The First 100 Days After Society Collapses: What to Expect and How to Survive

When society collapses, survival will come down to one thing: how well you navigate the first 100 days. These will be the most chaotic, unpredictable, and dangerous days of your life. Governments will fail, supply chains will break, and law enforcement will vanish. Desperate people will turn violent, and entire cities will become war zones.

Most people won’t survive. But if you can make it through the first 100 days, your chances of long-term survival skyrocket. By then, the initial wave of deaths will have passed, and the world will enter a new phase—one where only the prepared, the adaptable, and the strong remain.

This guide will take you step by step through what happens in the first 100 days of collapse—and, more importantly, how to survive it.

Day 1-7: The Collapse Begins

The moment society falls, panic spreads like wildfire. Whether it’s an economic meltdown, EMP attack, war, or other disaster, the first week is when the unprepared realize they are in serious trouble. Banks close, grocery stores empty, and communications fail. Those who rely on government aid, daily wages, or just-in-time deliveries are the first to panic.

Looting begins within 24 to 48 hours in major cities. At first, it’s desperate people grabbing food and water. But soon, organized gangs take over, targeting pharmacies, gun stores, and supply depots. Law enforcement, already overwhelmed, either abandons their posts or turns aggressive, enforcing martial law with force.

The first few days are when you make or break your survival chances. If you’re in a city, your priority should be getting out before it’s too late. The longer you stay, the harder it becomes to escape. If you’re in a rural area, your focus should be fortifying your home and securing your resources before desperate survivors spill out from collapsing cities.

Key Survival Priorities:

• If you’re in a city, evacuate immediately or find a hidden shelter away from chaos.

• Avoid crowds—panic leads to violence.

• Secure food, water, and medical supplies before stores are looted clean.

• Stay armed—desperation brings out the worst in people.

Day 8-30: The True Collapse Sets In

By the second week, the power grid is down, the water system is failing, and most government services have stopped. The last of the food from stores has been taken. Hunger and dehydration begin killing thousands. The weak—children, the elderly, and the sick—are the first to go.

At this stage, gangs and survival groups emerge as the new ruling forces. Those with weapons and organization will take what they need by force. In cities, this means militia-style warlords controlling neighborhoods. In rural areas, it means desperate refugees seeking food and shelter, some peacefully, others violently.

Martial law, if it was declared at the beginning, is now either brutally enforced or has completely collapsed. Many police and military units will abandon their posts to protect their own families. If you stayed in a city, you're now trapped in one of the deadliest places on earth.

If you prepared well, you should have enough food and water to last through this phase without exposing yourself. Keeping a low profile is critical. Anyone who advertises that they have supplies will become a target.

Key Survival Priorities:

• Stay hidden. If you have supplies, don’t let anyone know.

• Avoid cities—they are now death traps filled with starvation and violence.

• Form alliances cautiously. A trusted group increases survival chances, but trust must be earned, not given freely.

• Water purification is essential. Disease spreads fast without clean water.

Day 31-60: The Die-Off Phase

By now, millions have died from starvation, dehydration, disease, and violence. The weak and unprepared are gone. The cities smell of death, and abandoned cars clog the highways. Without garbage collection or sanitation, rats, insects, and disease run rampant.

Many of those who survive have either banded together into self-sufficient groups or become raiders, scavenging and killing for supplies. Small farms and rural homesteads become targets. Anyone who has food is now at risk of being attacked.

At this stage, your survival depends on remaining undetected and having the ability to sustain yourself long-term. If you still have stored food, ration it carefully. If you haven’t started growing or hunting food yet, you need to start immediately—because supplies will only become harder to find.

Key Survival Priorities:

• Grow food and raise small livestock—stored food won’t last forever.

• Defend your territory—raiders will be actively searching for supplies.

• Stay away from desperate survivors. At this stage, many will do anything to survive.

• Maintain mental resilience. The shock of seeing civilization gone can break those who aren't mentally prepared.

Day 61-100: The New World Takes Shape

At this point, the collapse has stabilized. The initial die-off is nearly complete, and those still alive are either well-prepared survivors, hardened scavengers, or members of larger survival groups. Warlords and strongmen now control most urban areas, and any government presence is minimal or non-existent.

For those who made it this far, survival becomes about long-term sustainability. Groups begin rebuilding in their own ways—some creating farming communities, others forming brutal dictatorships, and some living as nomadic scavengers.

Trade begins to emerge. Barter replaces money, and goods like food, medicine, and ammunition become the new currency. Those with practical skills—doctors, mechanics, blacksmiths—are in high demand.

This is the phase where true survivalists will thrive. If you’ve secured food, water, and shelter, and have a solid group, you’ve made it through the worst. But challenges still remain—raiders, harsh winters, and rival groups will continue to threaten survival.

Key Survival Priorities:

• Barter and trade will become necessary. Stockpile valuable trade items like medicine, ammo, and alcohol.

• Build a secure community. Strength in numbers is key for long-term survival.

• Avoid old world thinking. Governments, laws, and authorities won’t be coming back soon—adapt to the new reality.

• Stay prepared for further conflicts. As resources become scarce, wars between survivor groups will emerge.

Final Thoughts: Will You Survive the First 100 Days?

The first 100 days of a societal collapse are the deadliest. This is when the weak are eliminated, and the strong take control. If you’re prepared, smart, and adaptable, you can make it through. But if you think survival is just about having some canned food and a flashlight, you won’t last long.

This isn’t just about waiting for things to go back to normal—normal is gone. The survivors of the first 100 days won’t just be living through history; they’ll be shaping the new world that emerges after.

The question is: Will you be one of them?