What is one symptom of critical incident amnesia following a sympathetic nervous system mass discharge?

One symptom of critical incident amnesia following a sympathetic nervous system mass discharge is temporary memory loss. This phenomenon occurs during high-stress situations, where the body enters a fight-or-flight response. During such incidents, the body's adrenaline levels surge, which can impair the ability to form new memories or retain information about the events that are occurring.

In these moments, the brain’s focus is directed more towards immediate survival rather than processing details of the event, leading to gaps in memory or an inability to recall specifics afterward. This temporary amnesia can affect how a person remembers the incident, often resulting in fragmented or unclear recollections, which aligns with the fact that the individual is experiencing a physiological response that overrides typical cognitive functioning.