Mentally are you ready for a SHTF?

This is just a touch of what someone might go through or think and feel, during a SHTF, with so many here that might not of served, I thought I would just give you a little idea of what others have gone through when faced with that type of environment.
Given that many of you think the Zombie's are coming or we will have martial law soon, this is just a touch of what many people who have been in harms way feel and deal with daily....if the powers to be, have us going down the path you think, this will be something that everyone alive will have to deal with in some way shape or form.


TOP 10 THINGS COMBAT VETS WANT YOU TO KNOW

1. He is addicted to war, although he loves you. War is horrible, but there is nothing like a life-and-death fight to make you feel truly alive. The adrenalin rush is tremendous, and can never be replaced. Succeeding in combat defines a warrior, places him in a brotherhood where he is always welcome and understood. The civilian world has its adrenalin junkies as well; just ask any retired Firefighter, Police Officer, or Emergency Room Staff if they miss it.

2. Living for you is harder. It would be easy for him to die for you because he loves you. Living for you, which you actually want, is harder for him. It is even more harder for him if you are smart and do not need him to rescue you, since rescuing is something that he does really well. If you are very competent at many things, he may at times question if you need him at all. He may not see that you stay with him as a conscious choice.

3. "the training kicks in" means something very different to him. It is direct battle doctrine that when ambushed by a superior force, the correct response is "Apply maximum fire power an break contact." A warrior has to be able to respond to a threat with minimal time pondering choices. While this is life-saving in combat, it is not helpful in the much slower-paced civilian world. A better rule in the civilian world would be to give a reaction proportionate to the provocation. Small provocation, small response (but this can get you killed on the battle field). When the training becomes second nature, a warrior may take any adrenalin rush as a cue to "Apply maximum firepower." This can become particularly unfortunate if someone starts to cry. Tears are unbearable to him; they create explosive emotions in him that can be difficult for him to control. Unfortunately, that can lead to a warrior responding to strong waves of guilt by applying more "Maximum firepower" on friends, family, or unfortunate strangers.

4. He is afraid to get attached to anyone because he has learned that the people you love get killed, and he cannot face that pain again. He may make an exception for his children (because they cannot divorce him), but that will be instinctual and he will probably not be able to explain his actions.

5. He knows the military exists for a reason. The sad fact is that the military exists ultimately to kill people and break things. This was true of our beloved "greatest generation" warriors of WWII, and it remains true to this day. Technically your warrior, may be a killer, as are his friends. He may have a hard time seeing that this does not make him a murderer. Although they may look similar at first glance, he is a sheepdog protecting the herd, not a wolf trying to destroy it. The emotional side of killing in combat is complex. He may not know how to feel about what he's seen or done, and he may not expect his feelings to change over time. Warriors can experience moments of profound guilt, shame, and self-hatred. He may have experienced a momentary elation at "Scoring one for the good guys," then been horrified that he celebrated killing another human being. He may view himself as a monster for having those emotions, or for having gotten used to killing because it happened often. One of my Marines recommended "On Killing" by Dave Grossman, and I will pass that recommendation on.

6. He's had to cultivate explosive anger in order to survive in combat. He may have grown up with explosive anger (violent alcoholic father?) as well.

7. He may have been only nineteen when he first had to make a life or death decision for someone else. What kind of skills does a nineteen-year-old have to deal with that kind of responsibility? One of my Veterans put it this way: "You wan to know what frightening is? It's a nineteen-year-old boy who's had a sip of that power over life and death that war gives you. It's a boy who, despite all the things he's been taught, knows that he likes it. It's a nineteen-year-old who's just lost a friend, and is angry and scared, and determined that some $@&" is going to pay. To this day, the thought of that boy can wake me from a sound sleep, and leave me starring at the ceiling."

8. He may believe that he is the only one that feels this way; eventually he may realize that at least other Combat vets understand. On some level, he does not want you to understand because that would mean you had shared his most horrible experience, and he wants someone to remain innocent.

9. He doesn't understand that you have a momma bear inside of you, that probably any of us can kill in defense of someone if we needed to. Imagine your reaction if someone pointed a weapon at your child. Would it change your reaction if a child pointed a weapon at your child?

10. When you don't understand, he needs you to give him the benefit of the doubt. He needs you to also, to realize that his issues aren't really about you, although you may step in them sometimes. Truly, the last thing he wants is for you to become a casualty in his war.


I hope that after you read this you can take a few minutes and think about what people have already done for you right now, for you to be at your computer reading this and still be able to say whatever you want, like it or not, its men and women, past and present, that have made that possible for you...so are you mentally prepared or are you just going to come up with some stupid childish answer and laugh off, what so many think is going to be a soon reality for us all....

this is my .02 cents from someone thats been there done that.

I could accept it, I mean, looking around I can't say it is an impossibility.

Would I survive it? Who knows. I'll come to that bridge if it happens. I'd rather not even think about some of the things one might have to do to just for basic survival.

reply to post by cconn487


yeah, thats part of the main point, it's something almost everyone doesn't wanna think about, in a survival situation...I hope you never do!!!!

As of right now it would pretty difficult for me to handle. I have been suffering from anxiety recently for an unknown reason. Im sure if the SHTF my anxiety would flare up and it would be difficult for me to get through it.

As far as preparation goes, I haven't really been keeping up on it, but a few of my friends are so I am sure I would have that covered. However, this anxiety can be debilitating, and is even scarier to not know what is causing it, which in turn makes it worse.

I hope it goes away soon because I am really just trying to get on with my life and make a difference.

I take it as,

To be mentally prepared one has to keep your wits in any situation and to be able to accept and react to any situation you are confronted with.

With that being said one has to be mentally prepared to think that they might not make it out alive and accept that fact and not be affraid of death.

Am I ready for that. Probably not and to tell you the truth I hope that me nor my children ever have to face that kind of reality.

But it is what it is and if that day ever comes I hope I can hold my head up and be strong for the one's i love.

reply to post by saltdog


You could be a counseler at the VA.

I do agree on all your points, but also, upon retirement, I decided to say "Eff it" and let it all drop. That's a burden I no longer have to carry for myself.

Do I still worry about my guys? Yep, but I no longer have a say on how they conduct their ops.

Just coming to terms with that was liberating.

reply to post by TDawgRex


Thanks, but it was written by someone else, it just had in words, what so many people I know, couldn't really say...

I am sure your guys are in good hands...thank you.

Yes I am mentally prepared. After all I'm John Rambo! I'm your worst nightmare!

reply to post by r2d246


Ha Ha..ok your a funny guy, I am so glad your the way you are, cuz that means that there will be fewer people to deal with, right from the get go...hehe..take that how ever you need to

I did almost start to feel a sense of respect for our soldier's, but then I remembered that they no longer make compulsory enlistment of people in the military service, then I just went back to feeling sorry for them. In my opinion their guilt and self hatred would be very justified.

Killing for protection or survival is a completely different kettle of fish.

reply to post by Samuelis


Your welcome..those people through history made it so you can think like that.

Depending on the SHTF scenario, Im mentally ready for many scenarios, but that being said, there are some scenarios that I dont think anyone could mentally be ready for, like Bio weapons dropped near my city, and knowing fully, that I dont have enough Bio suits for all my family, or an out of your hands scenario, such as an Earth Killing asteriod, comet, Gamma burst.
But I guess to be mentally ready for such events, requires a strong mind, strong will to survive, and an overwhelming sense of keeping my wife and baby alive, Just depends on the situation.

I would stand by anyone willing to survive no matter the threat, depend on eachother and try try try to survive.

reply to post by saltdog


No, I'm probably gonna die of exhaustion. Or starvation. Or a combo of the two.

reply to post by smilesmcgee


Fifty years ago this month we had a very close SHTF moment. We were so close to total destruction.

I was young and watched how my family handeled themselves and was amazed at how cool and calm they appeared to be.

People were more realastic in those days. The common understanding was if we say the first bright light coming from Florida we were to bend over and kiss our butts good bye.
Living 60 miles from Jax, Fla. and on the Ga. coast we were certain we were close to death.

No one panicked or went crazy. We watched the news on TV and waited for what might be next.

It was a most excieting few days.
From that date I am still waiting for the bombs to drop.

That is too long to live with the threat of Nuclear war.

reply to post by saltdog


You should give credit to who wrote that! Plagiarism on ATS is frowned upon.

reply to post by olaru12


Thanks, but it was written by someone else, it just had in words, what so many people I know, couldn't really say...

This is written by me in the first few posts!!!!!

I already stated that I did not write it, if you read the posts you might see that, I do not know who wrote it, I posted it here for thought provoking ideas ..as treads are for...so just to make sure you know, I stated I did not write it, long before you said anything..THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!