25 Sep Disaster Survival Psychology

Disaster Situation Survival Psychology 

 

Survival:

 

1. Means the art or skills to survive through and beyond an event or Disaster.
2. Comes from a Latin word SUPERVIVO, a strong will to live.
3. Our own reactions to large stressors prior to an event predispose us to react, not act.
4. When reacting we don’t see to use the resources around us.
5. We need to train in the situations we feel we will encounter so we Act on Instinct.

 

Factors Affecting Survival:

 

1. Panic and Fear.
2. Cold or Heat.
3. Pain.
4. Fatigue.
5. Thirst.
6. Loneliness or Boredom.
7. Hunger.
8. Shelter from Elements.
9. Hygiene.

 

Panic and Fear:

 

1. Fear is the root of Panic, and builds quickly.
2. When Panic is present in our thinking, rational thoughts go out the window.
3. If left unchecked, Panic will lead to a tragedy worse than the event experienced.
4. We need to recognize that fear is normal in Disasters but learn to control it, channel it.
5. We will never avoid Fear in an emergency so we must keep it in check.
6. We STOP, ASSESS, EVALUATE, and DECIDE.
7. When we STOP, we put fear on hold until we can safely deal with its aftermath.
8. We ASSESS our situation from every angle, Injuries, resources, locale, and new threats.
9. We EVALUATE our ASSESSMENT in light of our resources, our skills, our health, threats.
10. We then decide the FIRST best course of action, then the 2^nd, third, and so on.
11. By doing so we have broken a huge monster of an event into manageable pieces.
12. Be confident in the skills that you have because you’ve trained.
13. Be confident in the tools and resources you have.  Think improvise.
14. Break tasks down to the size you can perform well.

 

Cold and Heat:

 

1. External Cold is hard to deal with.  It numbs your body and makes it hard to perform simple tasks.
2. Left unchecked it will numb your will to survive.
3. Fire is paramount at this point or the ability to warm your body.
4. Fire is useful for two reasons.  It keeps you warm making it and after you have it going.
5. Psychologically it gives you a sense of accomplishment.
6. External Heat can be as bad as cold.
7. It saps your strength and with that goes rational thought.
8. It leads to water loss and the resultant body damage that comes with it.
9. Get out of the Sun a.s.a.p. and into an improvised shelter if need be.
10. Think of ways to replenish your water supply.
11. When the sun is waning now is the time to move for better shelter and water.

 

Pain:

 

1. Pain is your enemy and will destroy your will to survive.
2. Pain increases when a negative event comes upon us.
3. Pain also increases during the night time when we are inactive.
4. The enemy of Pain is Hope.  We have to keep thinking of what we need to do.
5. We keep planning for the next day’s tasks.
6. Focus on the resources you have around you and ways to improvise their use.
7. Keep planning, no pity parties; you are going to survive this.

 

Fatigue:

 

1. It is a depletion of physical and emotional resources due to the situation.
2. It can make you very careless, and when you see that you will quit caring.
3. This leads to feelings of hopelessness, frustration, and loss of your goal.
4. For most people this is a spiral down into depression and giving up entirely.
5. Recognize the dangers of fatigue and refocus your thoughts on your goals.
6. Get the physical rest you need.

 

Thirst:

 

1. Next to Air, Water is our most important element for survival.
2. We lose 2 ½ to 3 pints of water per day.
3. We have to take in at least half of this amount to live.
4. Complete dehydration occurs after about 3 to 4 days, with death following.
5. Many people die from forgetting to drink while consumed with other tasks.
6. It will dull your mind making you lethargic, resulting in bad decisions.
7. Never knowingly deprive yourself of water in a disaster situation.
8. Always drink at least 48oz of liquid per day.

 

Loneliness and Boredom:

 

1. If you are alone in your survival situation, these can come upon you with a vengeance.
2. They come when you expect something to happen and it does not
3. The feelings come usually when you must be still, and quiet has descended upon you.
4. These are companions to hopelessness and depression and must be fought hard.

 

Hunger:

 

1. One of the primary thoughts when faced with a disaster event.
2. Food however is Secondary to Water, so keep in perspective.
3. Eat only when hunger is real and not because of stress, fear, or worry.
4. Take inventory of your food resources, evaluate resupply, and decide amounts to eat.
5. Remember a disaster situation will require up to two times the calories of normal.

 

Shelter and Elements:

 

1. Take stock of your situation first thing.
2. What do you have for shelter?  Is it in 72hr pack or in debris?
3. If 72 hr, you must think in terms of after 72hrs, what then.
4. If debris, how well can I make it quickly, then how to make it better over time.
5. What element prevention is found in the debris, what insulation capacity from cold?
6. Will I or do I need to evacuate because nothing is available after 72 hrs.
7. Do I have natural materials close by to make shelter from?
8. What tools do I need to use on native materials to make a good shelter.
9. If some tolls are absent, how can I use other tools improvised to make shelter.

 

Hygiene:

 

1. Where am I going to deposit body waste as time progresses?
2. Waste must be buried at least 12” underground, preferable deeper.
3. The latrine area must be downwind from your shelter and cooking by 200’.
4. Make a crude outhouse if you can out of debris or native brush wrapped in plastic.
5. If you have shovel or dig sticks, dig a hole 3’ deep for outhouse.
6. Only human waste goes in OH hole.
7. Food waste can be used for traps and snare lines.

 

Survival demands:

 

1. A great amount of effort, both physical, and emotional, but also spiritual.
2. Bring GOD to the situation first thing as a way of grounding your thoughts.
3. “God has not given you a mind of Fear, but a mind of Peace.”
4. Use your imagination to improvise as your situation goes along.
5. Don’t second guess your decisions once they are made.
6. Make decisions instead of analysis paralysis.
7. Prepare before disaster strikes by expecting the worst that can happen.
8. As you train you develop the physical and emotional skills to make it through.
9. When things exceed your abilities, bring GOD into the picture again.

 

Remember STUFF happens and it can happen to you at any time.  Just admitting this can be the deciding factor of whether fear and panic get the upper hand as you traverse the event. Training before gives you knowledge that empowers you to make decisions that will be much better for your long term survival.  Only you can decide to prepare and train. Remember knowledge is something no one can take from you.

 

That is why we say the phrase, “When the going get Rough, the Ready get going”.  Stay safe.