Alone: Prepper Loneliness

Jack lived in a small cabin in the woods. Jack believed in being prepared and had everything he needed to survive any disaster: food, water, weapons, and supplies. But despite his best efforts, there was one thing Jack couldn’t prepare for – loneliness.

As the years went by, Jack’s once sturdy walls started to crack and his once well-stocked pantry started to dwindle. He found himself feeling more isolated and empty with each passing day.

Then one day, a stranger stumbled upon Jack’s cabin in the woods. The stranger, a woman named Sarah, had been on the run from the chaos of the world and was in desperate need of help. Jack took her in, and in her company, he found the thing he had been missing all along – human connection.

Together, they worked on fortifying the cabin, planting a garden, and creating a home. And for the first time in a long time, Jack felt a sense of purpose and belonging. He realized that no amount of preparation could have protected him from the true disaster of loneliness, and that it was the love and companionship of another person that would help him weather any storm.

Prepper Loneliness is a Real Thing

One thing that I have learned in my time in the Preparedness Community is that many preppers are doing it without the support of their family.  They are solo preppers!  And although they may be surrounded by family and friends, they don’t have anyone that they can discuss preparedness with, without getting the eye-rolls or “are you wanna of those Doomsday Prepppers” questions.

If someone who preps does have their spouse behind them, I have seen where the rest of their family, maybe grown children, don’t believe in prepping.  They think their parents are a little kooky and just tolerate their concerns about the fragile world.  Preparedness-minded parents or couples live with the stress of knowing their loved ones aren’t prepared, so they try to prep extra just in case.

All the loneliness is exacerbated by the fact that many preppers believe in Operational Security (OPSEC) and not talking about their preparedness in any way.  They believe that sharing that they believe in being prepared in the slightest might translate to the golden hordes showing up at the doorstep when the poop hits the fan.  So they prep in silence, keeping to themselves, missing out on the friendship and relationships that could be.

But It Doesn’t Have to Be that Way

Preppers could and SHOULD have many friends and relationships that they can depend on when the going gets tough.  It is a common understanding now in the Preparedness Community, that no person or family can go it alone.  You will need a support system if the balloon ever truly goes up.

While everyone waits for the end of the world, it would be a big shame to miss out on the friendships and relationships that you can make along the way.  There are like-minded people out there that are in the same situation as you, looking to connect and enjoy life, not just waiting for the next polar shift.

The key here is to understand that you don’t have to give up any of your preparedness activities while you make meaningful relationships either in person or online.  You just need to be willing to make an effort to connect.

Connect? But How?

The goal is to find like-minded people.  Where do like-minded people hang out?  Well for preppers, like-minded people might be someone who likes to garden, hike and camp, shoot firearms, is active in their Neighborhood Watch, is community-minded or who volunteers somewhere in the community, like at church.

The thing to remember here is that you can get involved with any of these activities and not wear your “I’m a Prepper T-shirt” to the activity.  There are plenty of people who like to garden that don’t prep.  There are plenty of people who are involved in Ham Radio, but don’t have their closets full of food and water.  There are people who are involved in their Neighborhood Watch that don’t believe the End of the World is right around the corner, but do believe in keeping their neighborhood safe for their kids.  You can do all of these activities without giving yourself up.

And the people that you meet in these types of activities will be well-meaning, good-hearted people that you can go grab a cup of coffee with, invite over to dinner, or go out to a movie with.

And, Then

At some point, you will meet people that you click so well with that you are willing to talk about being prepared, a little at first and then more.  I mean, if reasonable people aren’t looking at the world around them right now and asking questions, they have blinders on.

But then you might find someone who is a prepper.  They might be just like you, not willing to divulge any information, but at some point, something slips out. They will say something that catches your attention and fires your Prepping Spidey-Senses.  You will look at them and ask something like, “do you prep for emergencies?”  Their eyes will get real big and you realize you have something even more in common than you realized.

A Word to Seniors

I believe that building relationships with other like-minded people is even more important for “Seasoned Citizens.”  There are many older preppers out there that find their life, much less their life of preparedness very lonely.  This is why it is important to get out there and build connections.  You have to be purposeful and find something you love to do.  I can guarantee you, there are others in the same boat.

Hobbies and Interests to Find Like-Minded People

The following is a list of hobbies and interests where preppers might find like-minded people.

• Homesteading
• Gardening
• Fishing
• Hunting
• Canning and preserving food
• Camping
• Hiking
• Backpacking
• Self-defense
• Firearm training and shooting sports
• Renewable energy
• Beekeeping
• Chicken raising
• Pig and livestock farming
• Home security and surveillance
• Cybersecurity
• Ham radio
• Geocaching
• Disaster relief volunteering
• Alternative medicine
• Military history and tactics
• Foraging and wild edibles
• Alternative currencies
• Bartering and trade skills
• Wildcrafting and herbal medicine
• Alternative housing options
• Do-it-yourself (DIY) projects
• Blacksmithing
• Knife making
• Leather working
• Wood carving
• Solar panel installation
• Aquaponics
• Hydroponics
• Sustainable agriculture practices
• Battery backup systems and generator maintenance.

Meeting Others

The following is a list of places where you might find like-minded people.

• Prepper and survivalist groups and forums online
• The Ready Your Future Exclusive Online Email Group
• Prepper and survivalist conventions and trade shows
• Shooting ranges and gun clubs
• CERT or Local disaster response organizations
• Community and neighborhood organizations
• Preparedness and survival skills training courses and workshops
• Outdoor and camping gear retailers
• Agricultural and homesteading supply stores
• Local farmer’s markets and food co-ops
• Ham radio clubs and groups
• Renewable energy and conservation groups
• Cybersecurity and technology groups
• Community gardens and gardening clubs
• Hunting and fishing organizations
• Sustainable and self-sufficient living communities
• Gardening and homesteading classes and workshops
• Beekeeping organizations
• Livestock and animal husbandry groups
• Wilderness survival and wilderness medicine groups
• Off-grid living communities and organizations
• Alternative medicine and herbal medicine groups
• Self-defense and martial arts groups
• Military and veteran groups
• Do-it-yourself and home improvement groups
• Alternative housing and building organizations
• Alternative currencies and bartering organizations
• Boy/Girls Scouts 

The Bottom Line

The bottom line is that if you are lonely and don’t want to stay lonely, you need to get out there and make some real relationships.  Remember, you don’t have to give away that you are an experienced prepper.  You just need to go and show interest in a hobby or get involved somewhere to meet real people you can connect with.

Not everyone you meet will be someone you will want to grab coffee or go through the TEOTWAWKI with, but you have to get out there to find the right one. Make it a goal to connect.

Peace
Todd