The Black Hole of Calcutta in India measured 18ft by 14ft-10in with two small windows. It was a dungeon.
In The Great Escape, Steve McQueen’s character was known as The Cooler King because he survived so much time in solitary confinement.
Being locked up in a small space for a long time, whether alone or with others, is not natural, that is why it was used as punishment, to break people. Yet this is precisely the situation many people have found themselves in lately.
Some of us, such as McQueen’s character, can handle it, others cannot. An article by clinical psychological scientists at the University of Washington warns that due to the current situation, the country “needs to be prepared for what may be an epidemic of clinical depression.”
It is not only the confinement itself that is causing a rise in depression but the lack of hope many people feel. Losing friends or family, losing your job or watching your business crumble can all affect people in different ways.
You do not need to be confined to be affected by the situation. Nurses, medics and other essential workers are suffering the mental effects of what they see and deal with each day.
Many people with depression are turned down when trying to claim Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) because they cannot prove it to the court. Our Greensboro legal team includes an attorney who also holds a Master’s degree in psychology, who can understand how depression affects you, and explain to those judging your claim.