Sensory Deprivation and It's Affect on the Brain

What happens in your brain when you are truly alone? A study was made to analyze what happens to the brain when deprived of stimulation. Six random people were put in confinement cells for 48 hours and in complete darkness, some even without being able to hear or feel. It was a horrible experience for them and their brains did suffer. The patient’s brains were tested before the confinement and functioned at normal levels, but after the 48 hours it was obvious that their brains had deteriorated. Many of them would talk to themselves, hallucinate, pace back and forth for hours without stopping, and other odd actions. This experiment suggests how fragile the mind can be, especially when alone.

In many countries prisoners are tortured by being put in confinement cells for long periods of time. A known fact is that during the Korean War, when Americans and Canadians were held as hostages and deprived of their senses they were easily brainwashed. Today in America, there are at least 20,000 prisoners in isolation cells. A man who experienced being in a confinement cell and now is free has realized that more than at least 2/3 of his brain has deteriorated and that now he has no ability with time, can’t follow directions, can’t drive on a busy street, etc, and he knows that it is permanent. If these patients were only put in isolation cells for 48 hours and treated humanely and still their minds deteriorated, imagine how prisoner’s minds are affected since they are isolated for long periods of time and not treated kindly. In my opinion it is a horrible way to torture people and ruin their mental abilities.