herself should she end up in such a situation. Clearly, she was defeated
from the start. She would be much better off thinking something like this:
If this trip falls apart, I know I can make it out of here. Heck, I’ll be a hero and
even write a book about it! Now that’s confidence.
Stress and Stressors
MOSTOFUSHAVEUTTEREDTHEWORDS “I AM SO STRESSED!” at one point
or another. Stress is a given in the modernday world, but there are
few stressors felt as acutely as those you’ll face when alone in a survival
situation.
Despite the pressure it heaps upon our shoulders, stress can some
times be a beneficial force. Stressors can stimulate us to perform at our
peak level, giving us the chance not only to take advantage of our strengths
but to work on our weaknesses. But stress can be as destructive as it is con
structive. Too much of it can lead to distress, an unhealthy condition that
may turn to panic.
Like the emotions I discuss later in this chapter, the key to succeeding
in a survival situation is confronting and managing the stressors you may
face. These are many and varied, and include injury and illness, hunger,
thirst, the environment, cold or heat, lack of knowledge, fatigue, or negative
group dynamics, boredom and depression, loneliness and isolation, a gen
eral lack of control, and of course, death.
Each of these needs to be acknowledged, confronted, and dealt with.
Remember that when you’re fighting for your life, you don’t want any dis
advantages at all. If there are any facing you, you can’t sweep them aside.
In a survival situation, there’s no ignoring and no procrastinating.
Now What? Assessing and Prioritizing
YOU MAY BE STRESSED, SCARED, PANICK Y, UPSET, LONELY, and perhaps even
humiliated. Don’t worry; this will pass. Let it pass right now. Relax and
know that you have what it takes to get through this. Don’t focus on what
is beyond your control.
Psychological Aspects of Survival (^) | 41