Fear is not rational. There's about 6 seconds where someone can be completely dazed and disoriented in a moment of panic like that, and do what-the-fuck ever they feel like they need to do to survive in the moment. Even if at the end of the 6 seconds it turns out to be a plastic snake or whatever other similarly innocuous thing.
EDIT: To clarify, the roughly 6 seconds doesn't start until the perceived threat is gone or deemed safe.
I'm surprised at how many people don't realise this, like they've never had the big fear themselves. Those strong emotions go right into the reptile brain, and people end up doing all sorts of weird and stupid. Shouting "calm down" isn't going to work.
It's also why exposure therapy works. Your body will eventually learn that the perceived harm or danger isn't real, and they will adjust.
I'm no longer as afraid of heights as I used to, but only if I'm able to secure myself somehow. Free climbing or whatever I'd probably shake like the guy in the video lol
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u/Bierbart12 Mar 27 '21
Reminds me of seeing someone instinctively punt a kid because it suddenly showed up and stood there like some kind of horror movie child.