# Can people really faint after being surprised?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-really-faint-after-being-surprised/515949>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 1, 2009, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-really-faint-after-being-surprised/515949 "2009-11-01T16:23:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2009, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-really-faint-after-being-surprised/515949/1 "2009-11-01T16:23:36Z")

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…I wanted to say “from shock” but I mean from being extremely surprised, not the medical definition of shock.

If someone sees something that is very startling, for example seeing a friend alive and well after attending his funeral, would a possible reaction to that really be to faint? It happens a lot in books and on TV, especially in cartoons, but is there a basis for this in reality?

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**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2009, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-really-faint-after-being-surprised/515949/2 "2009-11-01T19:12:58Z")

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Yes, vasovagal syncope can often be triggered by emotional events.

More here at Mayo: [Vasovagal syncope - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic](http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vasovagal-syncope/DS00806)