Shock and the Pattern of Thinking

Mental shock is considered a state of mental alertness and a stimulus for thinking, prompting the creation of cognitive patterns that align with the shock that suddenly confronts the mind. After a strong rebound, this leads to a monolithic thinking pattern that deals with the specific type of shock. This pattern represents a reaction that is proportional to the magnitude of the shock, which is an inevitable outcome for the mind. In such cases, the reaction must match the shock in either strength or weakness. Some shocks are so powerful that the mind cannot withstand them, potentially causing distress, fear, and psychological and mental agitation that may develop into a disorder of the mind, the psyche, or both. This may manifest as obsessive-compulsive tendencies, temporary or perhaps persistent depression, or any other psychological or cardiac condition. Not all minds are affected by such powerful shocks; rather, they affect only some. I believe this is due to the mind’s inability to absorb the shock because of its incapacity to think about it, thereby preventing it from analyzing and deconstructing the shock to understand its content at a speed that would mitigate its intensity. The faster the mind can deconstruct and analyze the shock, the better it can recognize and assimilate it, thereby reducing its negative effects and absorbing its positive aspects, making them part of lived reality that one can enjoy, or conversely, depending on the nature of the shock. In both scenarios, we refer to this as the mind’s capacity to absorb the shock, transforming it into an incidental event. Events are typically associated with humans throughout all stages of their lives, whether negative or positive. This is closely linked to overall consciousness, which perceives everything a person experiences during their lifetime. Subsequently, we can recognize that the mind has managed to eliminate the element of surprise, enabling it, through rapid analysis and deconstruction, to achieve true awareness that everything happening is neither new nor unique. Shock is a condition that the human mind has experienced since humans first appeared on Earth, and it takes many forms linked to place and time. Humans in our era face shocks that differ radically from those experienced by people a century or more ago. For example, a forest dweller from centuries past would not be shocked or frightened by a lion, as they lived and coexisted with such animals. In contrast, a city dweller in the modern era may experience a strong shock, terror, and fear if encountering a wild lion. There are numerous examples, but space does not permit listing them all in this article. However, following the previous example, I would emphasize that the mind encounters many diverse shocks, which vary in their impact, ranging from strong to weak. Shock begins with news and does not end with direct or indirect events. Therefore, psychiatry and social work specialists have been able to interact with the shocked mind and assess the intensity of the shock it has endured through psychological and social analysis of the individual.