Pain vs. Boredom/ Isolation:

Which one would you rather experience?

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Would you cause yourself physical harm/ pain simply to avoid being bored for 3 days, remaining completely shut off from the world around you, or is this a norm for you?

If not the norm, how do you think you'd be able to handle being in a isolation chamber/ room for 72 hours straight, with no one but your own thoughts to fill the void, how well do you think you'd do if this were you?


If this is a norm for you, how do you handle/ deal with the being so alone and isolated as such?

I am rather tolerant person in respect to several things. I will admit that I have never really experienced severe physical pain. I have had migraines and toothaches, and a couple injuries, but in the case of migraines, the vomiting seemed worse to me than the pain. I certainly hope I never have severe pain. I guess the worst pain I've had (on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 the worst), was a 7, and only briefly. It's hard for me to know if this has truly just been much lesser than what others have experienced, or if I rate it lower than others do. Really, what's a 5 to one can be a 9 to another. I know that my husband makes a MUCH bigger deal about physical things that would barely phase me. I never minimize his pain, though.

I don't get bored that easily. I am pretty good at entertaining myself with daydreaming, various activities (like writing or singing), and silly/humorous thoughts. Laughing at yourself is healthy! It's a positive coping skill. I try to make others laugh, too. I don't do that here, because my humor doesn't come across well on this type of forum. Many of my tdocs and my pdoc have been at the receiving end.

I have been in isolation rooms during hospitalizations. Definitely not 72 hours straight, but maybe up to five hours? Actually, I'm not sure of the time. That is very fuzzy in my mind. I suppose as long as I had food during a 72 period, I could probably manage, though it would be unpleasant, but maybe not traumatic, unless I was in some severe psychological state that caused the isolation. However, if stable, it would be hard, but I think I would manage.

Actually, psychological pain is something that I can't tolerate as well as physical pain or boredom/loneliness. As said, boredom/loneliness is not that painful, if only a limited number of hours/days. I'm sure if the days of total isolation were much longer term than 72 hours, then it would eventually cause me psychological pain. I do like to be around people.

Note: There were times in my life when I felt tougher about psychological pain. I've described those years as "Teflon years". However, even though I thought they rolled off my back, it wasn't entirely true. Little by little they did add up deep within my brain. After my worst episodes, I felt weakened and more vulnerable to psychological pain. Still am.

I don't know how I would do in isolation for that long. I know I would miss my family like crazy and I'd probably go a little batty. I think I could do it though as long as I knew there was an end in sight.

I know for sure I could tolerare physical pain. I didn't get my epidural until right before my first baby arrived and my epidural completely failed with my second baby. Natural childbirth is excruciating, but doable. At any rate, I learned I have a high pain tolerance. I stayed quiet and dissociated a bit, but I got through it.

I'd probably choose isolation over physical pain. I could tolerate pain but I am definitely and introvert to the extreme and really don't mind being alone. I tend to not get bored easily too because I can preoccupy myself with thoughts and ideas if I had nothing else with me to actually do for 72 hours. I do enjoy spending time with people, just in moderation.