BASIC SURVIVAL STRESSORS
Stressors are events which cause stress. They can occur one by one or simultaneously. In a wilderness survival situation the latter is much more probable. There is a great need for a survivor to differentiate between stress and stressors to be able to get through a survival situation. As a stressor occurs, body subconsciously prepares itself to deal with expected danger. I happens every day to everyone – at school, at work, during vacation. Whenever something unexpected occurs, the body starts to prepare itself to ”fight or flee” – it releases stored fuels (sugar and fats) to provide quick energy, breathing rate increases to supply more oxygen to the blood, muscle tension increases to prepare for action, blood clotting mechanisms are activated to reduce bleeding from cuts, senses become more acute (hearing becomes more sensitive, eyes bigger and smell sharper) so that you are more aware of your surrounding, and heart rate and blood pressure rise to provide more blood to the muscles. In everyday life one often do not notice this reaction, yet in a survival situation, where there are many serious stressors, the ”fight or flee” reaction is much stronger. This may be positive, because such protective posture lets a person cope with potential dangers. However, a person cannot maintain such a level of alertness indefinitely.
As stressors add up, the body's resistance to stress wears down. If the sources of stress continue to last (or increase), eventually a state of exhaustion arrives. At a certain point, the ability to resist stress or use it in a positive way gives out and signs of distress appear. To manage stress effectively, you will need to anticipate stressors and develop strategies to cope with them. It is therefore essential that you are aware of the types of stressors that you may encounter during a survival situation. Let's take a look at a few of these:
Survival Stressor – Injury, Illness, or Death
Injury, illness, and death are real possibilities a survivor has to face in a survival situation. Alone in an unfamiliar environment, where you could die from cold, hunger, from an accident or eating something lethal you are in an extremely stressful situation. Illness and injury can also add to your stress by limiting the ability to maneuver, get food and drink, find shelter, and defend yourself. Even if illness and injury are not lethal, they add to stress through the pain and discomfort they generate. You have to control stress associated with vulnerability to injury, illness, and death to be able to cope. Also, the more you know about first aid in survival conditions, the more confident you will be. It is advisable to train first aid whenever possible.
Survival Stressor – Uncertainty and Lack of Control
A survival situation is one where you have limited control of your surroundings and of events. You are often forced to operate having limited information on your environment, position etc. The only guarantee in a survival situation is that nothing is guaranteed. This very often causes stress. Uncertainty and lack of control add to the stress of being ill, injured, or killed. Having trust in your senses and wits is the best way to cope with this stressor.
Survival Stressor – Environment
Even under the most ideal circumstances, nature is quite formidable. In survival, you will have to contend with the stressors of weather, terrain, and the variety of creatures inhabiting an area. Heat, cold, rain, winds, mountains, swamps, deserts, insects, dangerous reptiles, and other animals are just a few of the challenges awaiting for you while you work to survive. Depending on how well will you cope with stress of your environment, your surroundings can be either a source of food and protection or can be a cause of extreme discomfort leading to injury, illness, or even death. You have to remember that wherever you are, you are most certainly in an environment that can support human life – almost every place on earth can. YOU CAN USE THE ENVIRONMENT TO HELP YOU IN SURVIVAL!
Survival Stressors – Hunger and Thirst
Thirst and hunger are great survival stressors. They may not only cause distress, but are actually important signals of your body's needs. You need to work towards satisfying them – especially you need do drink water. If you do not have water, you cannot eat, as water is required in digesting. Yet, no matter how thirsty would you be or how hungry, you have to act carefully. Water or food you obtain may be poisonous and may cause you great harm. You have to take every effort to ensure that what you eat or drink is safe.
Survival Stressor – Fatigue
As you grow more tired, forcing yourself to continue surviving is not easy. It is possible to become so fatigued that the act of just staying awake is stressful in itself. Plan ahead so that you are able to get some rest when you need it. When you are extremely tired your actions become careless an you risk injury and death.
Survival Stressor – Isolation
Finding yourself alone in a survival situation may be extremely stressful. Most of us are used to acting in groups or at least to interaction with other people. When left alone, not able to confront your opinions or gain support from other you may be subject to high stress. Nevertheless, you should focus on your task – survival, and have trust and faith in yourself. Remember – the more you know, the greater self-confidence and chances of survival.
The survival stressors mentioned in this section are by no means the only ones you may face. Remember - what is stressful to one person may not be stressful to another. Your experiences, training, personal outlook on life, physical and mental conditioning, and level of self-confidence contribute to what you will find stressful in a survival environment. The object is not to avoid stress, but rather to manage the stressors of survival and make them work for you.
Know the sressors – learn about your reactions that you may have to cope with during your fight for survival.