@Shloeb
you have to heal to stop bleeding after getting shot, if i remember its the "]" button on your keyboard.
Better see the controls and do heal when you are shot or else your life will deplete until u bleed to death.
Isnt it realistic...lolz...me so likes it.
Few more things:
Watch out in your inventory screen for yellow bar, if its filled up then you are affected with radiation. You need radiation pills. And yeah putiing some of the artifacts in your belt will give you power but at the side effect of irradiating you slowly, so that may cause the radiation death. Its better not to use such artifacts and till you get artifacts which are much better.
Another thing red is health, blue is armor. Armor will deplete slowly. Red medikits will only fill your health, Blue medikits will prevent bleeding and fill up your health too, Yello medikits will remove radiation and fill health too. So use them judiciously.
Vodka can remove radiation and radiation pills can also remove radiation. Some artifacts which you will find later in game will increase your power to sustain in radiated environments. Look out for these upgrade version of artifacts. And when you are near a radiation field your gieger counter will beep like crazy teet...teet...tee.teet.teet.teet.
I hope it helps.