Contestants on the Netflix reality TV show Outlast, Drew Haas and Drake Vliem, revealed how they managed to survive in the Alaskan wilderness for weeks in their new uInterview.

Currently in its second season, Outlast is a reality competition show where 16 people, split into four teams, attempt to survive in the Alaskan wilderness with minimal supplies. Contestants must work together in their teams, but players can leave the game at any point by firing a flare gun into the air. The team that lasts the longest wins $1 million.

Vliem and Haas reflected on their most challenging moments throughout filming the show.

Vliem said, “The most difficult experience was really just missing home. I really missed my wife and kids. I had never been away from them for that long, and definitely not that far. You know Texas is a long way from Alaska. As soon as I pushed through that, I knew I was capable of whatever was thrown my way.”

Haas agreed, “Same for me. It was definitely the missing of the family and just the no contact. I mean, I’ve never gone that long with no contact, zero phone calls, just nothing—and that was just excruciating, worse than the hunger, worse than the cold.”

He added, “And then there’s these things dangling in front of you, these flare guns that you could make it all go away, at any time that’s tough.”

Mental skills offered them the tools to push through.  

Vliem explained, “For me personally, I was just trying to stay positive. I’m naturally pretty goofy, and I like to be the light of the party. I like to make people smile and laugh. And for me to stay mentally strong I kind of reverted back to my childhood and that’s how I stayed mentally strong, is just making light of every situation. I’m probably going to be the one in the group who cracks the joke, you know; some people may like it, some people may not, but it worked out for me.”

Haas backed him up. “Yeah, I went in there with an ‘I get to be here’ attitude and I had to remind myself that more and more like, ‘This is a privilege to be here. And if you go home, you’re going to regret this for the rest of your life if you willingly go home.’ And it was just kind of those two things,” he said. 

He added, “And my relationship with Drake, other teammates, that comradery was a big help.”

Outlast can be steamed now on Netflix.

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