Psychological Preparation

Most of the members of these forums will be prepping logistically, and in some cases physically, to deal with situations that might threaten their survival. But can we also prepare psychologically?

To some extent we already are, simply by recognising and accepting that there might be threats we will have to face. You are already overcoming the Denial that is one of the major causes of other people not prepping and that limits their ability to react effectively, and you are accepting personal responsibility for the survival of yourself and your group, so overcoming another obstacle. And the knowledge that the stores you build up are there should be a major boost to your positive psychological state too, whether or not they are ever needed.

One of the initial reactions experienced by people affected by a disaster or sudden emergency is shock. The immediate physical effect is for people to freeze in place. That immobility might be fleeting for most but for the unprepared it can be so pronounced that they will stay where they are and die when they could have escaped, unless somebody helps them. This reaction is caused by the brain’s unwillingness to accept the sudden change in circumstances and the threat it poses. It can even be present, though in a different form, when the event is not dramatic like an explosion, but presented as an unfolding news story. Then the person might not be physically immobile but unwilling to accept and therefore react to the danger. If they are already prone to denial the effect will be enhanced.

This period of inability or unwillingness to react is often followed by one of confusion and reduced cognitive ability. There might be difficulty in understanding basic instructions, of retaining information and making reasoned decisions. Some people also become irritable or even extremely angry during this phase. The anger might be directed at themselves, authority, God, or turned on anyone close by, for the slightest reason. It is something to watch for in yourself and others. Also related is apparently stupid behaviour, such as vandalism. Sometimes this is simply someone smashing something in frustration; sometimes it is a part of denial, often by youths in ignorance of or unwillingness to accept the reality and extent of the danger.

However, sometimes damage is deliberate. In the recent floods in the UK there were cases of people filling many containers with water, then damaging the water bowsers or contaminating the remaining contents, before offering their filled containers for sale at inflated prices. Greed isn’t a psychological reaction to disaster but it can certainly be a factor that is encountered, as can rape, robbery and violence. Expecting that some people will take advantage of an emergency for their own ends, can limit their shock value and help you to deal more effectively with their threat.

However, if a survivor gets past the shock and anger, but while the confusion still remains, their realisation that they need to do something might result in frantic, uncoordinated and even counter productive activity. That wastes energy and resources and can bring further danger to themselves and others. Two commonly observed instances of this reaction are: someone panicking and trying to fight their way through other people trying to escape, causing them to fight back and thus delaying everyone’s exit; or a survivor desperately clambering over the wreckage of a house after an earthquake, hauling on timbers and throwing debris about as they try to reach trapped family members. Although understandable, not only are they putting themselves in danger but their weight and activity can cause the wreckage to collapse, crushing people who might otherwise have been saved.

So, what steps can we take to prepare psychologically in order to prevent ourselves being affected by immobilisation, confusion and counterproductive activity?

The first thing is to expose your mind to the sort of events that might happen. Unless you have no choice, the safe way to do this is vicariously. Reading or watching fictional accounts of disaster and survival can help, but news reports and documentaries can be far more valuable. There is a debate elsewhere on the forum as to whether and when children should get this type of exposure, but for adults it is an almost mandatory, if not always pleasant step towards preparation. You could also become a emergency response volunteer with an organisation, such as the Red Cross or St Johns Ambulance. These organisations have a great deal of experience in real disasters over many generations and their training materials and methods can be very instructive. They also run or participate in exercises that can help you prepare. These are often realistic enough that arrangements are made to de-role volunteers at the end of the exercise and counselling is provided for anyone who needs it.

After you become accustomed to seeing, reading and thinking about the nastier side of life, your ability to react logically to it is greatly enhanced. This is akin to the way that a punch in the face causes a reaction way beyond its physical damage to someone who isn’t used to it, whereas it would be almost ignored by a seasoned boxer. You come to know what to expect and it is therefore not such a shock. And having a tarp and sleeping bag is one thing, but experiencing a winter’s night using them will give you a far better appreciation than your imagination ever will, of what it would really be like if you had no choice, and lessen the effect that reality will have when you are also dealing with many other traumas.

For bigger events, even if the reality is worse than you expected, your preparations will mean that you already know what you have to do, might have done many of those things already, and therefore even if you experience some of the confusion and numbness it will have far less effect than if you were only then starting to try to think about it. The jobs you have done will be many of the essential ones, and perhaps you will have a prioritised list of things still to do, which will help to overcome the urge for manic and uncoordinated activity. Also, simply knowing that you have the knowledge of what to do and many of your logistics already sorted, should promote considerable confidence, and lower stress levels.

Many members of LSG will have gone down this route and will enjoy these benefits if the time comes for a real emergency. For immediate incidents, it has already been mentioned elsewhere that you can make the same psychological preparations by, for example, always checking where the exits are in unfamiliar buildings, noting escape routes and landmarks to help get to them if your vision is impaired by dust or smoke or darkness. Preppers are the ones who read the emergency information and watch the demonstration on an aeroplane. But we don’t stop there; we watch the people between us and the exit, consider how they are likely to react and whether they will be a help or a hazard; count the number of seats between us and the door; make sure we can actually find the life vest under our seat. In a hotel we read the fire instructions on the back of the door; prefer a room on the ground floor and windows that can be opened; carry a door wedge or security lock and a proximity alarm and, most importantly, think about what we will do if it goes off; and many other things.

There is a game called ‘What if?’ some of us play constantly. This takes many forms but you might be on a train and ask yourself ‘What would I do if I hear on the radio that a dirty bomb has gone off where I am heading … or where I live?’ ‘What would I do I’m in the toilet at work, on the tenth floor, with my day bag at my desk, and the fire alarm goes off?’ ‘I’m driving down the motorway. It’s starting to snow. What would I do if the road ahead becomes blocked and I can’t get to an off ramp?’ You can extend this to other people, asking them the question. E.g. ‘We’re out here hill walking. What would you do if I fell and broke my leg?’

Psychological preparation for survival is a case of developing your ability and confidence to cope with emergencies. It can remove or at least limit many of an emergency’s psychological effects. But without it, even extensive logistical or physical preparation will be devalued and might be wasted completely. You might want to consider whether it is something to which you should give more time.