What is the psychological impact of being trapped in a cave?
Video report by ITV News Wales Correspondent Rupert Evelyn
On Monday – finally a breakthrough. After 10 days missing, the group of 12 children and their football coach were found in a partially flooded cave in Thailand.
Their ordeal is not yet over as rescue teams face the challenge of safely guiding the group through nearly a mile of tunnels, large portions of which are underwater.
Parallels are being drawn to the Chilean mining accident in 2010 where those involved were impacted psychologically.
ITV News spoke to Jennifer Wild, Associate Professor in the Department of Experimental Psychology at Oxford University, about what those trapped will be experiencing and how they will be affected in the long term by their ordeal.
What happens to the brain after being trapped for this amount of time?
“The boys and coach have been in a dark, confined space with no access to daylight so their circadian rhythms will be affected,” said Wild.Circadian rhythms essentially means body clock – when one sleeps, rises and eats.
“However, they will likely adapt to their conditions. Research published in the early 1970s suggests that circadian rhythms will adapt to darkness provided people follow a rigorous time schedule that is a routine.
“Since their access to light has been greatly diminished, like the Chilean miners who were rescued from deep within the mine, they’ll likely need protective eyewear when they are rescued.”
Deep underground – what other senses are heightened?
“Until the boys had information about when they would be rescued, they would have likely felt scared. Their bodies will conserve energy because there’s not a lot of space to move.
“In darkness, we’re more likely to rely on our sense of hearing, which makes it feel enhanced."
The majority of those affected are children – are their feelings especially fraught?
“It will really depend on how the children perceive the situation,” explains Wild.
“If they believe they are in danger and that they won't see their parents again, then they’ll feel fraught. But if they have limited understanding of the risks involved, then they’ll be less likely to feel fraught. Their feelings will also depend on how calmly the coach is responding to their situation.”
Does hope diminish after a certain amount of time?
“Hope varies from person to person and depends on how they perceive their situation.
“If someone fully believes they will be rescued they will be much more likely to feel hopeful. If, however, someone has a more accurate perception of the possible risks involved of being found and saved, they may feel less hopeful.
“The good news is that contact has been made and the boys have been given some indication of when they’ll be rescued, which helps to maintain hope.”
Are there any long-term effects of being confined?
“The boys and coach may develop anxiety around enclosed spaces.
“When they are out, they may find they avoid closing doors to rooms, for example, to avoid creating a sense of feeling trapped. They’ll be monitored physically and will have help for any physical rehabilitation they may need.”
If you find yourself in a similar situation – what should you do?
“It is helpful to follow a routine as much as possible. It is obviously difficult to have a normal routine in a cave, so you would have to be creative.
“One of the main things would be to try to stay awake for a similar number of hours each day, have a wake up and bedtime routine, eat regularly if possible, design activities to structure the day, which may include exercise adapted to a small space, such as stretching and squats to keep active and strong.”