For whatever reason, we love a good survival story. Whether it’s a Hollywood film about Tom Hanks stranded on a desert island or a reality TV show about a former special forces soldier foraging for food and shelter in the jungle, we can’t get enough.

Unfortunately, for many of us, our knowledge of survival and emergency situations doesn’t go much further than what we’ve seen on television. Worse, much of what we’ve learned and come to accept as good advice is actually wrong. Many of the techniques in question are either ineffective, dangerous, or exaggerated for entertainment value.

Myths that could get you seriously hurt

If you ever find yourself stranded, lost, or in a life-threatening situation, here are a few popular survival myths to be aware of:

1. Sucking venom out of a snakebite

If you get bitten by a venomous snake, the smart move is to get the venom out of the wound as soon as possible. The only problem? This doesn’t actually work. And neither do devices that claim to extract the venom.

“Snake venom rapidly diffuses into deep tissue, it’s not just pooled up under the skin ready to be suctioned out,” prepper Sean Gold tells Upworthy. “Being able to suck the venom back through the snake’s bite is also impossible, since the bite tracks immediately collapse when the fangs are removed.”

What to do instead: You need medical attention and antivenom. If you can’t get help, immobilize the wound and keep it below heart........

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