Human interaction thrives when people are called upon to help those in need. Historically, humanity benefited from mixed age groups, which are healthier than the segregated age bands prevalent today. Cultivating friendships with individuals both 20 years older and 20 years younger brings valuable perspectives. The concept of voluntary isolation is exemplified by a woman who spent 500 days underground, choosing solitude for personal growth and activities, demonstrating the difference between solitude and solitary confinement lies in autonomy.
How is the brain affected by solitary confinement? How would you deal with being stranded on a deserted island? And do baby monkeys make the best therapists?
- SOURCES:
- William Broyles Jr., screenwriter, journalism, and former U.S. Marine Corps officer.
- Beatriz Flamini, Spanish mountaineer.
- Craig Haney, professor of psychology at the University of California Santa Cruz.
- Harry Harlow, 20th-century American psychologist.
- Sarah Hepola, author.
- Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa.
- Tree Meinch, freelance writer, editor, and freediver.
- Alexander Selkirk, 18th-century Scottish privateer and Royal Navy officer.
- Cheryl Strayed, writer and podcast host.
- RESOURCES:
- "The Impact of Isolation on Brain Health," by Vibol Heng, Craig Haney, and Richard Jay Smeyne (Neurobiology of Brain Disorders, 2023).
- "What Happens When Humans Are Extremely Isolated?" by Tree Meinch (Discover, 2023).
- "Spanish Climber Leaves Cave After 500 Days in Isolation," by Ciarán Giles (AP News, 2023).
- "Solitary Confinement Is Not 'Solitude': The Worst Case Scenario of Being 'Alone' in Prison," by Craig Haney (The Handbook of Solitude, 2021).
- This Tender Land, by William Kent Krueger (2019).
- Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, by Cheryl Strayed (2012).
- "The Real Robinson Crusoe," by Bruce Selcraig (Smithsonian Magazine, 2005).
- "Lost at Sea and Back Again," by Sarah Hepola (The Austin Chronicle, 2000).
- "Social Recovery of Monkeys Isolated for the First Year of Life: I. Rehabilitation and Therapy," by Melinda Novak and Harry Harlow (Developmental Psychology, 1975).