to a new set of enemies there, where they look like civilians to be rescued, but when you go to rescue them they transform into their real shape, aliens. So when I had a break and saw my FLATMATE in the dark I got hit by a war panic and immediately locked myself behind a door while having that panic shock in my body while my mind was slowly telling me it to be just my flatmate and not an alien to fight against. But I was so inside the game that the reaction was more primal and instant than any other real life fear inducing interaction I've ever had yet. XCOM2 is a war game so I was in that mindset, so engaged into that game that. Soon after we just laughed it out as we hugged xD I think those 2, 3 and 4 could be useful in my current situation, as I shouldn't be afraid to be killed, for that shouldn't be an active threat. But to use as coping skills/means to survive/endure stressful civil life situation.

[@pendragonparties4959]

Thankyou for sharing and teaching, I teach my martial arts students 'during fear of crisis we don't rise to our expectations, but fall to the levels of training" keep breathing, side step, then rely on your k.i.s.s. Training and get the hell outa there, keep on keeping on train hard but train smart

[@mitchellstephens8993]

Emt here. It’s great you bring up the broken record trap because I recognize I do it but didn’t know how to put it into words. Whenever I have a pediatric patient for some reason I always find myself making sure they have their shoes. Not sure if it’s because I’m a parent myself or it’s something my mom made me do before I went anywhere but no matter how critical the patient, if it’s a child I always catch myself looking for their shoes when we are loading them for transport. The brain is a weird thing.

[@radeni]

Hey John, as an ex Ranger can you do a video on how to stay completely calm in life threatening or just very stressful situations. Also how to keep our heart rate as low as possible in the same (I know that snipers have some methods for this as every heartbeat affects accuracy when shooting at long range, maybe you know them too).

[@steffenw.brandenstein9656]

Breath control. Usually I deal with stress by controlling my breath. Mark Divine has an excellent book in which he explains "box breathing". Essentially it's 5 seconds in, 5 seconds held and 5 seconds out. I've been using this for long range shooting, hunting, hell, even stage fright. And it works. Hope it helps, my friend.

[@dbod9815]

I think you have to activate your fight or flight circuitry and then practice self control. This would most likely mean doing something dangerous and hazardous to your health so professional supervision is advised.

[@moonasha]

from what I know, you're either calm from the beginning or you aren't. Everyone reacts differently. You can't train for it. Look at police officers... some go nuts the first time they feel threatened, screaming and dumping a whole mag, others are more calm. It's a crapshoot. Ranger training is probably designed to root out the weaker people, by being very stressful. Still won't know for sure until bullets fly

[@bradleypeterson2208]

Inoculation, visualization, and cardo/meditation/breathing. Put yourself in stressful situations where you have to perform under pressure to find where you tend to crack and make bad decisions. Later visualize yourself in those situations performing the correct action. If you have problems with your heart rate, like Steffen said, box breathing, and have a strong heart. Being in shape and exercising regularly makes life in general so much easier, and pays off in spades during more stressful situations.

[@FirebaseElmira]

The first step in remaining completely calm in a life threatening situation is learning to ignore the terrible odor that just began emanating from somewhere behind you, and development of a ninja mind trick that prevents your adversary from smelling that you just dirtied your drawers. After you master those two skills, the rest is cake.

[@oneshoeless]

John - Great video. I was setting here thinking about much this relates to work life as a manager. Certainly not a life or death issue, but a "career life or death" issue. Any one of those items can bring down an executive, manager, supervisor, sales person, etc. "Fear" comes in a lot of forms.

[@Pv2Swan]

I've felt a few of these. Thanks John

[@ryanfirst9761]

Great video, and thank you for saying EMS instead of lumping us in with FD. Not hating on fire because we work together and are my brothers and sisters. People just love to lump us under FD. The big panic trap for me was my first Cardiac Arrest as a crew chief (2003) 3 months after being Paramedic certified. It was one of the worst and grossest I have worked. I can not remember if she had been eating or vomited, but she was a large lady in a cramped hallway in an apartment. Chicken and rice still in her mouth and throat. My V Vac portable suction does want to get it out so I have to use my fingers. We have CPR going with fire’s help. All I can think is get her on a backboard, to my stretcher, and then my unit where I have better suction equipment. We have our CPR machine going, and I am still trying to get her clear enough to shove a tube in her. At that time, my backup opens the back door and starts climbing in. When I saw her all I could say was “Thank God you’re here”. Her reply calmed me immediately. “It’s ok Pumpkin, we’ve got this.” Holly, my backup, is the one medic I will always admire most. Awesome medic and cool as she can be.

[@contentofcharacter]

Another great video John! I appreciate you sharing your own experiences as examples of how these things have affected you. I’m fortunate that I have not experienced the levels of terror that you describe. I hope I never do.

[@TexZenMaster]

I only ever experienced the "panic" aspect of fear before it became a livelihood. It seems painfully obvious that most of these comments are from people who have never lived in that frame of mind and I hope that they never do. True fear does not have lulls, it does not have camaraderie, and it does not cease until you or your enemy is not able to fight anymore. God bless.

[@jackk8996]

Great vid John, thanks

[@polaire801]

I remember Rory Miller mentioning you’ll hear a sound like the ocean, and if you freeze, speak out loud about what you’re doing to break out. This is exactly why I need to seek out some mental stress training. It’s fascinating in a way.

[@louiscomeau5113]

Great stuff. I think I've experienced something similar to retirement and dreamers traps, but there is something else that happens that is similar but for me, a very positive thing. It's almost a dreamlike state, but with hyper focus and almost mechanical response to threat. Very cool stuff.

[@williamparker2922]

Great video John.

[@jtsnipertobias7891]

I went through broken record trap I think. At the time I was around seven, the middle child, and we were living in Buckley Airforce Base. Dad was working at the recruiting office for the navy, mom working in her office making beautiful quilts, not being biased, and I was alone with my two brothers. We got a warning about the tornado touchdown and heard the sirens go off. Instead of getting to safety, the first floor restroom, I ran upstairs and got my stuffed animals wrapped in a blanket, ran downstairs and saw the funnel of the tornado, I froze then got pulled in by my older brother. Soon we got out once 15-20 minutes passed and heard our parents walk in. Me and my little brother ran hugging them. About a year ago dad told me, the tornado hit about a block or two from us and went to an airport where no one was injured. To this day everytime a storm comes and I get the same feeling I get jittery, worried, I look at weather radars and Weather Channels, but most importantly I get the two stuffed animals I still have that I brought with me nine years ago. So that was my story.

[@ReadySetGoPictures]

Love to hear this type of video again. Love the mindset videos. Keep the wisdom bombs coming!

[@01MeuCanal]

I have never been in firefight but I think everybody sometimes experience great fear in life. One trap that I faced in moments of great pressure is when a person starts doubt about things, you doubt about yourself, you doubt if your movement will be correct, you feel unprepared and so on. The way I overcame that situation is really facing the fear and daring to trust in myself. if you are in fear and you realize the fear is cause of whats your feeling, you can have some control over it dont let it control you. Faith in God and practice martial arts are really good to overcome fear. Fear is the opposite of faith, so faith is the way of counter attack fear but not any faith is correct, faith needs to be smart.

[@samuelreese1816]

I've seen and sometimes felt what you've described with massive stress and life decisions. And outside of a firefight, it will enshroud you in that loop, and some never come out of it, and spend the rest of their life in them

[@OzarkW1]

I'm a sergeant in a state correctional facility. I've been in many street fights growing up, but my first experience with violence at work made me hesitate, fear was a big factor, but the policies we follow can cloud one's judgement. But you're right, especially the dream like state we enter in very high stress, violent encounters.

[@mosin9105]

I have experienced the mind numbing reality of impending death; not in combat but in the ocean. Having to swim in far from shore through huge, 15’ and bigger waves with extremely strong currents, no swim fins, no floatation device. I had lots of experience in the ocean and had been fearful many times. This time was different. Panic kills! Accepting the situation and an “I WILL LIVE!” attitude got me to shore.

[@JamesAmos]

I love the advice and honesty here. Thank you.

[@goghphucough6410]

I got in a lot of trouble as a teenager and it’s almost like I fell into the “dreamers trap” for years. When I finally paid off the law, I was broken for years after. Almost a full decade. A DUI when I was 17, destroyed my 20’s. I couldn’t get a good job and I was always in a state of panic about money and not being homeless. I coped with it by always getting lost in my own thoughts and daydreaming. Then it became extremely habitual and effected every element of my life. I know it’s nowhere near what someone would experience in combat, but that’s how I can relate. Whatever the case may be, it can be detrimental even to a small degree.

[@fatpapercat4434]

Thanks

[@BigBrother0820]

Great video in mindset. I haven't heard any description on the types of places your mind can take you. Great tool to conquer the mind with the spirit. Thank you. God bless

[@nolerthemonster3127]

Brother this is so true. I have been in the dreams trap. But always remember you have a choice. Live or die. Fight or fall.

[@eddiesimmons3861]

As always, a great source of information. Thanks for taking the time away from your family to teach us!

[@TimKollat]

Panic is the worst of all. I used to suffer from full on panic attacks out of the blue with no warning. 100% debilitating and that not even being in a stressful situation. Add a panic attack to an actual situation like a fire fight and its game over, youre done unless you can overcome it. Theres a video on youtube of a police officer having to draw his weapon and then suffers from a panic attack. The EMT that was on scene had to take his sidearm from him cause he was freaking out. The worst thing about panic attacks is that the panic scares you more than the situation that caused it because you have no idea whats going on and think you are dying from something and you cant understand and absolutely can not function

[@mattbarker2506]

Thank you

[@scrider8464]

Excellent that you address these issues. For CCW, fear fact is: most people on a civil or criminal jury will have no idea why you acted 'so weird', and did not do X,Y & Z, as they would have, using the executive function of their mind, as they are accustomed to do 99% of the time.

[@ronwilliams9884]

Thanks for another informative video. So now the million dollar question becomes, how does one one recognize being in the trap and then breaking out of it? I suspect one must have the trap symptoms stored and then periodically check in with self?? Is that even possible? How did you do it?

[@lucaswareham8764]

Know its an old video and you might not see this , but my first fire fight; I froze not in the normal way. I was looking for PID but the PID I was used to from training. The absolute muzzle flash that stands out like the north star in the middle of the day or the absolutely clear silhouette standing against a clear background. Wasn't till my a team leader came and shook me and gave me direction that I engaged.

[@MRPosserLivestreams]

Fear Trap By John Lovell; 1) panic trap 2) retirement trap 3) dreamer's trap 4) broken record trap Thank you for this video.

[@jtlerch]

You are the dorkiest (is that a word) badass I have ever watched! (Oh sorry I posted this comment while watching the SG ad at the beginning) I absolutely Love this channel! John you are great! Keep partying!

[@nickturner8927]

Excellent thank you

[@iainclark8695]

I've been stuck in a situation where I was subjected to the highest level of terror for around three hours with no chance to do anything about it. As soon as I had an opportunity I took off running at what felt like olympic sprinter speed and covered two miles before I even thought to stop. When I finally hit the brakes I tilted my head back to better catch my breath and noticed the night sky. It was more beautiful than anything I had ever seen. My pupils must have been dilated wide with adrenaline because the milky way appeared to be very vivid and the sky was dense with stars. I felt like I could gaze right up into the far reaches of the universe and just stood there for time unknown, dumbstruck by then glory of it all. It was autumn and I was aware of every single subtle odour in the air. Wet leaf litter, bonfires that had long since been extinguished, damp tarmac, car exhaust and most of all my own sweaty clothes. It was dead quiet at that moment and once I'd caught my breath I remember hearing the calm air moving around me. I'll never forget that moment for as long as I live.