Last week, I was bitten by a dog
(Not this one - and don’t worry, I’m okay!)
I'd made the trek out to Bishan dog park with my dog son Ollie (pictured), a friend, and her two dogs. When we got there, the dogs did their thing—running around, sniffing other dogs, having a good time. But during a water break, Ollie went for the water bowl my friend had brought for her dogs, and immediately, an aggressive, non-playful, territorial tiff broke out between them.
My instinct was to protect so I got between them, reaching my hand down and getting bit in the process. When I reeled my hand back, I felt simultaneous shock and pain, but I stood pretty still just looking blankly at my now bleeding finger.
Cognitively, I knew I was 100% okay. Yes, my finger was cut up, and I bled quite a bit, but this was obviously not a threat to my survival.
Yet, five minutes later, a visceral reaction kicked in—a head rush, constricted breathing, lightheadedness, splotchy vision, and an urge to pass out.
Externally, I sat down, forcefully stretched my arms back to open up my chest, and worked on bringing back deeper breaths.
Internally, I told myself: "Don't be dramatic and ruin a good day at the park, especially after YOU reached out YOUR hand between two dogs that were CLEARLY fighting. That was stupid, and you are FINE."
Upon reflection, I realized two things:
My body was doing a good thing. What my body read from the situation was: I'm not at home, I was attacked by a provoked animal, and I bled... enough blood to remind me of an incident in 10th grade that put me to the emergency room for 8 stitches after getting elbowed in the face during a basketball game. It sensed possible danger and its instinct was to protect me.
I responded to this "good thing" with judgment ("Don't be dramatic", "It was your own fault"), and when you respond to ANYTHING with judgment, you start to fight it and suppress it. This too becomes a pattern your mind and body remember - it learns, maybe suppressing is the right thing to do.
PSA: it's not!
Suppression of self has been linked to the onset of autoimmune disorders (e.g., emotional suppression & MS, personal neglect & ALS). Suppressing signals teaches your body to ignore danger and, over time, to accept harm.
However small, this incident reminded me not to judge my body, but to embrace it. That doesn’t mean letting your body learn that every little stimulus is a threat (we're not tryna be hypervigilant). Instead, it’s about acknowledging and thanking your body for protecting you, and then using that softness and compassion to recalibrate your perception of danger versus safety.
Have you ever caught yourself suppressing or judging your body’s natural reactions?
As an Integrative Mind-Body Therapist, I guide clients in understanding and managing their emotional and physical reactions to stressful situations. If this story made you curious, let's connect.
