What Scares Me About the Outdoors

By Jayla Meaux

Diana Simumpande

Many Black and brown folks don’t feel safe in the outdoors, and I can personally relate to this. I’m a young Black woman and I consider myself to be pretty curious about nature, but fears and inexperience stop me from exploring. Growing up, I would spend time outside with my dad and siblings. We would take trips to the beach to watch my dad fish and we would go to playgrounds and waterfronts. I always enjoyed the beach the most. I love the view and the feeling of walking on the sand. As I got older, I started going outdoors less. I realized that I wasn’t feeling confident in nature, and that I was developing anxieties that were making it harder and harder for me to feel at ease. I’d love to get to a place where I can enjoy the outdoors again, so I’m going to talk about some of my personal fears that have made the outdoors feel less accessible to me, and ways in which I’ve been working to overcome those fears. Hopefully this will help other people who also want to experience the mental and physical health benefits of outdoor adventures, but have their own hangups and concerns preventing them from taking the first steps.

Ayşenur

I’ve had this fear of bugs for a long time now and it’s made it hard for me to enjoy the outdoors. I feel really anxious when bugs are around, and I especially hate anytime one of them crawls directly on me. I just don’t like the feeling at all and the experience can be pretty distressing. But worst of all is spiders. I think it’s the way that spiders crawl and move around on their webs that freaks me out the most. I panic when a spider is near me, and I try to stay as far as I can from it. But I’ve learned a few things about spiders: Spiders are more afraid of you than you are of them. Spiders are attracted to damp areas in your home and they prefer high upper corner areas. Light and floral scents can attract spiders. Spiders dislike the smell of tea tree oil, vinegar and peppermint. 
So if you’re like me and bugs freak you out, but you want to get into nature, avoid wearing the scents that bugs are attracted to when going outdoors. Put an oil that spiders dislike on your clothing. Have less light around you if possible, depending on the activity, like a lower-brightness flashlight. Bring someone along the journey with you who isn’t afraid of bugs — it’ll help you keep a level head. And always remind yourself that spiders fear you more than you fear them ;)

Another fear I have when it comes to the outdoors is getting lost. This is a pretty common fear — not just in the wilderness — and it’s sometimes referred to as mazeophobia. I’ve experienced anxiety around getting lost for a long time now. Not knowing where I am and being totally alone and confused is a terrible feeling, and when I’m trying to get somewhere and I don’t have the directions that I need, it can be extremely scary and overwhelming.

Luckily, this is something I can control more easily than insects. I’ve discovered that traveling with a buddy is the easiest way to manage my fears of getting lost. Always make sure you’re with a friend so that you can have someone help you navigate, assist in case of an emergency, and keep you from panicking if you start to feel lost. But whether you’re with a buddy or embarking on a journey alone, remember to charge your phone before heading out and to bring an extra battery with you if you have one. Download maps to your phone so that they’ll be available to you if you lose service. And depending on where you’re going, having a GPS, a compass, and a physical map of the area can be really helpful. Before your trip, you can work on learning how to use those tools, in addition to planning a route and researching the area to better know the way. The better prepared you are, the less likely you’ll be to get lost, and the better equipped you will be to navigate if you somehow do get off track.

Adobe

Of course there’s also the reality that being a person of color is dangerous, every single day. As a young Black woman, racial bias and police brutality have a direct impact on my personal safety and wellbeing, and that extends to the outdoors.
When I was a kid, I believed that cops kept everyone in the community safe, helped anyone in need, and protected those who were the most vulnerable. I always felt safe around police officers — I would even wave at them and ask for stickers when they drove by. But as I got older, my feelings towards the police changed. I learned more about anti-Black racism in the institution of policing, and in high school, I chose to focus several research projects on the subject. From my personal experiences and from my research, I believe that fear of law enforcement, the threat of violence and harassment, structural injustice, and the reality of systemic racism in parks and on “public lands” are all barriers people of color face in the outdoors.
As with most complex issues, there isn’t a quick fix to the oppression that Black and brown folks face. Solving systemic racism, of course, isn’t as simple as coping with a fear of bugs or a fear of getting lost, and it definitely isn’t our problem to fix — but it is important that we find ways to feel more safe and comfortable in nature if we want to enjoy the outdoors. A couple important things we can do to help ourselves are to bring friends along with us on our adventures or plan group trips, as well as research alternatives to calling the police in case of an emergency. There are also lots of things you can do at home to help build your confidence and be more informed. You can read Wild Diversity’s archive of blog posts (we even have a post by Endria Richardson on Applying Wilderness First Responder Principles to Covid-19) and watch our YouTube videos for tons of resources. You can also join the Wild Diversity Facebook group to connect with people in our community, plan trips, and share experiences.

Zach Vessels

I hope that reading about my personal anxieties and experiences has helped you, especially if, like me, you’re new to all of this! If you’re not sure where to start, you can try focusing on an outdoor activity that best suits your interests. For example, I’d love to explore the outdoors through activities like hiking and camping; I’ve actually always wanted to camp overnight outdoors, even if it’s just in my backyard. And make sure your packing list includes whatever you may need to help you face your fears!

For more of the basics on getting over your fears and getting started, here are some tips to keep in mind: 

Be Smart – Bring food and stay hydrated – Stay in areas with cell service if you’ll need to text or get online – Avoid dangerous areas and activities – Bring protection like mace – Bring someone with you or go with a group – Have a cellphone or a device that can record How to Work through Your Fears – Allow yourself to sit with uncomfortable feelings – Remember that you’ve done harder things than this before – Take it one step at a time – Be patient with yourself – Reach out for help Safety Tips – If possible, don’t go alone – Be aware of your surroundings always – Be mindful of the weather – Pack clothing layers – Always have water and food – Bring your phone fully charged and with an extra battery if necessary – Bring a first aid kit on longer trips