This is the fifth in a multi-article series on Components of Personal Defense. In this article we will briefly discuss the aftermath of the fight and highlight some important topics for you to think about and explore.
The final phase of the engagement is the post-fight phase. From a time perspective, it can be the longest phase. Both the pre-fight and the fight tend to be relatively short. However, depending on the outcome of the fight, the post-fight phase can be quite lengthy.
There are typically five areas that are commonly discussed in the post-fight phase; Mental, Physical, Legal, Social, and Spiritual all of which may have Financial implications.
The immediate mental aftermath can include reactions such as jubilation, bewilderment, regret, and relief. You may find yourself celebrating that you prevailed in the fight. Just as likely, you may find yourself wondering what happened and how you could have avoided the situation. If your attacker or another person was injured or killed, you may experience intense regret or you may feel relief that you are still alive. All of these emotions are common and natural.
As time goes on you may have residual effects from the engagement. You may experience an inability to relax and/or sleep. When you do sleep, you may have recurring dreams of the engagement. You may also experience various levels of PTSD and need to seek professional help. These issues may be mild to quite severe. They may be relatively short lived or last for years and be debilitating.
The physical impact from the engagement is directly related to the severity of any injury you sustain. You may exit the engagement completely uninjured or you may be severely injured and require significant medical care. The injury may be permanent and impact your ability to perform daily activities. The injury may be so severe that it causes death.
The legal impact can be minimal or it can be severe. If you did not follow the law in the engagement, you may find yourself a guest of the criminal justice system. If find yourself in court, the financial impact can be severe. The cost of legal representation in a use of force case can easily top $250,000 in legal fees. And, if you are found guilty, the impact could be loss of freedom. You may also be sued in civil court for damages which could wipe out any remaining assets. This is why knowing the law and having a good attorney is so critical. (Check out USLawShield.com and use my promo code Neblett.)
The social impact of a use of force engagement could mean being ostracized from family and friends. If the media picks up the story, you may find yourself the subject of wider condemnation. You may lose your job and have difficulty finding a new one. Any charges may be found on a background check even if they are dropped or you are found not guilty. Your home life may deteriorate. You may find the stress of the mental, physical, and legal issues impact your relationships.
Finally, your spiritual beliefs may be called into question. You may find your church family not as inviting. You may question your actions relative to the teachings of the church and how you believe a person of faith should act.
By now you probably see why we don’t want to fight unless we absolutely have to. The real fight often starts after the engagement. But if we need to fight, we need to understand and be prepared to deal with the aftermath of the engagement. This is where training and preparation comes into play. The more we are prepared, the better we can navigate any post-fight issues.
I hope this has given you some things to think about. If you have friends or know of someone that would benefit from these articles, feel free to pass them along. Wake Firearms Training classes can be found on our web site at www.wakefirearmstraining.com. And as always, if you have questions or comments please reach out to me at wakefirearmstraining@mindspring.com.
Train Hard! Stay Frosty! Never Give Up!
John Neblett