The psychology of survival

[Metal mug]

One thing that is hasn't been mentioned on the site is the power of positive thinking. You could be perfectly set up for a survival situation but end up dead if you have a pessimistic attitude. Where as a positive person could be given next to nothing but still survive for as long as it takes to get rescued. It's an interesting subject and it makes you wonder how many people have died needlessly because of negative thoughts. As Oddball out of Kelly's Heroes might say, "Knock it off with the negative waves." :)

[RobbC]

I totally agree, the power of positive thinking is immense. The most important thing in survival is to not let things get you down. plus if you have a positive attitude you are more likely to think clearly and make use of your suroundings.

Robb

[basicbushcraft]

i agree lads a positive mental attitude is the key in any survival situation to pull you through problems what will affect your chances such as anxiety,stress,depression etc

[bigzee]

I thinks it's important in those situations to keep busy and be actively doing something useful, rather than sitting round thinking and dwelling on "what if...?" That's so much easier when you have useful information in your brain to work with, and why bushcraft sites, courses, TV programmes etc. are of such great value. Not only are they interesting, useful in everyday situations, and can be money-saving, but they could be life-saving.

[jus_young]

i agree lads a positive mental attitude is the key in any survival situation to pull you through problems what will affect your chances such as anxiety,stress,depression etc

This sounds like me and my job! Got to be time for a lifestyle change

[comanighttrain]

Reasons not to be depressed in a survival situation

1) day off work
2) no wife

[Metal mug]

Reasons not to be depressed in a survival situation

1) day off work
2) no wifeSo very true! :)

[Marvell]

Are you sitting comfortably? Here's a story I use on courses ...

An American Airforce pilot put his plane down in Greenland, in the snow. The next day, the rescue crew found the plane. There was a set of footprints that went out a half mile from the plane then round in a circle and back. The pilot was sat in the cockpit, cigar stubbed out on the dash, his service revolver in his hand and bullet hole in his head. He was survival trained, he was wearing his down flying suit and the plane was equipped with a life raft and a survival kit. This poor chap clearly lacked the will.

[comanighttrain]

Are you sitting comfortably? Here's a story I use on courses ...

An American Airforce pilot put his plane down in Greenland, in the snow. The next day, the rescue crew found the plane. There was a set of footprints that went out a half mile from the plane then round in a circle and back. The pilot was sat in the cockpit, cigar stubbed out on the dash, his service revolver in his hand and bullet hole in his head. He was survival trained, he was wearing his down flying suit and the plane was equipped with a life raft and a survival kit. This poor chap clearly lacked the will.

man thats odd...

[Marvell]

You might think he might get that way after a couple of weeks of nobody coming with him running out of food, but ONE DAY?! Come on!

[Metal mug]

Are you sitting comfortably? Here's a story I use on courses ...

An American Airforce pilot put his plane down in Greenland, in the snow. The next day, the rescue crew found the plane. There was a set of footprints that went out a half mile from the plane then round in a circle and back. The pilot was sat in the cockpit, cigar stubbed out on the dash, his service revolver in his hand and bullet hole in his head. He was survival trained, he was wearing his down flying suit and the plane was equipped with a life raft and a survival kit. This poor chap clearly lacked the will.Shame, if the plane had a mini bar onboard he might of survived.

[comanighttrain]

You might think he might get that way after a couple of weeks of nobody coming with him running out of food, but ONE DAY?! Come on!

lol its bad to laugh but...i mean come on man, he must have known on some level they would come looking for their plane

[Ben Casey]

It is quite easy to understand as some people just give up and die. I know of one story where a beginner to scuba diving was left on the outside of a wreck in Scapa Flow he just sat there underwater and died all he had to do was to swim about 20 -30 meters and he would have been ok when they found him I think his lungs had no water in so he dry drowned.

[comanighttrain]

Ahh yeah that could be an authority reaction though...like the instructor said wait here... I read one experiment where an actor pretended to be in excruciating pain which increased as a dial was turned, people would keep turning the the dial as long as the "doctor" said it was ok

[Marvell]

That was The Milgram Experiment. Horrific!

[Edwin]

Look at the Raft of the Medusa http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Raft_of_the_Medusa to see how the mental can overcome the sane. Oddly though despite the pessimism of governments everywhere about selfish behaviour in crises most populations in dire situations do behave with altruism and restraint.

[Realearner]

Are you sitting comfortably? Here's a story I use on courses ...

An American Airforce pilot put his plane down in Greenland, in the snow. The next day, the rescue crew found the plane. There was a set of footprints that went out a half mile from the plane then round in a circle and back. The pilot was sat in the cockpit, cigar stubbed out on the dash, his service revolver in his hand and bullet hole in his head. He was survival trained, he was wearing his down flying suit and the plane was equipped with a life raft and a survival kit. This poor chap clearly lacked the will.

Probably looked and could not find a take away,

[andy202wr]

Positive
Mental
Atitude

all the way

[Pryderi]

Hi
Thought I would break my duck and make my first post

There is a good book called Deep Survival about mental attitude and why some people survive and some don't. The bits about how some "experts" managed to shuffle off this mortal coil were really surprising and eye opening.

If you haven't read it I would recommend it I should stress its a not a "how to" book but you should get some ideas for adopting an attitude which will help rather than hinder.

Amazon link
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Deep-Survival-Who-Lives-Dies/dp/0393326152/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1312548678&sr=8-1
Great forums btw

[jus_young]

Hi
Thought I would break my duck and make my first post

There is a good book called Deep Survival about mental attitude and why some people survive and some don't. The bits about how some "experts" managed to shuffle off this mortal coil were really surprising and eye opening.

If you haven't read it I would recommend it I should stress its a not a "how to" book but you should get some ideas for adopting an attitude which will help rather than hinder.

Amazon link
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Deep-Survival-Who-Lives-Dies/dp/0393326152/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1312548678&sr=8-1
Great forums btw

Hi Pryderi, welcome to Natural Bushcraft. As a hello to the other good folk here introduce yourself on this thread http://www.naturalbushcraft.co.uk/forum/forumdisplay.php?37-Introduce-Yourself-amp-Welcome-to-the-Community!

Hope you enjoy your time here, but a casual warning - it can be a little addictive!

[Edwin]

Although accounts of how people survived are interesting, inspiring etc and information on what resources the human mind and brain can draw on in extremis might be valuable I see a logical flaw in such books. An analogy is with those "How to study" books. These have a limited use in pointing out the obvious in terms of organising oneself but if one could follow all their precepts then one is able to study and concentrate anyway so have no need of such a book.

How is such a book to turn a headless chicken into a cool, calm and collected survivor? The best advice I have ever read on, for example, the subject of getting lost was in Kephart's Camping and Woodcraft. If you feel you are lost in the woods then sit down, stop, think.

After all has any purchaser of "How to win friends and influence people" ever made any friends and influenced anybody?

[Realearner]

It is quite easy to understand as some people just give up and die. I know of one story where a beginner to scuba diving was left on the outside of a wreck in Scapa Flow he just sat there underwater and died all he had to do was to swim about 20 -30 meters and he would have been ok when they found him I think his lungs had no water in so he dry drowned.

Hi there, I find this one to be more of a bad story, being an ex diving instructor, the first rule is never leave a student diver alone. If the story is true then it was bad instruction.
But as posted elsewhere on this thread the human mind is a very strange bit of kit.

[Selfmadeboys88]

Are you sitting comfortably? Here's a story I use on courses ...

An American Airforce pilot put his plane down in Greenland, in the snow. The next day, the rescue crew found the plane. There was a set of footprints that went out a half mile from the plane then round in a circle and back. The pilot was sat in the cockpit, cigar stubbed out on the dash, his service revolver in his hand and bullet hole in his head. He was survival trained, he was wearing his down flying suit and the plane was equipped with a life raft and a survival kit. This poor chap clearly lacked the will.

Wow, Probably taking that walk around didnt help. Just seeing the vastness probably really hurt his will.

[bushcraftboy]

It's incredibly important if you find yourself in a survival situation to think positive because you have the power to survive if you do. But if you keep thinking to yourself "I'm gonna die", then you probably will...

[nilo52]

one thing that is hasn't been mentioned on the site is the power of positive thinking. You could be perfectly set up for a survival situation but end up dead if you have a pessimistic attitude. Where as a positive person could be given next to nothing but still survive for as long as it takes to get rescued. It's an interesting subject and it makes you wonder how many people have died needlessly because of negative thoughts. As oddball out of kelly's heroes might say, "knock it off with the negative waves." :)
love that movie

[nilo52]

CRAPGAME would BUY his way out

HillBilly would just deal with it by making do

Kelly would save everyone

[David_JAFO]

hello,
Crapgame "Make him a Deal Deal.." one of the best War Movie OST :wink:
Regards
David
Ps.The link for the OST was up but had to remove it :oops: