Startle Reflex

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A question I've been pondering is the startle reflex. Some people think I have almost no startle reflex because they've walked up from behind me or when I was reading without me being startled. This is only because I'd already seen them enter the room or approach because I'm usually mindful of things going on in the vicinity even if I am otherwise occupied. They've noticed this because, until just the past year or two, I would sometimes walk up from behind people and say hi only to get the, "Ah, you startled me!" response; I've taken pains to make sure I'm in front of people or in their view before I talk to them now.

Anyway, I have a high startle reflex (my pulse can spike from an unexpected loud noise or possible immediate environmental dangers, for example), but it tends to return to its resting rate rather quickly. Also, people tend to be startled by the unexpected; so, if I am aware of my environment, I am not startled usually. Some people are badly shaken by a near car accident; if such a thing were to happen to me, I'd be a little shaken for a minute or two; but I'd have probably shaken it off by the time I get home although I will probably tell everyone around about it.

Anyway, how easily and how much startled do you tend to get? Remember there are three variables:

• How easily you are startled
• How startled you become
• How long you remain shaken after being startled
  

# How easily you are startled

As you were saying, it depends on how I am of my environment. If someone evades my "radar" and surprises me, I become starled easily.

# How startled you become

This depends on the nature of the catalyst. If someone says "BOO!" my heart rate spikes only enough to be noticable. If is something major, like a near-collision on the road, my whole body will shake.

# How long you remain shaken after being startled

This is also variable. A major event has a lingering effect in that I will be thinking about it for a while. A minor event lasts only for a matter of seconds.

all three are super high for me, but that's from the ptsd from the kidnapping.
april

I startle easily but don't become very startled, it immediately goes into embarassment about my reflex and that's the only thing that shakes me.

I think I jump.

I startle but I have to be very engrossed when I am doing something. It takes a lot to startle Me.

Outwardly I startle very easily - I don't feel startled, internally I'm still calm (it takes a lot to startle me for real) but physically I jump/appear startled easily. People think it's funny, "Ha ha, I scared you" and I can't convince them that "No you didn't - I wasn't really scared, it just looked like I was." My body tends to overreact to everything though, not just being startled.

How easily you are startled
-Very easily. I'm hyper-vigilant, yet still easily taken by surprise.
How startled you become
-Depends. Sometimes it doesn't show externally but I felt startled. If I don't have time to re-evaluate or dampen my response, then it's visible/audible.
How long you remain shaken after being startled
-From half a minute to a few hours.
Example 1: In college, dorm lounge room (lights were off and it was dark) bunch of us students watched a scary movie on tv. After really scary part (before ad break) someone yelled very loudly & suddenly in my ear, intending only to frighten me & have a laugh w/group. I screamed (fear reflex), ran off to my room, locked door & cried for like an hour. Friend came by to apologize & said he didn't realize I'd get so upset, that he really was sorry. That was both socially embarrassing & physically terrifying for me.
Example 2: This happens often now, but isn't a big problem. My partner will come into room and I won't realize until he's right in front of me or I suddenly notice. I might gasp or shudder or say something, at least I recover quickly from those occasions because I know he's not a threat. At first he was concerned by my jumpiness, but has gotten more used to how I am, it's not personal.
Dunno' how this aspect of my life fits in w/above. Just leaving the house/being in public is confrontational for me, and it takes hours for me to "come down" or "perk up" after only a couple hours of errands/shopping. Startled CONSTANTLY when amidst the world outside, meds didn't help my ever-present anxiety & uneasiness. Cognitive appraisal of threat level doesn't lead to negating of emotional/physical reaction, not the sort who can convincingly talk myself out of my feelings. Can look at situation much later, but not in the moment when it's unfolding.

How easily you are startled
Quite easily. When friends come up behind me and put their hands on my shoulder, i jump despite the fact that I knew someone was there. I sort of never expect anyone to touch me, heh.
How startled you become
I jump.
How long you remain shaken after being startled
It passes quickly. At tops a few seconds. It's as if I'm not actually scared, it's just my reflexes which react extremely easily.

I'm sort of like neongrl.

I usually startle easy, but only for a few seconds. It's because I'm often deep in thought and hardly aware of my surroundings.

On one hand has bullying made me so immune to loud sounds and shouting that I can ignore the sound of a gun, but I can get startled if a person is coming 7 feet or closer to me.