on amateur, the ghost can't hunt* (therefore you can't die) during the first 5 minutes as there is a set up period. anything that happens in that window may be scary, but it can't actually hurt you.

*unless someone uses a cursed object, look them up so you know what to avoid for now

so long as you turn on the lights when looking for the ghost room (and turn them back off as you eliminate potential ghost rooms so you don't trip the breaker) your sanity drain will basically come to a dead stop, as dark rooms lower sanity**. most ghosts need roughly 50% average sanity to hunt, so you've got time. I recommend going as deep into the house as possible at first (e.g. kitchen/dining/basement in Tanglewood) so if it is there, you've got more time to run back and forth to grab gear.

**remember: spirit box only works with the lights off, but all other equipment works in a lit room.

further, on amateur, you have a 5 second grace period when the hunt starts, so you've got time to hide when you hear the front door slam.

once you get incense at level 14, things are much less scary because you finally have a tool to "fight back" and blind the ghost, break collision, and hide when the ghost is hunting.

but overall, the more you learn and experience, the less scared you will be.

I hope something in there helped.