12/16/2023 0 Comments Cabin fever syndrome![]() ![]() Researchers liken this response to the benefit of hunger in keeping us fed. Studies demonstrate that when we are isolated, the brain tries to preserve hippocampal activity by triggering areas that motivate us to seek out social interaction. In its place, we see increased activity in the amygdala, the area of the brain in which we experience anxiety and fear, and where our reaction to stimuli is regulated. The stress of isolation decreases the plasticity of the hippocampus and eventually, as no new neurons are formed, the hippocampus ceases to function. It turns out chronic isolation triggers a decrease in the hippocampus, the area of our brains that is tied to memory and spatial awareness. Our brains are wired for social connection, an evolutionary advantage for animals like us who live cooperatively within societies. While there’s not a lot of research on cabin fever per se, there have been several studies done on the effects of social isolation on the human brain. The Effects Of Social Isolation On Our Brains Later in the 20th century, the term stir-crazy arose alongside the US punitive system it described the mental illness that developed after a long impris onment. The term cabin fever dates back to the early 1900’s and the Alaskan gold rush when early explorers would shut in for the entirety of the dark and cold winters. Settlers often suffered mental breakdowns after months or years of isolation on the desolate prairie landscape, 20 miles or more from one’s nearest neighbors. Early pioneers in the American West called it prairie madness. It’s long been known that isolation causes us socially-dependent human beings to go a little bonkers. The semantics of “ disease, disorder, or syndrome ” aside, there’s no doubt that solitary confinement, or even confinement alongside our closest family, changes the brain. Whether we’re just lonely and bored, or dealing with a mental illness, cabin fever is very real for the one who’s experiencing it. ![]() Extreme cases are more often classified as depression, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), or claustrophobia. What Is Cabin Fever? The Research Behind ItĮxperts are hesitant to label cabin fever as a disorder. It’s possible to be with ourselves, without the accompanying suffering. In this time of quarantine, we have the option to agonize over cabin fever or to tackle it head on. As Blaise Pascal famously mused in the 17th century age of enlightenment, “All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” Being alone is difficult, yet presents us with an extraordinary opportunity for personal growth. ![]()
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