Isolation Chambers: Sensory Deprivation
Complete Isolation
Isolation chambers were used to deprive patients of all sensory input, with the hope that such extreme solitude would calm agitated minds. Patients were placed in dark, soundproof rooms for days or even weeks. The lack of sensory stimulation was believed to help reset their mental state, but often led to increased anxiety and hallucinations.
An Experiment in Solitude
A patient named Clara in a Swiss asylum was subjected to prolonged isolation as a treatment for her “hysteria.” Left alone in a completely dark and silent room, Clara began to experience severe anxiety and vivid hallucinations. Her mental state deteriorated rapidly, and she emerged from the isolation chamber far worse than when she entered, demonstrating the profound harm such treatments could inflict.
