Prepare your mind for a crisis by practising and staying connected

Preparing for a crisis means more than stocking food, water and a radio: people should also think about their values, practise useful skills and rely on one another, psychology professor Lene Tanggaard told DR.

Denmark’s Agency for Societal Security recommends keeping enough food and drink for three days, warm clothing, blankets and a battery-free FM radio at home. Tanggaard, who researches how organisations learn and respond under pressure, said getting these practical supplies in order can also bring greater calm and reassurance.

Many Danes are starting from scratch when it comes to preparing for a crisis, she said. Tanggaard has recently returned from a study trip to Finland, where she found people well prepared. In Denmark, she said, people are less used to needing the same level of readiness.

She advised people to consider what they can and cannot control, and to focus on what they can do. Thinking about personal values in advance can also help: what matters, what is worth standing up for, and how to act in a difficult situation.

Under pressure, instinct can take over, Tanggaard said. People may want to consider whether they would help someone else, make room for others and remain true to their values. Research, she said, indicates that organisations and countries handle crises best when they understand preparedness as a responsibility shared by society, not just a matter of individual survival.

Practising useful skills can help people prepare mentally. Tanggaard suggested using a Trangia cooking set to prepare a meal with children, making the experience familiar and perhaps enjoyable rather than frightening.

It can also help to imagine possible scenarios before they happen. Tanggaard said research suggests people who are best prepared for crises and disasters are often those who have considered that such events could occur. Being informed and knowing the local landscape, including where to find a relatively clean water source, are also important, she said.

People should take risks seriously while continuing to live their lives, Tanggaard said. She pointed to people in Ukraine who carry on despite difficult circumstances, and said parents can help those around them by avoiding panic, taking the situation seriously and staying able to function.