Crisis Center

How societies and individuals deal with disaster

John A. Call, Ph.D., J.D., A.B.P.P. is a forensic psychologist, an attorney, and president of Crisis Management Consultants, Inc. For more information visit crisisinc.com See full bio

July 20, 2008, Anxiety

Developing the Survival Attitude: Part 2 of 3

Perfecting your survival attitude.

Part 1 of this blog gave several ideas on how your way of thinking can work for you in a disaster situation. This part will continue with more tips on perfecting your "survival attitude."

*Develop a Plan B for your situation. It can be hard to think clearly in a disaster, so having a backup plan is of the utmost importance. Make sure it is specific, so you will know when to use it. For example, if you are lost in a forest and your plan is to walk in a northerly direction to get out of the forest, have a Plan B that says you will backtrack and then try a different direction if you don't find your way out by a certain time.

*Keep your denial in check. Since it is human nature to think that a disaster could never happen to us, it is important to make sure you are thinking realistically about the situation. In the example of being lost in the forest, denying that you are lost is not going to help you, but only hinder your chances of getting out. Learn to see things how they really are and not just how you want them to be.

*Trust your instincts about people. Be sure not to get into a tough situation with someone you don't feel comfortable with. Often our instincts tell us a lot about a situation, and we should listen to our own signals. In other words, don't go hiking in a forest with someone you don't trust.

*Keep your cool when things go wrong. Most people will usually become upset when a situation goes downhill, but keeping your emotions in check can be vital. If you do get stressed out in small situations, stress can take its toll on your mind and body. Practice keeping calm in your daily routines so you'll be more prepared to stay calm when you really need to.