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How extreme isolation warps the mind

bbc.com

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Re: How extreme isolation warps the mind

#131

Post by electromagnetic »

prawks wrote: post #36
electromagnetic wrote: post #28

This is more "extreme sensory deprivation is bad" rather than "extreme isolation is bad". There is lots of evidence of extreme social isolation having minimal impact on people's mental stability over long periods. It's not that we need people, it's that we need to be able to form our own narrative. We need to know what we're doing, why and what it's getting us. Extreme isolation of small groups seems much worse, espe…

Any examples of isolation of small groups? Sounds like it would make a fascinating case study.

The Pitcairn Islands are the one example I can think of right now. There was a large sex assault trail against numerous inhabitants, meaning the island now has the highest rate of sex offenders per capita in the world. They also used to have a strict moral code forbidding dancing, drinking or smoking.

Re: How extreme isolation warps the mind

#132

Post by jafaku »

mnw21cam wrote: post #121
jafaku wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I did something similar for a couple years, I used to sleep 8-10 hours but only 6 times a week. People kept telling me that my rotating hours were bad for my body, but I was in perfect shape, ate well, exercised, etc. Eventually I came back to "normal" because of certain obligations and human interactions, but I think I'll return to my rotating hours once I'm done with that.

You mean http://xkcd.com/320/ - Back when I was single, I considered doing something like that. I'm sure my body would prefer to have a 28 hour day.

Oh wow, I didn't realize others had already done this, let alone make comics about it. But yeah it's like in that comic.

Re: How extreme isolation warps the mind

#133

Post by jafaku »

kreeben wrote: post #79
jafaku wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I did something similar for a couple years, I used to sleep 8-10 hours but only 6 times a week. People kept telling me that my rotating hours were bad for my body, but I was in perfect shape, ate well, exercised, etc. Eventually I came back to "normal" because of certain obligations and human interactions, but I think I'll return to my rotating hours once I'm done with that.

Get kids. Problem solved.

What problem?

Re: How extreme isolation warps the mind

#134

Post by crpatino »

hyp0 wrote: post #103

> Biologists believe that human emotions evolved because they aided co-operation ... fear, anger, anxiety and sadness Mammals exhibit emotions such as fear and anger.

Humans are mammals. I do not think OP implied those emotions are unique to humans, rather the opposite is true. All species of (vertebrate) social animals evolved a similar set of emotions, in part due to shared ancestry but in part on the basis of being subject to the same environmental pressures.

Re: How extreme isolation warps the mind

#135

Post by jstevens85 »

3rd3 wrote: post #69
delluminatus wrote: post #5

A psychological gem was dropped in the middle of the article: People in her circumstances have their world suddenly inverted, and there is nothing in the manner of their taking – no narrative of sacrifice, or enduring for a greater good – to help them derive meaning from it. They must somehow find meaning in their predicament – or mentally detach themselves from their day-to-day reality, which is a monumental task wh…

I cannot understand why people still decide to base their motivations on slippery concepts like the meaning of life or on some romantized, conjectured intrinsic values of our species. It seems to me that there are much better mental models of our existence that can help us to organize our thoughts and lifes, most notably things that are derived from the theory of evolution, neuroscience and from behavioral biology.

My guess is that those mental models don't provide much comfort to people suffering from depression. Our brains evolved over many years and they require certains things to be present to be able to work at a normal mood elevation. Research suggests that the ability to find meaning or living according to "core values" is a necessity for most of us to escape depression. Whether or not it's logical or rational is irrelevant, it's how our brains work and it's just as important as sunlight, physical movement, and normal Vitamin D levels.

Re: How extreme isolation warps the mind

#136

Post by baddox »

moe wrote: post #120
baddox wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why do you think solitary confinement would cost less?

Because it's obvious? Anything to enable social interaction for him would have to happen on top of solitary confinement (or equivalent security) after all...

On the contrary, it's obvious to me that solitary confinement is significantly more expensive per inmate than non-solitary high security imprisonment.

Re: How extreme isolation warps the mind

#137

Post by moe »

baddox wrote: post #136
moe wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because it's obvious? Anything to enable social interaction for him would have to happen on top of solitary confinement (or equivalent security) after all...

On the contrary, it's obvious to me that solitary confinement is significantly more expensive per inmate than non-solitary high security imprisonment.

So how do you prevent the inmates from killing each other without separating them physically?

Re: How extreme isolation warps the mind

#138

Post by dasmithii »

enneff wrote: post #100
dasmithii wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not well-versed in modern sleep research, but our habits today are shifting drastically for the first time. Because of electricity, we're no longer bound to the sun cycle, as species of past millennia have been, and the typical day-night sleep schedule is no longer required. With alternative sleep cycles popularizing (i.e. biphasic, dymaxion, everyman), I wonder if we'll find that more efficient/healthy systems e…

> With alternative sleep cycles popularizing Are they really? I don't know of anyone who uses an alternate sleep cycle.

I suppose my statement was a bit unfounded. Having just graduated, many of my friends have begun experimenting now that school's out (and schedules are less strict).

Small sample size, I admit...

Re: How extreme isolation warps the mind

#139

Post by anigbrowl »

sumeno wrote: post #82
anigbrowl wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One could certainly try graduated adjustments. Fast facts: Silverstein was imprisoned for bank robbery. While in prison he was convicted for murder of another inmate, albeit on questionable evidence. Silverstein kiled and was convicted of murder for killing another inmate who was seeking revenge for the first killing he was convicted of. He led the Aryan Nation prison gang for a time. In 1983, he was convicted for a…

Even just allowing visitors without allowing physical interaction would have to be a vast improvement from total isolation. They've already got a visitor room set up but don't allow it to be used. Although at this point who is going to visit?

Family, people who feel the injustice of his punishment outweighs the severity of his crimes.

Re: How extreme isolation warps the mind

#140

Post by baddox »

moe wrote: post #137
baddox wrote: post #136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On the contrary, it's obvious to me that solitary confinement is significantly more expensive per inmate than non-solitary high security imprisonment.

So how do you prevent the inmates from killing each other without separating them physically?

You can separate them physically without putting them in solitary confinement.
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