10 Life or Death Survival Myths

Written by
Tyler Dunning
The survival story has persisted for generations in film, books—even in oral tradition passed down by family.

The lure of stories about people who manage to survive injury, accidents and isolation is powerful—even when the circumstances seem far-fetched or downright unbelievable.

And that's the problem. Those nuggets of information are often more myth than fact and following advice that you've picked up in a movie or book might put you in more danger.

Stay safe in a dangerous situation with the right information. Here are 10 common survival myths and how you can actually save yourself.
1. Always Play Dead When Attacked by a Bear
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This can be true, but the problem with this survival myth is that bears attack for various reasons, each requiring a different reaction.

The first thing to do in a confrontation is identify the bear. If it's a black bear, the assault is most likely predatory, so look big, make loud noises, and try to scare the bear off. Playing dead would only make you an easier meal. If you have bear spray, this is the time to use it.

A grizzly, on the other hand, almost only attacks defensively. If the bear is attacking defensively (it will clack its teeth, stick out its lips or slaps the ground with its feet), avoid eye contact, look smaller, and slowly move away, according to NPS.gov. The grizzly may do a couple bluff charges, and ifThis can be true, but the problem with this survival myth is that bears attack for various reasons, each requiring a different reaction.

The first thing to do in a confrontation is identify the bear. If it's a black bear, the assault is most likely predatory, so look big, make loud noises, and try to scare the bear off. Playing dead would only make you an easier meal. If you have bear spray, this is the time to use it.

A grizzly, on the other hand, almost only attacks defensively. If the bear is attacking defensively (it will clack its teeth, stick out its lips or slaps the ground with its feet), avoid eye contact, look smaller, and slowly move away, according to NPS.gov. The grizzly may do a couple bluff charges, and if it does attack, that's when you want to play dead.
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2. You Can Drink the Water from a Cactus
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You've seen it in the desert survival movies; cowboys slice the tops off of cacti and drink from their water store. What's dangerous about this myth, however, is that there is actually only one type of cactus (a variant of the barrel cactus) that contains drinkable water. Every other cactus contains such toxic levels of alkaline that drinking the water would only put greater stress on your body, making you vomit and causing further dehydration.

Unless you're an expert on cactus identification, locate water elsewhere.
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3. You Can Suck the Venom From a Snake Bite
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Proper treatment of a rattlesnake bite has been misconstrued, suggesting tactics that range from applying a tourniquet and cold compression to trying to suck out the venom with your mouth. All of these things, however, do little to help. For example, sucking the venom only gets more bacteria in the open wound and extracts very little of the venom.

The primary concern should be getting to the nearest hospital for an injection of anti-venom.
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4. You Can Punch a Shark to Stop an Attack
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It's practically impossible to generate enough force in the water to do any substantial damage to the shark. The better approach is to scratch at the eyes and gills. If the shark senses its visual and respiratory capabilities are at risk, it has a much higher chance of retreating, as animals in the wild avoid critical injury at all cost.
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5. Use Fire to Remove a Tick
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There's a lot of confusion on how to approach an embedded tick, which, if poorly handled, can lead to frustrating and debilitating illnesses like Lyme disease.

The medical community currently advocates for taking fine-tipped tweezers and gently pulling the tick straight out by the mouth. This helps avoid releasing as much infected fluid as possible; grabbing the tick by the body leads to a higher risk of this. Smothering the tick or applying fire should be avoided as well because these tactics can also cause infection.

Wash your hands and the wound thoroughly after the tick has been removed.
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6. You Can Dig Yourself Out of an Avalanche
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If you could dig yourself out of an avalanche, few people would die in them (unless you're only partially buried). However, being overtaken by a tumbling slab of snow is like being entombed in concrete—you can't move. Struggling to get free will only expedite the threat of asphyxiation. However, if the snow is still moving, try to swim out of it facing downhill. Try to create an air pocket by placing your hands and arms in front of your face while you work to get out.

Always travel with a partner when going into avalanche country, and have search beacons, probes and shovels handy. The group involved should never be on the same avalanche-prone slope at the same time because if everyone gets caught there will be no one left to attempt a rescue.

Before you head into the backcountry, take an avalanche safety course to learn how to approach slopes and avoid triggering slides as well as what to do if you or your friends are caught up in one.
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7. A Roof is the Most Important Part of a Shelter
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Building a roof should not be your primary concern. Instead, build somewhat of a nest on the ground to insulate yourself from the cold and build a defense against the wind. After these two things have been done, then you can work on a roof.
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8. Water is a Good Escape From a Bee Attack
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There have been multiple accounts of people avoiding a swarm of stinging bees by jumping into water, which proved to be fruitless as the bees were there waiting when the people came up for air.

Instead of running to the water, seek refuge in a car or a building. If these options are not available, just keep running, especially through brush and thicket. Bees have been known to pursue people up to half a mile and the run will be worth the reprieve.
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9. Swim with the Shore When in a Rip Current
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This can occasionally work, but it's not always the best solution to your problem. Once again, you should consider the situation before reacting. Swimming parallel with the shore is only effective if the rip is pulling straight out.

Instead, always swim perpendicular to the flow of the rip (usually swimming in the same direction of the prevailing wind). If executed properly it should never feel like you're swimming upstream.
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10. It's Best to Seek Shelter From Lightning Under a Tree
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This is one of the leading causes of lightning-related deaths because lightning is attracted to height, pointy objects and isolation—characteristics often associated with trees.

Seek shelter in a home or automobile, and if these aren't options, crouch down on the balls of your feet (to lower your height and reduce your points of contact with the earth). Squat at least 100 yards from other members in your party to reduce the risk of being hit together, which allows the others to administer CPR if necessary.

Lying flat on the ground might lower your profile even more, but it does increase your chance of picking up ground current and, therefore, is not advised.
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