Preparing for societal catastrophe or economic collapse can wear on a person when the proverbial sky takes its sweet time to fall.
Experts in emergency preparedness say that even among seasoned peppers, emotional burnout is a genuine problem.
What good is it to be prepared if nothing is happening—yet? Preparing for bad times is one thing; predicting them is another matter.
East Texas author Sara Hathaway, host of “The Changing Earth” podcast, said prepper burnout mainly occurs when people preparing for a specific event find it takes years to play out.
“Many people enter the prepping lifestyle because they’re concerned about an economic collapse,” said Ms. Hathaway, a women’s self-defense instructor and author of the “The Changing Earth Series” of novels highlighting the fragility of manufactured society.
Ms. Hathaway said that when preparing for a natural or man-made disaster, people sometimes forget that prepping is a lifestyle—not a countdown to the apocalypse.
“Most people enter the preparedness lifestyle because of some event. And when that event doesn’t happen, they’re like, ‘Why did I do this?’” Ms. Hathaway said.
“My counter [argument] is always do you only insure your house when a storm is coming? Do you only put a spare tire on a road trip?
“We do these things because one day it might be useful to have that insurance on your house because some event might befall you. And it might not be one specific event you’re preparing for.”
A Genuine Concern
Robert Richardson, a survival expert, author, and online writer at “Off Grid Survival,” said prepper burnout is a genuine concern.“It’s also one of the reasons we tell people that preparedness is not just about preparing for a doomsday scenario. It’s about being ready for more realistic and localized disasters that can happen at any time,” he said.
“In fact, for most people, it’s not going to be some Hollywood-style disaster. It’s likely to be something boring but equally as disastrous.”
He said a person could lose a job, experience financial hardship, or suffer from a personal health crisis that demands preparation.
For this reason, Mr. Richardson believes it’s key to move away from preparing for a worldwide doomsday event to “preparing for things that will feel like your own personal doomsday if they happen.”
That way, we can reframe our notion of preparedness and limit the effects of emotional burnout.
Black Swan Events
“Five years ago, how many people would have predicted that the world would be hit by a pandemic that would cause worldwide shutdowns, large-scale economic problems, and supply-chain issues and shortages?” Mr. Richardson asked.“I can tell you from firsthand experience there were a lot of preppers that were able to navigate through the COVID crisis a lot easier because they had preparedness supplies and extra money to ride out the shutdowns, job losses, and supply chain problems.
Faced with emotional burnout, he said peppers need to reconsider their expectations and goals.
“Instead of waiting for a specific collapse event, they should focus on the everyday benefits of preparedness.
“Being self-sufficient and capable of handling emergencies can improve their quality of life and the well-being of their families regardless of whether a major global event occurs,” Mr. Richardson told The Epoch Times.
Like Ms. Hathaway, he views prepping as a lifestyle that should provide us with peace of mind rather than constant anxiety living in a constant state of anticipating disaster.
“It’s no different than buying home insurance or putting money into a 401K—you are preparing for your future and ensuring your ability to provide a stable life for yourself and your family,” Mr. Richardson said.
At The Provident Prepper website founders Kylene and Jonathan Jones, authors of “The Provident Prepper: A Common Sense Guide to Preparing for Emergencies,” aim for a life of self-reliance and not always contemplating doomsday.
“Preparing for challenging times is just part of our lifestyle. There is no sense of fear, only peace as we embrace a more sustainable lifestyle,” Kylene Jones said.
Life’s Lemons and Curveballs
“The beauty of this lifestyle is that when life throws you curveballs, whether it is the loss of a job, supply shortages, or a long-term power outage, you have what you need to make it through and bless the lives of your friends and neighbors,” Mrs. Jones told The Epoch Times.The good thing is you don’t need to go all out preparing, she added.
“You can plant edible plants in your traditional landscape. Store cans of dried potatoes, rolled oats, pasta, beans, and white rice [30-year shelf life] under the bed. That’s a year’s supply of survival basics for the person who sleeps in that bed.”
The ultimate objective of prepping is creating a life based on practical simplicity and enjoyment even if hard times have yet to arrive.
One day, the wolf at our doorstep will come after years of crying wolf.
“Don’t expect to live the same standard of life that we are spoiled with every day,” Mrs. Jones said.
Instead, work on meeting basic needs: shelter, fuel, water, and food, which don’t have to be emotionally exhausting.
“Simplify,” Mrs. Jones added. “We recognize there are difficult challenges in our future, and we don’t know what those may be. This is why taking God as your partner makes all the difference.”
Ms. Hathaway said that with prepper burnout, community and staying close to nature are essential as they help us stay focused on the true aspects of prepping.
“The biggest thing about the preparedness lifestyle is not to worry. I’ve been in it for years. I have heard everything is coming. It can drag you down if you constantly read the negative and focus on it,” Ms. Hathaway said.
She said that with all things in life, little is certain, and “each day is a blessing.”
“One morning you could wake up, and yesterday was your last day to prepare.”
