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One aspect of our lives that can take us out and render even the most prepared of preppers useless is our mental health. Very few people have ever experienced a long duration high stress environment to test their mental strength. The incredible men and women of the military may be among the elite few who can attest to how their mental health might survive in a post TEOTWAWKI environment. Police, first responders, EMS personnel, and firefighters may have a glimpse into what it takes to survive mentally in high stress environments; however, those stressful events, even the most complicated are short lived in comparison to the amount of time we may have to live in a post TEOTWAWKI environment.

So what type of stresses are we really talking about and how bad can it really affect me? Answering these questions we must be very general since the stress of having to use a 5 gallon bucket as a toilet may tax some, while another may not show the signs of stress taxing on their mental stamina until after months or even years of enduring chronic stressful situations. Textbooks define stress as a negative force that adversely impacts your mental, emotional, or physical well being. So stresses can be anything and potentially everything in a post TEOTWAWKI environment. The stresses we can be certain of are a lack of some if not all modern conveniences that we have today, changes in our daily routines, guard duty shifts, death, potentially having to take someone’s life, and so many more. Most of these stresses- in our very nature as preppers-we are not only ready for but may actually look forward too. But one question remains, does everyone in our group feel the same way? The impact that stress and chronic stressful situations have on our body is astounding. Stress has significant impact on the immune system, making it more likely for someone under stress to become ill or injured. Long duration stress can cause a bunch of different chronic medical problems such as asthma, chronic pain, high blood pressure, bowel disorders, and many more. Most of these problems are due to long term secretion of the hormones and chemicals our bodies produce during stressful “fight or flight situations.” Not to mention chronic stress decreases the body’s ability to heal. It may even effect a child’s development which has been shown through studies of children growing up in abusive environments.

What can be done to ready oneself for the mental and emotional drain of a post TEOTWAWKI environment? As Mr. Rawles and countless others suggest, take a class. There are many different resources out there that can help educate you or someone in your group to be able to identify of signs and symptoms of chronic harmful stress, ways to mediate that stress, and if necessary basic treatment for individuals suffering from disorders associated with stress. Most classes are labeled as Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM). If you are unable to take a course, please accept the warning that a stressful or traumatic situations may render the best prepper useless, here are a few ways to prevent stress from destroying you and your compound from the inside.

The symptoms associated with stress that may wipe out our abilities to compensate come in a few flavors: emotional, cognitive, physical, and behavioral. Emotional symptoms hover around a general negative attitude towards others and oneself; moodiness, depression, agitation, or just generally overwhelmed. Cognitive symptoms vary between memory problems, negative thinking, judgment errors, and even constant anxiety. Identification of these symptoms in our lives might be as easy as realizing we just walked into a room for the third time and still did not get what we needed. It may be as difficult as the person pulling night watch with you constantly saying he sees people moving and then randomly opening fire. (Think of Steve Buscemi’s character in the movie Armageddon as he broke down mentally and started randomly opening fire in outer space.) Physical symptoms manifest themselves in aches and pains, illnesses, headaches, lack of sex drive, or change in bowel habits. These symptoms are generally easier to identify since most of us can admit to feeling “run down.” Behavioral symptoms can be some of the worst, and may be more instantly harmful to your group than the rest. Behavioral changes may manifest as a person eating more or less than usual, isolating themselves, procrastination, sleeping more or not sleeping enough, adoption of nervous habits (taping, nail biting, et cetera.), and use of alcohol, tobacco, or drugs to relax. These symptoms are rare for someone to identify in one’s own self, and even more difficult to get the person assistance. The main key for symptom identification is to be honest with yourself and those around you, watch each other carefully, and use humility and grace in dealing with the effected person. No one is immune to the effects of stress.

There will be no way to prevent the stress or the traumatic events from occurring but preventing the buildup and accumulation of stress over time may aid in a healthy compound. Prevention may not be something that will work for everyone; however it will work for most. The best suggestion modern research has to offer is Pollyanna; yes, the 1960s movie put out by Disney; but before the movie was ever played on the big screen there was a series of books known as the “Glad Books” written by Eleanor H. Porter. Now you don’t have to go out and read them from cover to cover, or watch the movie a dozen times to see the hidden meaning. The takeaway idea that pertains to us is to employ a positive outlook on life and whatever circumstance may be thrown at you. This does not mean you should be looking at every situation as “it could have been worse,” but rather finding the good in each event and generally being positive about everything that comes your way. There is scientific evidence to suggest a mere smile from one person in a similar environment to another can decrease stress. Hugs, expressing gratitude, actively listening to others, and prayer may be some of the strongest preventative medicine that can be prescribed. In addition you may want to consider a stock pile of board games, the sillier the better; the idea here is to laugh. If you have the power to spare for playing humorous movies or recorded television shows may help as well, try to stay with basic humor like the cartoons most of us grew up with that still make us smile. Prevention with positivity will help immensely. However, there will be circumstances or events that can level anyone. In those circumstances treatment may be the only option.

As a family or group the most important thing you can do is to allow the person or persons involved to just talk. Listen carefully, and do not hurry them. Obviously this will depend on the circumstances but they should be encouraged to talk about what happened within 24-48 hours of the event. Try not to offer advice, only listen. The last thing someone wants to hear is how it should have been handled differently; they may come to that conclusion themselves or seek advice regarding how to handle it better as time progresses. Stay away from phrases like “it could have been worse,” and stick to ones like “I am so glad you are uninjured.” Lastly and probably the most important is to pray for the person, and let them know that you care enough for them that are on the forefront of your mind.

If the person is you, know that the feelings you are experiencing are normal. The reoccurring thoughts and dreams are normal and over time will decrease in frequency. Talk to people about what happened. Don’t hold things in, but rather let out your fears and feelings about the event or events that unfolded. Spend time with others doing activities, or helping them with their daily chores. Make sure you take time for yourself to journal, pray, read God’s word, or just meditate. Maintaining your general health will be very important, get enough exercise. Even pushups, sit ups, and air squats done with intensity can make a great workout in a post TEOTWAWKI environment. Get adequate rest, and if not you may want to consider some type of sleep aids that will be discussed later. Hydrate and eat properly, stay away from junk food and alcohol; mainly because they will not allow you to sleep well, and will not aid in your general health.

Lastly, if the above is not working you may want to consider an alternative remedy for anxiety and depression which will probably be the most common disorder faced in this environment. The advice that follows is for a situation where all medical services are no longer available and should not be used currently in place of treatment by a medical provider. Since most people will not be able to store large quantities of prescription medications used for treating the acute onset of mental illnesses; the suggestion would be to stock up on a few of the herbal remedies known to be affective. If you are already taking medications for chronic medical problems or nursing it would be wise to consult your primary care provider to see if any of these medications would interact poorly with the herbal remedies suggested. There are quite a few prescription medications that I give on a routine basis; just like prescription medications, the effects of herbal remedies are dependent on an individual. Outlined here are only a few basic herbs available out of the numerous herbal remedies that could be taken, it would be best to consult a more complete herbal remedy guide for all of the possibilities. As well as work with your primary care provider to see which one may work best for you.  

St. John’s Wort: There has been a lot written about this herb over the years. The basics are that it contains a compound that acts on chemical receptors in the nervous system to regulate mood. This would make it effective for most people dealing with mild to moderate depression. Be careful when taking this herb to take only the recommended dose since it can be toxic in large amounts. Also, wear sunscreen if taking is since it makes your skin more susceptible to burning.

Valerian Root: An herb used primarily as a sleep aid or for relaxation. Valerian has been shown to have sedative effects and may be helpful for treating nervous disorders as well. Please remember that this herb is considered a tranquilizer, so individuals using this medication may not be the best choice to operate heavy equipment or a gun. [JWR Adds: Unlike many other sleep aids, Valerian is not habit-forming. It is also a great muscle relaxant, with proven effect in treating muscle spasms. It has saved me from a lot of back pain over the years.]

Siberian Ginseng: Not to be confused with the more common Ginseng. Siberian Ginseng shows anti-fatigue and anti-depression properties. As well as being useful in treating adrenal fatigue that may be present in someone subjected to long duration of fight or flight (or too many energy drinks).
I normally do not recommend over the counter sleep aids since most can be habit forming, but if nothing seems to be helping getting the needed rest you desire you can always try Benadryl. These medications mentioned above work best if they are only taken when needed. They should not be something you add as a prophylactic to your daily regimen.

While it is always important to do self-study in areas where knowledge lacks; it is especially important in this area, even if your group contains a clinician that is able to deal with these circumstances. What if they become a victim instead of the rescuer? Stay positive, keep your mental health strong, your resources abundant, and your compound cannot fail from the inside.