How do some patients respond to life in the Slammer? How would you react to being in solitary confinement with a possible fatal exposure to a pathogen?
Some patients in the Slammer “have emotional breakdowns … and try to escape” (Preston, 1994, p. 157). The patients become extremely depressed and scared of everything, stop talking to anyone, stare at walls, and do not do anything. The patients are extremely ill and contract a variety of diseases, such as high fevers, excruciating pain in the internal organs, brain strokes, and an uncontrollable loss of blood. The Slammer is meant to heal patients from detrimental diseases. The patients leave the Slammer physically healthy but emotionally unhealthy because they spent multiple days, months, and even years in the Slammer without human contact and without stimulation. This would drive anyone crazy. The doctors and nurses in the Slammer try to make the patients as happy as possible, but it does not work out well. If I was in solitary confinement with a possible fatal exposure to a pathogen, I would panic. I would be extremely worried that I would die soon or that there will be no cure or antibiotics that would be able to help me. I would eventually lose my mind if I was in the Slammer long enough. I would greatly miss my family and friends. Also, I would miss going outside, seeing the sun, feeling the breeze, and smelling the fresh air. Similar to the patients of the Slammer in the book, if I ever get out of the Slammer, I will be completely different person from when I first entered.
Preston, R. (1994). The Hot Zone. New York City, New York: Random House.
To add to what Julieta said about the Slammer, people that have came out of it are often angry at themselves and others. They seem brain dead, “blinking with confusion” (Preston 207) at different situations. Because they were kept in solitude for so long, they do not how to react to anything and they seem lost. The people are put back into regular life after a long period of isolation which would be hard for any person. The people that have been in the Slammer often cut down their work after they come out or they “find all kinds of excuses” (Preston 207) to why they cannot put on a space suit. Some people end up quitting their jobs and leaving the Institute altogether.
As far as I could find, there is no known or tested way that an individual can physiologically cope with being in solitary confinement. Solitary confinement greatly deteriorates a person, often beyond repair. Patients in solitary confinement may or may not eventually adjust to daily social life. However, patients often have trouble adjusting because their life in solitary confinement was organized and routine, so they do not know how to do things for themselves. The patient’s mental state is as if he or she is still in his or her cell. Solitary confinement often makes patients depressed and suicidal. Therefore, it may take years for someone to fully recover from being in solitary confinement for an extended period of time. However, a person can try slowly socializing with a few people at a time and taking charge of a few aspects of their lives to feel in control again; this could help the patient ease back into his or her regular life.
Citation: Breslow, J. (2014, April 22). What Does Solitary Confinement Do To Your Mind? Retrieved May 25, 2015, from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/criminal-justice/locked-up-in-america/what-does-solitary-confinement-do-to-your-mind/
The life of the patients are affected awfully due to the slammer. As Julieta explained, not only does the slammer affect the patients while they are being treated in there but it will continue to affect them throughout their lives because of the experience they had. Most of the patients, after they leave, still have the same paranoid mindset that they had when they were in the slammer and they will also have the same emotions that they had. The patients will be so influenced by the slammer that it will change their personality and their way of living because it is hard to live their knowing you might not leave alive and one will be traumatize by that and will not be able to live with the clear mind that they had before they entered the slammer.
Some patients in the Slammer “have emotional breakdowns … and try to escape” (Preston, 1994, p. 157). The patients become extremely depressed and scared of everything, stop talking to anyone, stare at walls, and do not do anything. The patients are extremely ill and contract a variety of diseases, such as high fevers, excruciating pain in the internal organs, brain strokes, and an uncontrollable loss of blood. The Slammer is meant to heal patients from detrimental diseases. The patients leave the Slammer physically healthy but emotionally unhealthy because they spent multiple days, months, and even years in the Slammer without human contact and without stimulation. This would drive anyone crazy. The doctors and nurses in the Slammer try to make the patients as happy as possible, but it does not work out well. If I was in solitary confinement with a possible fatal exposure to a pathogen, I would panic. I would be extremely worried that I would die soon or that there will be no cure or antibiotics that would be able to help me. I would eventually lose my mind if I was in the Slammer long enough. I would greatly miss my family and friends. Also, I would miss going outside, seeing the sun, feeling the breeze, and smelling the fresh air. Similar to the patients of the Slammer in the book, if I ever get out of the Slammer, I will be completely different person from when I first entered.
ReplyDeletePreston, R. (1994). The Hot Zone. New York City, New York: Random House.
To add to what Julieta said about the Slammer, people that have came out of it are often angry at themselves and others. They seem brain dead, “blinking with confusion” (Preston 207) at different situations. Because they were kept in solitude for so long, they do not how to react to anything and they seem lost. The people are put back into regular life after a long period of isolation which would be hard for any person. The people that have been in the Slammer often cut down their work after they come out or they “find all kinds of excuses” (Preston 207) to why they cannot put on a space suit. Some people end up quitting their jobs and leaving the Institute altogether.
DeleteHi Julieta, Is there any known or tested way that an individual can physiologically cope with being in solitary confinement?
DeleteAs far as I could find, there is no known or tested way that an individual can physiologically cope with being in solitary confinement. Solitary confinement greatly deteriorates a person, often beyond repair. Patients in solitary confinement may or may not eventually adjust to daily social life. However, patients often have trouble adjusting because their life in solitary confinement was organized and routine, so they do not know how to do things for themselves. The patient’s mental state is as if he or she is still in his or her cell. Solitary confinement often makes patients depressed and suicidal. Therefore, it may take years for someone to fully recover from being in solitary confinement for an extended period of time. However, a person can try slowly socializing with a few people at a time and taking charge of a few aspects of their lives to feel in control again; this could help the patient ease back into his or her regular life.
DeleteCitation: Breslow, J. (2014, April 22). What Does Solitary Confinement Do To Your Mind? Retrieved May 25, 2015, from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/criminal-justice/locked-up-in-america/what-does-solitary-confinement-do-to-your-mind/
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe life of the patients are affected awfully due to the slammer. As Julieta explained, not only does the slammer affect the patients while they are being treated in there but it will continue to affect them throughout their lives because of the experience they had. Most of the patients, after they leave, still have the same paranoid mindset that they had when they were in the slammer and they will also have the same emotions that they had. The patients will be so influenced by the slammer that it will change their personality and their way of living because it is hard to live their knowing you might not leave alive and one will be traumatize by that and will not be able to live with the clear mind that they had before they entered the slammer.
ReplyDelete