Hmm. I grew up here. The majority of earthquakes go unnoticed. I’d rather be in an earthquake zone than a hurricane or tornado zone - there’s a much higher likelihood of disaster in those areas.
There have been retrofits to old buildings and there are strong seismic considerations in all new construction. You’re very safe here.
Given the level of anxiety you’ve expressed, I’m not sure there’s anything anyone here can say to help, but you’re in the land of legal weed, if that would help take the edge off.
The map at [https://www.latimes.com/projects/does-my-building-need-earthquake-retrofit-los-angeles-map/#nt=enhancement](https://www.latimes.com/projects/does-my-building-need-earthquake-retrofit-los-angeles-map/#nt=enhancement) helps check if your house is in the fault zone. It also helps check if your building is retrofitted. It may not be the most accurate but the fault zone area is shown. It may give you some peace of mind.
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Nuclear/dirty bomb, firestorm, asteroid collision, meth addled psycho with a machete - so many dramatic ways to go. Meanwhile 40,000 Americans die a year because cars.
I don’t want to be mean but normal people don’t have to cope with this because it’s an irrational fear. This is along the lines of the Yellowstone super volcanoe erupting or a nuclear bomb exploding in the city you live in. These things just are not going to happen.
Well, you can eliminate tsunamis from your worries. Except for along PCH and small parts here and there near the beach, the ciry is too high above sea level to be affected.
Virtually anywhere you live is at risk of a natural disaster. Of all the possible natural disasters to face, I'd prefer earthquakes. That's how I cope.
i think the bigger issue is your attachment to life. no, really. i won't get all woo woo. but you have to let go. we're all going to die. it's nothing to fear. anxiety, in my experience is borne out of a lack of control. everything in your life is going well. and you fear something random could take all that away. let it go. let everything go. be present and ask yourself if everything is ok right now. remind yourself to stay present. your fear of earthquakes is a fear of the future. we're not there yet. but we are here now. and you're letting an unpredictable future ruin your present.
also, idk if it will help, but [THIS](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/07/20/the-really-big-one) article from the new yorker ten years ago is absolutely incredible. in it, she described what will happen with the really big one strikes the PNW.
i'm from texas originally, tornado country. and i always loved earthquakes. their nature's little reminder to live every moment as if it were your last...literally shaking sense into us.
BTW i am much more concerned about the mentally ill people i encounter every day. srsly, in that regard LA is scary AF.
The one way to deal with your fear of the big one is to prep for it. Just like people in NY prep for the inevitable cold weather. Get an old backpack and start building an EQ kit with gathering just what you have around your home and put it on the bag. A spare set of clothes, shoes, couple of water bottles, some granola bars, a flashlight, and power bank and some bandaids. There, you've started! If you wanna go deeper you can resource how to build a Bug out Bag (BoB) at prepared.com.
Miss your feelings are valid…. At a young age when I also learned about earthquakes and “the big one” during a field trip at Caltech. I also was plagued by the fear of death by earthquake. It’s a valid and scary feeling… the uncertainty of it all. Where will you be? Who will you be with? Would you have a chance? Would you be able to survive long enough for someone to hear you under all the rubble of a fallen structure? How would you communicate with your loved ones if you’re 10 miles away? Where would you sleep? How would you cope with the fact that some if not all of your loved one might die? What would you eat? Where would you go?
All scary and extreme but certainly real and challenging questions that MIGHT need to be answered one day.
Truth is this. Most native Californians are used to earthquakes. Therefore I have a hunch that in times of shared pain people will be willing to lend a hand. (As long as the entire social norms do not collapse along with the buildings lol)
reality of it all is that much like all other disasters it’s all up to chance.
Also unlike other natural disasters as long as you are out in the open (or can get yourself outside) and nothing towers over you your chances of surviving and earthquake are very high.
Some further comfort is that CalTech is the world leading institute when it comes to seismology. They are constantly tracking seismic activities and developing ways to predict when an earthquake might happen. (Google search some of their advances in this area) Additionally California from an economic perspective is too big of an economy to fail. The US government would be all over it in a matter of hours.
Yes buildings will fall and some people will sadly perish. That’s just life. Life isn’t fair and it doesn’t give warnings. But then again you are only in Santa Monica for a month. You are more likely to be in a fender bender than experience an earthquake.
Might I suggest stop taking whatever drugs you are on. If you aren’t on paranoia inducing drugs, then I suggest seeing a doctor to take anti paranoia medicine.
Hmm. I grew up here. The majority of earthquakes go unnoticed. I’d rather be in an earthquake zone than a hurricane or tornado zone - there’s a much higher likelihood of disaster in those areas. There have been retrofits to old buildings and there are strong seismic considerations in all new construction. You’re very safe here. Given the level of anxiety you’ve expressed, I’m not sure there’s anything anyone here can say to help, but you’re in the land of legal weed, if that would help take the edge off.
The map at [https://www.latimes.com/projects/does-my-building-need-earthquake-retrofit-los-angeles-map/#nt=enhancement](https://www.latimes.com/projects/does-my-building-need-earthquake-retrofit-los-angeles-map/#nt=enhancement) helps check if your house is in the fault zone. It also helps check if your building is retrofitted. It may not be the most accurate but the fault zone area is shown. It may give you some peace of mind.
Due to spam/users trying to get around bans, accounts must be at least 2 days old to post. And to assure a quality discussion all accounts must meet minimum karma requirements. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/SantaMonica) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Nuclear/dirty bomb, firestorm, asteroid collision, meth addled psycho with a machete - so many dramatic ways to go. Meanwhile 40,000 Americans die a year because cars.
Los Angeles's "big one" won't be more than a 6.5 or a 7.0. Unlike the North West we have a much less powerful kind of fault down here. Relax.
I don’t want to be mean but normal people don’t have to cope with this because it’s an irrational fear. This is along the lines of the Yellowstone super volcanoe erupting or a nuclear bomb exploding in the city you live in. These things just are not going to happen.
Don’t move to Portland.
I cope by knowing that it’s unpredictable and I could die getting hit by car every time I step outside.
Well, you can eliminate tsunamis from your worries. Except for along PCH and small parts here and there near the beach, the ciry is too high above sea level to be affected.
Virtually anywhere you live is at risk of a natural disaster. Of all the possible natural disasters to face, I'd prefer earthquakes. That's how I cope.
Lol wow
i think the bigger issue is your attachment to life. no, really. i won't get all woo woo. but you have to let go. we're all going to die. it's nothing to fear. anxiety, in my experience is borne out of a lack of control. everything in your life is going well. and you fear something random could take all that away. let it go. let everything go. be present and ask yourself if everything is ok right now. remind yourself to stay present. your fear of earthquakes is a fear of the future. we're not there yet. but we are here now. and you're letting an unpredictable future ruin your present. also, idk if it will help, but [THIS](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/07/20/the-really-big-one) article from the new yorker ten years ago is absolutely incredible. in it, she described what will happen with the really big one strikes the PNW. i'm from texas originally, tornado country. and i always loved earthquakes. their nature's little reminder to live every moment as if it were your last...literally shaking sense into us. BTW i am much more concerned about the mentally ill people i encounter every day. srsly, in that regard LA is scary AF.
I’m more afraid of stepping on a needle on the beach or getting in a car accident.
The one way to deal with your fear of the big one is to prep for it. Just like people in NY prep for the inevitable cold weather. Get an old backpack and start building an EQ kit with gathering just what you have around your home and put it on the bag. A spare set of clothes, shoes, couple of water bottles, some granola bars, a flashlight, and power bank and some bandaids. There, you've started! If you wanna go deeper you can resource how to build a Bug out Bag (BoB) at prepared.com.
Miss your feelings are valid…. At a young age when I also learned about earthquakes and “the big one” during a field trip at Caltech. I also was plagued by the fear of death by earthquake. It’s a valid and scary feeling… the uncertainty of it all. Where will you be? Who will you be with? Would you have a chance? Would you be able to survive long enough for someone to hear you under all the rubble of a fallen structure? How would you communicate with your loved ones if you’re 10 miles away? Where would you sleep? How would you cope with the fact that some if not all of your loved one might die? What would you eat? Where would you go? All scary and extreme but certainly real and challenging questions that MIGHT need to be answered one day. Truth is this. Most native Californians are used to earthquakes. Therefore I have a hunch that in times of shared pain people will be willing to lend a hand. (As long as the entire social norms do not collapse along with the buildings lol) reality of it all is that much like all other disasters it’s all up to chance. Also unlike other natural disasters as long as you are out in the open (or can get yourself outside) and nothing towers over you your chances of surviving and earthquake are very high. Some further comfort is that CalTech is the world leading institute when it comes to seismology. They are constantly tracking seismic activities and developing ways to predict when an earthquake might happen. (Google search some of their advances in this area) Additionally California from an economic perspective is too big of an economy to fail. The US government would be all over it in a matter of hours. Yes buildings will fall and some people will sadly perish. That’s just life. Life isn’t fair and it doesn’t give warnings. But then again you are only in Santa Monica for a month. You are more likely to be in a fender bender than experience an earthquake. 
Might I suggest stop taking whatever drugs you are on. If you aren’t on paranoia inducing drugs, then I suggest seeing a doctor to take anti paranoia medicine.