Surviving

Surviving is the act or process of continuing to live or endure in the face of danger, hardship, or adverse conditions. In biology, survival refers to an organism's ability to persist long enough to reproduce and pass on genes, which shapes evolution through natural selection. Physiological mechanisms such as homeostasis, metabolism, and organismal responses to stress contribute to survival across domains.

In humans, survival encompasses both physical safety—adequate nutrition, water, shelter, warmth, and protection from harm—and psychological resilience, including coping skills, social support, and adaptive decision making under pressure. Risk assessment and resource management are central to improving chances of survival in emergencies.

Contexts include wilderness environments, natural disasters, medical crises, and conflict zones. Survival science studies behavior, cognition, and physiology under stress, as well as the tools, techniques, and protocols used by individuals and organizations to secure rescue and recovery.

Common principles involve securing basic needs, maintaining situational awareness, conserving energy, avoiding impairment, and signaling for help when appropriate. Ethical considerations emphasize minimizing harm to others and prioritizing vulnerable individuals when resources are scarce.

Survival should not be equated with prolonged suffering; it is a dynamic state that may transition to recovery and adaptation, by which individuals resume normal life or establish a new baseline after crisis.