What are the physical/psychological effects of isolation on a human being?

Question

I was wondering this because I saw something on TV about how humans can mentally deteriorate if left in isolation for almost any period of time. I heard that there are even some effects after a short period such as two days and I wanted to know what these symptoms were.

Answer 1

It depends on what you mean by isolation. if a person is put in a completely darkend, sound proof room where there is no stimulation of any kind they will begin to mentally decompensate very quickly. Usually by halucinating.

Social isolation, when you move somewhere that you don't know anyone, don;t speak the language, have no near neighbors can be worse in the long run. It causes depression, anxiety disorders, loss of self identity, paranoia. This used to happen to pioneer women especially if they moved to the prairie where the wind blows almost all the time. They were isolated on the homesteads, their husbands went into the towns or had contact with other farmers or ranchers in the course of their work day but the women had nothing and no one. Quite a few committed suicide.

We are a social species and we need each other to thrive.

Answer 2

Isolation can cause a myriad of problems to the human mind. During the early days of space endeavors, tests were conducted on astronauts for space isolation. Some results were: disorientation, hullcination, sickness, feeling of helplessness. It has long been believed that mankind needs companionship, be it human or animal. Note that no outer space fllights were conducted with a solitary astronaut - all were done with a flight crew of three.