What does it feel like to have a gun pointed at you?

Having a gun pointed at you is a bizarre experience - that's the best way I can describe it really.

I experienced this when a convenience store I was shopping at was targeted by armed robbers.

What it feels like to have a loaded weapon pointed at you

The best way to describe the feeling is in several stages:

Disbelief: When I had a gun pulled on me, my first reaction was to go into some sort of daze. It was almost like being in a video game - time seemed to go much slower, and I almost felt like I was dreaming.

I was aware of my pulse racing and a sense of panic definitely set in - but I didn't react physically. If anything I felt a calm chill come over me.

Fear: Although the robbery probably lasted less than a minute, it felt like much longer. As I stood there helplessly with my arms in the air (this felt like the right position to adopt because I'd seen it on TV many times), I began thinking about the possible outcomes - and what would happen if I was actually shot and killed.
I started thinking about my family and friends, and how my death would affect them - and this is where the fear started kicking in. I imagined myself lying motionless in a pool of blood, and that was when the ordeal became really frightening and real.

Confusion and anger: Eventually, the robbers left (with some money from the till and a few other items) and luckily no-one was harmed.

It was only after the ordeal that I started to really react.

My first distinct feeling was anger. I felt angry that I had no control over the situation, and angry that I was made to suffer and fear for my life by some spineless robbers.

I also felt confused and a bit disoriented, like I had just been through a long physical ordeal (even though the whole thing actually passed in a flash).

It was only on the walk home to my flat that I started going over things in my head, and this is when I became shaky and shocked at the life or death situation I had emerged from.

Police officers came to my home to take a statement from me, and drove me around the area in a car to see if I could point out any suspects.

In bed later that night, I couldn't help but replay the robbery in my head and, to be honest, it affected me for many months afterwards too.

It feels exhilarating on a sick level. Not a good feeling but very influential string of emotions. Fear is not an issue with me but rage and hate are. It becomes primal and animalistic in its simplicity. I give into blind rage and force the situation to escalate. Either way it becomes a quick and painful death for one of us and I'm the one still here. I would die before allowing someone else control over me through threat of death and oddly enough that gives me a calming sense of security.