\u201cIt is dangerous\u201d<\/span><\/h2>\nWith Alati\u2019s bet, there are several stories floating around treating the bet as something quirky and interesting. They call it crazy the same way you would call a roller coaster ride crazy, not the mentally ill crazy.<\/p>\n
Mental illness is at the heart of this whole venture though. Any serious discussion of solitary confinement necessarily addresses the psychological impact.<\/p>\n
Dr. Stuart Grassian<\/strong> is used to discussing the psychological side effects of solitary. He has testified before the Supreme Court<\/strong> on the subject. He served on the faculty at\u00a0Harvard Medical School<\/strong> from 1974 to 2003 and has extensively researched solitary confinement and interviewed hundreds of prisoners about their experiences. USPoker<\/em> spoke to Grassian before the bet ended about the medical impact it could have on Alati.<\/p>\nEven though Alati was in this situation of his own accord, Grassian says the risks are still present.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe risk is a little different because he has the opportunity to get out,\u201d Grassian explained. \u201cHe could start hallucinating. He could start feeling paranoid. There\u2019s even a risk of suicide. You\u2019d have to hope that if he got mentally sick in there he would recognize it and get out rather than continuing to plunge deeper into mental illness.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another important point to consider is that, though he could leave, Alati may be too motivated to listen to his instincts.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnyone who is willing to do that may well be so stubborn that they would choose to plunge deeper and deeper into this torture. I think it is not a good idea that it is happening.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The risks extend\u00a0beyond the bathroom<\/span><\/h2>\nAlati may be out of the bathroom, but he is not out of the clear yet. His experiences in confinement could have far-reaching impact.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is dangerous. It could have a continuing effect on him. Assuming he emerges alive, it could affect him going forward and he may not know that,\u201d said Grassian.<\/p>\n
Alati and Young did make an effort to plan for contingencies, even drawing up a contract both signed. What is missing from this is an impartial medical professional who could call the bet off should Alati display signs of mental illness.<\/p>\n
Even if the two wanted to include one, it might have been\u00a0difficult to find someone willing to supervise. Grassian, for example, adamantly expressed his concern the bet was even taking place.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it is a stupid and crazy thing to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
This is not to say that Alati is doomed for psychosis. Grassian pointed out that people actually pay good money to spend some time in sensory deprivation tanks. For many, the disassociative experience of the tank is something they enjoy. Still, those experiences are limited to a few hours, not a few weeks.<\/p>\n
The risk simply does not outweigh the reward for the expert, even if it is $100,000.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re putting someone in a psychologically damaging situation for a bet. Why not just put your hands over a flame and see who can last longer?\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The post Solitary Expert Says $100,000 Bathroom Bet Was Crazy, And Not In A Good Way appeared first on .<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In 1951, McGill University tried to monitor the effects of solitary confinement in a sensory […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"link","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","vebbtech_seo_disable_yoast":false,"vebbtech_seo_hide_author":false,"vebbtech_seo_hide_date":false,"vebbtech_seo_hide_factchecker":false,"vebbtech_seo_fact_check_enabled":false,"vebbtech_seo_post_reviewer":0,"vebbtech_seo_post_review_date":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-18713","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-link","6":"category-news-category","7":"post_format-post-format-link"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Solitary Expert Says $100,000 Bathroom Bet Was Crazy, And Not In A Good Way -<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n