Prep for emotional and physical health

[LuqmanNaq]

I was wondering how many here are focusing on health and psychological prep?

Most of my money goes on; durable clothing, food, books, 'bodywork', and Holistic therapy.

I think it's important to heal inner trauma and conflicts is because I wouldn't want the trauma of an economic collapse on top of my existing inner trauma.

Another important part of prep for me is mentally preparing for the economic collapse by listening to others who have witnessed collapses in other countries so I can get an insight of how society will likely break down. I also get books on various topics like Urban Survival, body health, and what to do when there is no doctor (there is a book by the same title I've just ordered).

I also think it's important to try to cultivate health (which is different from fitness), because you really don't want to be hampered by that old injury or lower back pain when the SHTF.

I personally think that emotional health prep is overlooked in the prepper community judging by what I've seen on youtube...



Patriotnurse's insight into what will happen when the psychiatric system collapses...

[scoobie]

You raise some valid points there, and I think it is something which is missing from many peoples preps (myself included!)

So, where's a good place to start?

[Northern Raider]

You raise some valid points there, and I think it is something which is missing from many peoples preps (myself included!)

So, where's a good place to start?

Reading about historical events and learning lessons from the survivors, reading fictional novels to grasp various threat options and how other people may approach them, reading theoretical scenarios to study possible risks

[scoobie]

Ok, I guess I am doing it already then! Haha!

[Meyou]

I'm hoping I'm as emotionally prepared as I can be. I've seen some desturbing things in my life, mostly on the roads around Britain. Hopefully those experiences will somewhat lessen the blow when it hits. My only worry is that my folks are definitely not prepared, and if anything should happen to them, I know it would affect me big time.

As for Physical. I'm not exactly in shape (Unless you consider slightly round a shape), but I can still walk, run, and do a hard days work. I play a lot of Paintball, which is also my downfall, as I've picked up my fair share of injuries and gammy joints from it. My left knee is totally up the creek and aches when it gets cold, and I've lost a tooth or two to stray paintballs slipping under my goggles. They do cause some irritation, however I dont trust the Dentist AT ALL. He told me, at age 12, that he wanted to surgically break my lower jaw and extend it, because I'd have problems eating when I were an adult. Well, I'm an Adult. And I can eat juuuuust fine.

[Huorn]

I'm actively improving my health and fitness with a regime of diet and exercise. By diet, I mean keeping to sensible levels of calorie intake rather than these fad diets popularised in magazines. We grow a lot of our own produce so we have plenty of fruit and veg and have of late chosen to eat less meat, but when do, eat much better quality meat and much more fish.

Exercise wise, I bought a kettlebell and have an hour long workout I do three times a week. This supplimented by a couple of mile walks two or three times a week and outdoor activities like canoeing and sailing.

H

[smileyt]

Interesting. Thanks for raising this, Luqmanaq. I am on anti-depressants and have been for nearly twelve years, and I have had psychotherapy for 8 years. All of this saved my life (literally) and I am now in a much better place mentally and emotionally. I am going to try and order my prescription a week or 10 days in advance so I have a stock, but at the same time try to cut down as I feel ready now to try and move to a lower dose. I would recommend not going cold turkey - I have done this accidentally by running out of meds and even going cold turkey from SSRIs is no fun. Headaches, shakes, overwhelming tiredness, confusion - worse than the depression itself! I am now having acupuncture which has worked marvels on my energy levels and my ability to motivate myself and think more clearly.

So, this is my 'mental health' plan:
Slowly cut down the pills with the support of acupuncture. I know my GP will also support me because for some reason she thinks I am a very sensible person
Take vitamin pills regularly.
Try to eat a more balanced diet. (Actually, I'm not bad at this but it could do with some tweaking).
Keep up with my cycling. It is working as I have lost nearly half-a-stone in the last two months, slowly coming off hopefully means the weight will stay off.
Spend less time on the computer and more time tidying up (gives me a sense of control!), knitting, cross-stitching, gardening, reading, being with friends.
Try to stay away from, or limit contact with, people I find to be energy vampires (ie those people who drain your energy because they are either so demanding or so full of doom and gloom all the time).

I've also stopped drinking alcohol almost completely. I was never a big drinker, but increasingly found that even two glasses of wine in one evening made me feel rough the next day. Not headachey but just low, physically, mentally and spiritually. I might have the occasional glass of wine here and there now because I'm not a killjoy or a teetotaller. But if you regularly drink, it might be worth cutting down or giving up, and watch your mental clarity increase!

I'm not sure what we can do as preppers to encourage people, except make them aware of the possible problems. There is loads of info out there on positive mental health.

[AAAA]

physicall im already preparing, very much in to my boxing and mixed martial arts. Also do a bit of hill walking / hicking / camping.

Haven't really prepared emotionally for anything, some thing i never thought off. However what i have done is to include several bord games in my prep kit. You imaging staying inside for a few weeks, with some one else and very little to do, wuold send you nuts. I think some form of entertainment is a must for your emotional fitness after you decided to bug in.

[bigpaul]

I think i am reasonably fit, i am 62 and weigh 17 stone, i can walk for quite a while and can do a good days work, i cannot run as i have flat feet and a gammy leg. mentally i am VERY fit, i have never had any mental problems and have an agile brain.

[the7ps]

I know this is an old thread and not sure if this fits in here, but;

Ive taken a new view to prepping with my fitness training. Rather than smashing weights in the gym and using techo crazy CV kit Im now running through forests/tracks/off the beaten path and, if I come across a natural feature that lends itself to some muscular work ill throw that in too.

I just wanted to be more practically fit than anything else. I feel better for it, see more of the country side and my surrounding areas and, today, discovered a pre chopped pile of fire wood. I wouldnt ever touch it, its someone elses and anyway, dont have the means to use it, but it did go to show that when off the beaten track you do discover a few things of interest.