You’ve spent time prepping for disaster. You’ve collected vital survival supplies, designated safe places for various types of storms, and drilled survival procedures. Then, you find yourself in a disaster situation. Though you may know your gear, practiced skills, and done all you can – you can’t prepare for everything. Practice is never quite the same as the real thing, though it will put you at a great advantage over the majority of the population!
Here are three things you may have to face when an actual crisis hits that haven’t occurred to you, and what you might do to prepare yourself for them.
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Panic and the Unforeseen
Many people assume they would do great in a crisis. They like to think they would keep their heads, know what to do and maybe even save other, less-competent crisis victims. Unfortunately, research shows that that’s generally not the case. Disaster experts reported to WebMD the vast majority of people are nowhere near as good in a crisis situation as they think they will be.
You may have mapped out where to go and what to do for various disasters, made a Plan A and a Plan B, and drilled everything so that it will feel familiar when an actual crisis strikes. As a human, you just can’t know that you’ve done enough. Anything can happen in a crisis situation, and no matter how prepared you are with stocked resources, physical health and survivalist know-how, there’s always the possibility of the unforeseeable sneaking up on you.
Handling Panic and the Unforeseen
So, short of becoming a psychic, the best thing you can do is to learn more about what makes a great survivor.
Those same experts who spoke to WebMD revealed that the best survivors are:
- Those with a “live in the moment” lifestyle
- Those with the least attachment to material possessions
- Those who’ve survived real crises previously
- Those who’ve attended crisis training courses
- Those who can accept that a lot is outside of their control
Now, this doesn’t mean you should go out looking for a “practice disaster” or that you should sell all of your possessions but the essentials. It simply means you must remember to plan not just physically for a crisis but also mentally.
Research crisis management. Take a few crisis training courses. Detach a little from your possessions and embrace the people and actions that add real value to your life.
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Dynamics With Other Crisis Victims
In the seemingly endless slew of apocalypse-themed movies that have bombarded American cinema in the last decade, you’ve probably had to listen to a lot of silly theories on survival. One of the most common themes to arise in these films is the idea that in a serious disaster, people immediately turn on one another and develop rival clans.
While this is a fairly far-fetched assumption for a less-than-apocalyptic crisis, there is, of course, a grain of truth in the concern. Many people do become unlike themselves in a disaster. They panic, they lose their common sense, and they become concerned with all the wrong things.
Even if you consider yourself a lone wolf as a survivalist, more than likely, you will need to interact with other victims. And, also more than likely, they aren’t all going to be cool and collected or knowledgeable about crisis management.
Handling Dynamics With Other Crisis Victims
Whether you want to be a leader or simply a team player in a crisis situation, it’s important you recognize and respond appropriately to the common reactions to crisis, which include denial, stigmatization, fear, avoidance, withdrawal, hopelessness and helplessness.
In addition, you may want to think about what you’d do if a fellow crisis victim is trying to lead the group. Hopefully this person will know what they’re talking about, in which case you have a useful ally on your survival team. If not, you have a loudmouth who’s unwittingly leading your group astray.
In either case, you must do your part to keep your team on track. If you find your self-declared leader to be annoying or flat-out wrong, you must still strive to maintain a peaceful and calm environment while contributing to the decision-making process.
So while you’re stocking your bomb shelter, drilling your escape plans or practicing your fire-building skills, don’t forget to make time for sociological research as well.
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Lack of Normalcy During a Crisis
Although tending to your physical needs is the most pressing concern during a crisis, mental well-being is also essential.
During certain types of crises — namely those that affect you for an extended period of time — it can be easy to get caught up in feelings of hopelessness. That’s why it’s vital to find a sense of normalcy during a crisis.
Finding normalcy can help to reduce anxiety, improve the mind’s perspective on passing time, give victims a sense of control, and help a group of survivors feel more united and safe.
Handling Lack of Normalcy During a Crisis
There are, of course, hundreds of components to your life’s routine as it is now. In a crisis situation, though, you’ll have to get creative in order to gain a sense of normalcy. Your options will depend heavily upon what resources are available to you.
If your circumstances allow, here are some things to try:
- Wake up, eat meals and go to bed at the same time each day
- Bathe regularly
- Find ways to stay entertained, even if they are different from your usual forms of entertainment
- Interact with the people you generally interact with
Take note, too, that many of these things are not just good for your mental health but your physical health, too. One important note in this regard is finding a way to bathe regularly. If, during your crisis, you don’t have access to a usable shower, you may have to use a natural source of water, such as a lake or pond. Unfortunately, natural sources of water aren’t always as pure as you might think.
That’s why it’s a good idea to learn to identify and take care of algae concerns, as certain types of algae can be legitimately dangerous to the health of humans and wildlife.
Being Prepared Will Help You
Even though there’s very little you can do to stop most crises from occurring, there’s a lot you can do to prepare for them. As you continue to ready yourself for the possibilities, remember and try to accept that there’s a lot outside your control, and your mental health should be a vital part of your survival plan.
Should a real crisis occur, trust your survivalist knowledge, stay in touch with your common sense and use your best judgment.
Bobbi Peterson loves writing and regularly posts on her blog Living Life Green. She’s also a freelance writer, green living advocate and environmentalist. You can find more from Bobbi on Twitter.