Peter Darman - The Survival Handbook: Learn the survival skills of the world’s elite forces

This digital edition first published in 2012

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Amber Books Ltd
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United Kingdom

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Copyright 2012 Amber Books Ltd

ISBN: 978 190 869600 7

All rights reserved. With the exception of quoting brief passages for the purpose of review no part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written permission from the publisher. The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. All recommendations are made without any guarantee on the part of the author or publisher, who also disclaim any liability incurred in connection with the use of this data or specific details.

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Contents

Other titles in this series:

The Battle of Britain

The Battle of the Bulge

Bodies of Evidence

Churchill: A History

The Gestapo

The History of Torture

The Marine Corps

The Sniper At War

SS: Hitlers Foreign Divisions

Stalingrad 19421943: The Infernal Cauldron

The Vietnam War

The Worlds Great Tanks

Website: www.amberbooks.co.uk
Appstore: itunes.com/apps/amberbooksltd
Facebook: www.facebook.com/amberbooks/
Twitter: @amberbooks

BASICS

Simple principles lie at the heart of survival. These include mental attitude, what to wear and what to carry. As a survivor, you must master these basic survival skills, especially the psychology of survival, for they will ultimately determine whether you live or die.

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SURVIVAL

To survive, you need survival skills but skills alone will not save you. You need attitude, and it has to be the right attitude. All the knowledge in the world will count for nothing unless you also have the will to survive.

The will to survive is all-important in a survival situation. It is well known that the mind may give up before the body, but with a determination to survive individuals can give themselves an enormous head start in an emergency situation.

Think about this. No matter how bad the situation you find yourself in, remember that you have immediate resources to help you out of your predicament: your mental abilities and your physical attributes. Put them both to work effectively and you can achieve results.

HOW TO FOCUS YOUR MIND TO SURVIVE

Two of the greatest threats to survival come from your own mind. They are a desire for comfort and a passive outlook. If not countered quickly, they can result in the demoralisation and death of survivors. Fortunately, they can be dealt with quite easily by any survivor.

A desire for comfort is a consequence of modern urban living conditions. Western living standards have made people soft, in the sense that they are, for the most part, cushioned from threats from nature and the environment. Most Westerners you included, probably live and work in warm, secure buildings, have access to sophisticated health care, and have a guaranteed supply of food and water.

In an emergency scenario you will probably have none of these things, at least not initially. You may may only possess the clothes you stand up in, with no immediate food, water or shelter. The sudden disappearance of the comforts you have taken for granted is a great shock to the system and can lead to severe demoralisation. So how do you combat the mental anguish caused by the loss of those things that you regard as essential to life?

First, tell yourself that Western-style comforts are not essential to survival. Be obstinate. You really can get by without air conditioning, junk food and the TV. Second, tell yourself this: your present discomfort will be nothing compared to the extreme discomfort you will experience if you just sit down, bemoan your lot and do nothing.

A passive outlook is also a consequence of living in the West. One result of living in bureaucratic states is that the individual does not have to make life-or-death decisions. Individual decision-making is reduced to the mundane and banal. Initiative is stifled and most individuals have a passive, almost sheep-like, outlook. However, in a survival situation you could be on your own. If you are you will have to make important decisions. If this appears daunting, remember that the result of doing nothing will probably be your death. On the other hand, you can take control of the situation and live. Which do you prefer? DO NOT LIE DOWN AND DIE, GET MOTIVATED AND ACTIVE!

DEFEAT THE ENEMIES OF SURVIVAL

There are other enemies of survival of a more physical nature, and you must be aware of them so you can take effective counter-measures:

PAIN: pain is the bodys way of telling you that something is wrong. It is uncomfortable and can weaken the will to survive. However, it becomes much more tolerable if you understand its source and nature, recognise it as something to be tolerated, and concentrate on other tasks. Remember, pain will seem worse if you do nothing but lie down and think about it.

COLD: slows down the flow of blood and makes you sleepy. It also dulls the mind. This is dangerous; you should immediately seek shelter and build a fire.

US ARMY TIPS:

PERSONAL QUALITIES ESSENTIAL TO THE SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME OF A SURVIVAL SITUATION

The US Army knows from long experience what a person needs to get through a survival situation. Have you got what it takes?

• Ability to concentrate the mind.
• Ability to improvise.
• Ability to live with yourself.
• Ability to adapt to a situation.
• Ability to remain calm.
• Ability to be optimistic, while at the same time preparing for the worst.
• Ability to understand your own fears and worries and being able to deal with and overcome them.

THIRST: like hunger it can dull the mind. It is important to keep up the intake of water. If water is scarce cut down on food intake; the body uses water to carry off wastes from food.

HUNGER: can result in a loss of weight, weakness, dizziness and blackouts, slowed heart rate, increased sensitivity to the cold and increased thirst. Obviously this can be countered by food intake.

FATIGUE: can bring on lethargy, poor mental outlook, such as hopelessness, lack of a goal and boredom. can It is important for the survivor to take sufficient rest.

BOREDOM: can result in a lack of interest, feelings of strain and depression (especially with no hope of relief). To overcome boredom you must keep your goal survival uppermost in your mind and realise how the tasks you undertake fit into your overall survival plan.

LONELINESS: being alone can obviously bring on loneliness, which can then cause a sense of helplessness and despair. This can be overcome by keeping busy and becoming more self-sufficient.

FRUSTRATION: can be countered by channelling your energies into positive and obtainable goals. Complete the easier tasks before attempting the more challenging ones. In addition, you must accept the situation you are in and act accordingly. Do not have unrealistic goals. Do not sit down and worry keep busy.