Preparing for Mental Health Disorders after a Collapse

It is no secret that within the world in which we live, mental health issues from mild to severe and everything in between are not uncommon. Chances are very high that if you or a member of your immediate family are not suffering from some form of mental illness, there is at least someone in your close circle of friends and/or extended family who is. To say that everyone knows someone currently affected by mental illness is probably pretty darn accurate.

Unfortunately, I personally do not feel this topic has been explored and discussed near enough within the various preparedness communities. Sure, it gets mentioned from time to time, but it is almost as if it is a giant pink elephant in the room that we all see, but are either too afraid or too focused on all of the other many facets of prepping, to admit it really is there. Usually, discussions on the topic are focused on morale, which is absolutely a very important aspect that will certainly help those without any current issues from developing them. There are also a fair amount of articles and actual case studies that discuss how any type of disaster itself can onset a multitude of disorders, hence the need for effective ways to keep morale high. Those, however, are not what I am referring to in this article. What I am referring to is the high likelihood that someone in your post SHTF group will already be suffering from some form of mental illness (diagnosed or not) before the collapse or disaster ever happened.

For those who are diagnosed and require medication, what happens when the medication runs out? Stockpiling regular prescription medication is difficult (as has often been discussed when dealing with typical medical issues post SHTF). Psychiatric medications on the other hand are almost impossible. It practically takes an act of Congress to get an early refill in cases of medication being lost. Advance fills (60 or 90 days ahead for example) are often not allowed, due to suicidal concerns, be it intentional or accidental.

For those who are not diagnosed, what happens when the stress of the situation overcomes their ability to function on a rational level (likely much quicker than the same stress would start to affect someone not currently suffering with mental health issues). While it is certainly more likely, the “risk” of being without proper medication (or treatment) is more dangerous for the mental patient themselves, we must admit there is a significant amount of additional risk that is then imposed on the safety of the entire group.

What then?

contine reading….