Isolation
The way the world is constructed is by order and social societies intended to protect humankind that will allow it to thrive. Although this can be difficult, most of the civilized world has lived with rules, protection and basic needs for at least a century or more. When left in isolation for longer than two months with no basic needs and a struggle to survive physically, the psychological damage done cannot only cause temporary insanity, but also show signs of the beginning of chronic mental illness. Due to the isolation and lack of mental stimulation, being stranded on an island alone would lead a person to become insane, thus creating a lower chance of survival.
Due to the range and versatility of the human mind, the way people react to isolation varies. If put in isolation for a certain amount of time, all humans will struggle with mental insanity. According to Therapy Insider, when left in complete isolation people tend to create relationships with an inanimate object and give them personalities of their own. They take care of them, such as giving them food even when they don’t eat it, washing them, even talking to them.The mind also tends to break down without a continual stimulus, due to the fact there wasn’t any engagement of the mind in any way. For example, watching TV, reading, and working creates a sense of normalcy and habit in our lives which gives mental stimulation and engagement of the mind. This keeps us sane.With no ability to engage and stimulate the brain, the mental health of a person will begin to deteriorate and so will a person mental alertness.
According to BBC, another side effect of isolation is hallucinations, due to the lack of mental activity the brain comprises by creating hallucinations that cause some brain activity. The brain also goes through something called “time slowing” which causes the effect of time slowing down. In 1993 Mario Montalbini, a sociologist and cave enthusiast spent 366 days in an underground cavern in Italy designed by NASA to simulate what it’s like in space. During the experiment, he thought only 266 days had passed, with a regular sleep cycle of 16 hours of living and 12 hours of sleep. Montalbano had extreme periods of mental instability making it hard for him to adjust to regular life. Humans deal with isolation differently, from time slowing to creating false relationships to inanimate objects to try and cope with loneliness, thus showing that humans have a harder time surviving alone.
Although coping mechanism are to be expected, due to the way the mind works, but scientifically speaking, what could be expected from coping mechanisms and how do they physically change the brain and affect the chances of survival.According to a study the University of Chicago did, Loneliness doesn’t only change the way people act, it also changes their brain chemistry. During the Annual American Association of the Advancement of Science meeting, scientist discovered that using fMRI, people who are not lonely tend to activate the ventral striatum more often when given a picture of people in pleasant in pictures.In contradiction, the temporoparietal junction, a region of that associates with human empathy, is less activated in lonely or isolated people than with people that have people around them. Based on evidence amassed by researchers over the past several decades, People in isolation have unequivocally developed some kind of psychological damage and/or show severe signs of a mental illness. Recently, according to solitary watch, in the field of neuroscience, more and more discoveries are being made that long-term isolation can change brain chemistry and even the structure of the brain. Through the discovery that your brain physically alters when isolated, it shows the difficulty of isolation on your mind and the struggle for survival by oneself thus exhibiting the need for a social surrounding in human society.
Surviving while stranded and isolated on a deserted island can be a struggle for anyone, yet there are ways to postpone the psychological damages and/or protruding mental insanity. According to the Telegraph, the main skill needed to survive, is not to panic. Having a clear and peaceful mindset allows one to adapt better and make better decisions instead of creating a reality-based on the fact one predicts he’s going to fail. The mind is one of the most powerful tools for succeeding and surviving isolated on a deserted island. Although the physical challenges may seem intense and challenging, to be able to do them, a mindset of perseverance and determination to be able to survive, according to the UK marines website.The survival for one on a deserted island is highly dependent on one’s mental strength and health, creating a likelier chance of surviving when not panicking and a strong mind, which is easier achievable when having a companion and clear mind.
The chances of survival are less likely without a social society and order, due to the human dependence on social interaction and mental stimulation to remain sane. Surviving on a deserted island is highly dependent on mental strength and positivity, if one is stranded without hope or communication to the outside world, mental sharpness and stimulation might be the saviour of one’s sanity and the key to survival. In conclusion, the purpose of the way society is set up is to keep mental sanity and give humans a purpose to live and socialize, to be able to stay mentally sane while contributing to society.
