Re your line:
"Paying attention literally saved me from being raped" REALLY IMPORTANT--if something doesn't seem feel right, it isn't.
As much as I would like to take total credit here for my powers of observation - I really believe it was my good fortune that I was the daughter (1 of 6) of a police officer and my dad ingrained in us from the time we were little girls (for 25 years), that "paying attention" was one of our best resources as females. I was very grateful to know that I had heard it enough that it really helped me, when it was critical.
So the "time warp" thing - I thought perhaps it was just me, that I had never been that shocked or scared in my life - interesting to know that it's an actual cerebral response to fear.
On a lighter note- Dr Phil said that when he was helping Oprah during her trial (over her statement regarding the beef industry)- he said Oprah was walking around and kept saying "this just can not, can not be happening to me"
Dr. Phil's response was "Oprah, we are way past that point, it is happening and you must deal with it now, not later" -
precisely what you said in that it's precious time that's wasted - but when I heard him say that, I thought "hm, I really coulda used that information 15 years earlier!"
Thanks again!