Dealing with depression in an emergency or situation.

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bored2deth

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Feb 27, 2011
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Now, I know I have talked alot about surviving homelessness, the wilds, urban areas..but there is an often little spoken of aspect. Depression. In a situation of emergency, wether lost, homeless, injured out far away from help..depression can and will set in. Depression leads into despair..will lead to panic, poor choices, and much worse. It can even make you feel weak, weighted, even lethargic. It can literally suck the will to live from you. In an already bleak situation, it can take it to devastating.

There are ways to deal with it, to cope.. Various ways. If you are alone, a picture of your family or friends. Although, that can actually backfire. Whistling or humming an upbeat tune, often this can occupy the mind. Make a game of throwing stones or sticks, while keeping a score and trying to beat it. To keep the mind positively, rather than negatively occupied, is the means to keep depression at bay. Once its allowed to set in, its like getting rid of a professional moocher.. Keeping the mind occupied is key. Even setting small goals and tasks, a simple routine can even help,

If you are amongst others, a group song, (which annoys the hell out of me personally lol), can often work for a group of people. With a group, tasks and routine can help to keep folks occupied and focused. Small goals can help maintain good spirits and morale. This can be important even more so in a group, as despair can lead to group lethargy, confrontations, panic, and even violence. Keeping the mind occupied is key.

For the homeless..depression and despair are a daily thing, a daily struggle. Those I have known have gotten through it the same way I have described above..keeping the mind occupied. For some..even a smile can help. Thats what the sign of a girl to whom I gave my jacket read, "Need help please..even just a smile will help". It does. Smiling, when youre down, does indeed help. Thats one of the ways I got through it.
 
There is much to be learned on this topic from how Shackleton led his men while they were stranded in the Antarctic. And you bring up many of the strategies that he used.
 
I always went with the idea of having small goals throughout the day to just keeping myself busy. But it's usually in the late hours of the day when there is nothing to do that drepression is most likley to take root. At least that's from my own personal experience through my own ordeal with depression.
 
I.N.F.K said:
I always went with the idea of having small goals throughout the day to just keeping myself busy. But it's usually in the late hours of the day when there is nothing to do that drepression is most likley to take root. At least that's from my own personal experience through my own ordeal with depression.
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I still deal with depression on a daily basis. Sharing skills and opinions here helps me with that somewhat. There is always someone with a harder or crumbier life, thats what I have always told myself.
 
Everyone is wired differently, but as for myself, when a serious emergency or survival situation arises, I automatically go into a "deal with this first" mode and don't consider depression or other moods as an option. Logic rules every time. At least so far. I don't know how to tell someone to establish that as a pattern for themselves. Except to recognize anxiety for what it is and put it aside.
 
Set goals for yourself daily, weekly, monthly and so forth..... but of course it can be depressing to never achieve you goals. So lower your sights a bit and set new goals that are practical and achievable.

In an emergency situation, I tend to try to focus on what needs to get done and try to accomplish those objectives. Basic needs need to be addressed and sometimes quickly. No time for depression. Get depressed later.
 
Sorry for the off topic question, but I.N.F.K, have you ever been to Highland County? I live about 2 hours away from Roanoke.

On topic: I agree that setting little goals or playing games with yourself is probably the best option.
 
22-rimfire said:
Set goals for yourself daily, weekly, monthly and so forth..... but of course it can be depressing to never achieve you goals. So lower your sights a bit and set new goals that are practical and achievable.

In an emergency situation, I tend to try to focus on what needs to get done and try to accomplish those objectives. Basic needs need to be addressed and sometimes quickly. No time for depression. Get depressed later.
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thats essentially what I do, but its in the downtime, when the brain is allowed to wanDer, that it can set in. I tend to keep a level head in emergencies, but when I think too much, it can get to me.
 
Noswad0208 said:
Sorry for the off topic question, but I.N.F.K, have you ever been to Highland County? I live about 2 hours away from Roanoke.
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Can't say I have, I do a lot a traveling with my work. But I think the furthest I have been that way was when I was in Hot Springs doing work for The Homestead Resort.
 
I.N.F.K said:
Can't say I have, I do a lot a traveling with my work. But I think the furthest I have been that way was when I was in Hot Springs doing work for The Homestead Resort.
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Pretty close then. Lots of family works at the Homestead. I suppose if you're depressed in the wilderness around here you can just stumble around until you find a resort tucked away in a holler :D.
 
How you think is how you feel. It depends on which end of the spectrum you decide to focus on. I force myself to review the gifts that life has given me and experience gratitude for them, particularly when going through a rough patch. And life certainly has its rough patches regardless of location. I can change my perspective if I chose to with a simple gratitude review, unless I feel like rolling in self pity, which of course is unhealthy long term. And may even get you killed in the bush.
 
sceletium tortuosum. I've heard of this herb saving people's minds and lives. Maybe something to look into.
 
Survival is what we all do every day of our lives. There may not be the sort of high drama worthy of article in an outdoor magazine, but we all face serious life and death struggles with jobs, family, friends, illness and ocassionaly intrussive strangers. Those who have trouble dealing with depression have brought that handicap with them to the situation as they would any other handicap. You either set your priorities and deal with it, or you give up and throw in the towel. It is the same choice that we make when we decide to get out of bed every morning to face the world.

n2s
 
I once read, that the many people who are lost in the wilderness die of shame. This was way before the movie ," The Edge'" .
 
Codger_64 said:
Everyone is wired differently, but as for myself, when a serious emergency or survival situation arises, I automatically go into a "deal with this first" mode and don't consider depression or other moods as an option. Logic rules every time. At least so far. I don't know how to tell someone to establish that as a pattern for themselves. Except to recognize anxiety for what it is and put it aside.
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Same as me.
Depression comes after the rough things.
 
I read a lot. Most of it these days is for fun. Keep that brain functioning. Hobbies or multiple hobbies help. Participating in active things helps, even hiking. But simply hiking is not good enough. You have to occupy your mind beyond putting one foot in front of another. Learn about trees, plants, geology... there are all kinds of things to think about and learn about. It is a quite remarkable world we live in as long as you have your basic needs covered.
 
As has been mentioned, knowing you are prone to it is half the battle. Building your coping mechanisms now gives you tools later, and will affect your priorities (food, sleep, things to avoid). I have no idea what that's like since its never been a problem for me. I don't know if there is any proof that the two are linked, but I would not be surprised if there was a relationship between chronic depression and a greater risk of post critical incident stress. Again, another set of coping mechanisms to develop. The initial reaction is to opt for distraction, but that only delays the inevitable. Being mindful of your own thoughts is not comfortable for most of us, but much more important for those who might be headed downhill. I hope that makes some sense. Although there is no good evidence for mindfulness and meditation (kinda hard to do a blinded test) It is probably still better than a lot of other options.


Just be real careful with mixing herbs and such with other meds. do your research, and use them if you feel they work, but some can have some really nasty side effects. Personally I don't trust anyone selling sticks and leaves to be fully honest, be it with claims, or actual product.
 
not2sharp said:
Survival is what we all do every day of our lives. There may not be the sort of high drama worthy of article in an outdoor magazine, but we all face serious life and death struggles with jobs, family, friends, illness and ocassionaly intrussive strangers. Those who have trouble dealing with depression have brought that handicap with them to the situation as they would any other handicap. You either set your priorities and deal with it, or you give up and throw in the towel. It is the same choice that we make when we decide to get out of bed every morning to face the world.

n2s
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I agree with your points here that we are, who we are no matter where we are.

Do the doable is my motto! No matter how small the task, do something to improve your or anthers condition in your party.

I also recommend reading about Shackleton if you are really into the lost in the middle of no where training. Even the documentary shows the incredible hardships he and his men survived at the South Pole. All of them made it home too if I remember correctly.
 
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