> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.freakhosting.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How to Manage Panic & Stress in Project Zomboid

> Master the psychological simulation. Learn how to tune combat panic increases, stress decay rates, and mental health variables on your Project Zomboid server.

## The Mental Toll: Psychological Survival

In Project Zomboid, the psychological state of a survivor is as critical as their physical health. High **Panic** levels drastically reduce combat effectiveness by diminishing firearm accuracy and melee damage, while chronic **Stress** leads to debilitating unhappiness and clinical depression. As a server administrator, you can fine-tune these psychological multipliers within your sandbox configuration to create either a "Hardened Veterans" experience or a "Terrified Rookies" atmosphere. This guide walk you through the technical calibration of these mental moodles on your FREAKHOSTING instance.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Difficulty" icon="gauge-low">
    Intermediate
  </Card>

  <Card title="Time" icon="clock">
    5 Minutes
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

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## Technical Parameter Calibration

These psychological variables are situated within your `{ServerName}_SandboxVars.lua` registry.

### 1. Combat Panic Dynamics

The engine calculates panic based on proximity to the zombie horde and individual character traits (e.g., "Brave" vs. "Cowardly").

* **`PanicIncreaseValue`**: Determines the intensity of the initial heart rate spike when a character first observes an undead entity.
* **`PanicDecayRate`**: Dictates the speed at which a character regains their composure once they have broken line-of-sight with the horde.
* **Optimization Strategy:** For roleplay-heavy servers, we recommend slightly increasing the decay rate to simulate survivors becoming accustomed to the apocalypse over time.

### 2. Longitudinal Mental Health

Extended periods of isolation or stagnation can lead to long-term moodle degradation.

* **`UnhappinessIncrease`**: Scales the velocity at which "Unhappy" moodles develop into full depression.
* **`BoredomDecrease`**: Calibrates the effectiveness of interactive activities (e.g., reading books or using exercise equipment) in neutralizing the "Bored" state.

***

## Strategic Community Management

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="The Smoker Trait Protocol">
    A primary source of chronic stress in multiplayer is the **Smoker** trait. Since the engine lacks a global toggle to disable trait-specific stress, we recommend using a [Starter Kit](/games/project-zomboid/installing-mods-to-a-project-zomboid-server) that includes **Cigarettes** and a **Lighter**. This prevents initial player frustration and reduces early-game attrition.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Combat Balancing">
    If your players report that firearms are "too difficult" to use effectively, consider lowering the `PanicIncreaseValue`. This ensures that even under pressure, survivors maintain a baseline level of accuracy, making combat feel more responsive and less randomized.
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

***

<Note>
  ### Need Extra Help?

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</Note>

<Tip>
  ### Save on Your Hosting

  Ready to get a new server? Use code **KB20** at checkout for **20% off** your first month!
</Tip>

***

<div align="center">
  **Last Updated:** January 2026 | **Project Zomboid:** Mental health settings set.
</div>