YOUR BEST CHANCE OF SURVIVAL

“HE MUST HAVE LOST himself in the sand-haze and wandered till his camel broke down; and there died of thirst and heat,” Col. T. E. Lawrence (“Lawrence of Arabia”) wrote of an Arab who succumbed to panic. “Fear and panic … tore at the brain and reduced the bravest man to a stumbling babbling maniac in an hour or two; and then the sun killed him.” Fear kills. Panic takes many forms, often, as with “woods shock” (see bulleted text, below), unrecognized by victims. Get control before it’s too late. To do so, experts suggest you remember the word STOP. It stands for Stop, Think, Observe, and Plan. Stop: Halt physical activity. Sit and try to slow your heartbeat and breathing. Inhale slowly through your nose, counting slowly to three, hold the breath for a count of three, then let out the air slowly through your nose or mouth, while counting to least three. This breathing technique gives you a structured way to focus and calm down and signals the brain to relax. Think: Once your body has slowed a bit, think about your situation and what you can do about it. Cognitive functions improve as breathing slows. Observe: Use your senses to take in the terrain around you, the state of your companions, and particularly any injuries. Assess what you have and don’t have to face your situation. Plan: Thinking and observing, start to fashion your strategy. How can you best respond to your situation? Don’t be afraid to revise your plan, as needed. Some experts add a fifth step: Act. No plan is useful if it is never executed.