Man is a social being, no man is an island… we hear these phrases so often in this life. There is no society more complex than that of humans because surviving is not only about preserving one’s own life, but protecting those around us. Of course, there are those extremists who tend to be antisocial loners, but for the most part we have a desire and need to surround ourselves with other people, even in survival situations. Our chances for surviving increase when we are part of a group. Being part of a group means that that we can give and receive protection and help in the most desperate of times.

Surviving Alone: Is It Possible?

Being part of a group enhances the chances of survival for each member. The group supports the individual and the individual supports the group. As individuals work together to gather food and other resources, hunt or build shelter, each member benefits from the combined manpower. Defending a home or bug out location becomes easier. Life outside the comforts of the home would definitely demand a lot of work every day, and a group can help everyone reach their survival goals.

When it comes to surviving in a SHTF situation, it can be tempting to break off from the pack and fend for yourself. But is this your best bet for survival?

The “Lone Wolf” mentality will get you killed

Arm chair warriors are a dime-a-dozen.  For many years I have seen this in martial arts discussions, tactical shooting discussions and now in survival discussions.  It seems that there is a relatively low percentage of the population that thinks that if the ship-hits-the-sand so to speak, that they are going to go-it alone and survive off the land.

Forgive me for being blunt here.  If you are one of those people I want to thank you right now.  When you die after a couple of months (probably less) of that lone wolf mentality there will be more resources for me and mine.  Seriously, thank you.

There is a fringe group of people out there who think they will just up and leave and make it on their own.  Some of the obvious points that are not considered when thinking you will be able to accomplish this are:

1.  Have you ever done this before and for how long?  If you have never engaged in long term (months long) trips into the wild subsisting on what you gather, forage, trap and hunt.  Then you are not going to make it unless there is a huge amount of luck on your side.  For me personally, I do not believe in luck, blessings yes, but luck, no.

2. What happened to the people you left behind?  So lets say you are the average family man, who has a job, its labor intensive, you work hard, real hard.  You spend a great deal of time each day working in all sorts of weather, etc.  You are tough, there is no doubt about it.  For some reason you think that translates into you being able to hack your way into the wilderness.  Whether that wilderness is trees or buildings is inconsequential here.  In your mind, you can make it.  But what about your family, friends, etc.  Are you simply going to walk away from them.  Do you for some reason think you are going to kill big game and drag it back to the house for them?  When was the last time you drug a deer that far?

via The “Lone Wolf” mentality will get you killed – Dan’s Survival Depot.

Of course there is always a chance that you will end up when SHTF. But you should still plan and strive for survival in a group. Having other people around will greatly increase your chances of surviving, for so many reasons.

Reality can be cruel, but you can at least hope to still have your family with you when it goes down. Having a group around to help and support you can be a source of strength in a survival situation. All of the difficulties are easier to deal with when you have other people to rely on. Living alone can elicit feelings of isolation and can lead to depression. Surviving together with those you love is not an added complication, but a blessing.

Source:Survivallife.com