4 ms·

I Spent a Year in Space, and I Have Tips on Isolation to Share

87 points by couchand 7y ago

swixmix 7y ago
The headlines apply to isolation but the text is very specific to astronauts. Headlines: Follow a schedule; But pace yourself; Go outside; You need a hobby; Keep a journal; Take time to connect; Listen to experts; We are all connected; Oh, and wash your hands -- Often. (OK, this last one was just an important sentence.) We're not boarding submarines and hiding from the world for three months at a time. This is more like living in a retirement home before you're ready and nobody wants to visit...
viburnum 7y ago
Great article. Makes you think about the two million Americans in prison.
- wtvanhest 7y ago
  I wish there was some way to highlight this discussion better. For everyone going stir crazy right now, it really makes me appreciate having my freedom. Of the 2mm+ people in prison, almost none of them should be there for as long as they are and many should not be there at all. The entire situation is so awful, but I really don’t know what I can do.
  - beatgammit 7y ago
    Honestly, I think the worst part is feeling like you can't go outside. I voluntarily go days (sometimes more than a week) without leaving the house because I honestly like being at home (books, video games, wife and kids, etc). I don't feel like U need as much social stimulation as others. My wife is pretty much the same way, but she gets really down when she cannot leave the house (e.g. when she has a newborn and I'm at work). Just having the ability to leave, even if she doesn't take advantage of it, is enough for her. I wonder whether being at home for days on end is the problem, or just the feeling that you can't or shouldn't leave the house? If it's the latter, we could probably recommend safe activities instead of focusing on banning/discouraging unsafe ones.
    - op03 7y ago
      I knew a guy who quit his Wall St job and worked on investing/trading from home. Nice house, financially well off, kids, working wife etc but he hardly ever got out of the house. In 2 years he developed this lung condition (apparently there was some bug in the air conditioning that effected him more than anyone else cuz of the amt of time he was home...I forget the name of the condition) and now he needs to walk around with oxygen tanks for the rest of his life. So check those air filters regularly, if you plan to spend time in the same room for too long. Also you can leave your room. Find spaces in the neighborhood that aren't used much or used throughout the day - a beach, the woods, a park, rooftops, yards, empty parking lots, terraces etc etc. If it has some sun(for that vitamin D), greenery and breeze even better.
    - skinnymuch 7y ago
      In suburbia not having a car is the absolute worst. Even if you only drive say 100 miles a month. And could cut it down to 50. Knowing the car is there is such a difference maker. It’s hard to describe the difference it makes.
  - JSeymourATL 7y ago
    > Of the 2mm+ people in prison, almost none of them should be there... A rather significant percentage of the US Prison population are in fact, considered violent. > https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/pie2019.html https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/pie2019.html To be fair -- still a massive social & economic problem.
    - CathedralBorrow 7y ago
      In the interest of being fair, shouldn't you include the full quote you responded to? > Of the 2mm+ people in prison, almost none of them should be there _for as long as they are and many should not be there at all_.
      - JSeymourATL 7y ago
        Perhaps you over looked the quote included an ellipsis for brevity> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellipsis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellipsis
  - ihm 7y ago
    There are a bunch of organizations doing work to fix the problem, like Initiate Justice (https://www.initiatejustice.org/take-action/join-us/ https://www.initiatejustice.org/take-action/join-us/). If you email me at izaak@o1labs.org I can try to help you get plugged into something.
- cachvico 7y ago
  It honestly did not do that for me. (Although I take your point).
freepor 7y ago
Why do the Kelly brothers have 100x the media exposure of any other astronaut?
- akeck 7y ago
  Because they allowed themselves to be subjects in an unprecedented long-term experiment on the effects of space on the human body. Since they are identical twins, one is a near perfect control for the other who stayed in space. Unfortunately, it's not looking good for people traveling in space over long periods.
  - 1996 7y ago
    can you do a tldr on the body differences due to space?
    - akeck 7y ago
      https://www.pbs.org/show/year-space/ https://www.pbs.org/show/year-space/ https://www.pbs.org/a-year-in-space/home/ https://www.pbs.org/a-year-in-space/home/
sn41 7y ago
I have always wanted to read science fiction which focuses on the psychological problems of prolonged solitude in ultra-cramped quarters. This should be an interesting thing to creatively think about. The only story I know which sort of deals with this is "Scanners live in vain"
- notduncansmith 7y ago
  You should check out “Red Mars”, I haven’t finished it but have so far enjoyed the treatment of cramped quarters and solitude.
  - sn41 7y ago
    Thanks... will check it out.
Jaruzel 7y ago
http://archive.is/5Lj1N http://archive.is/5Lj1N

87 points by couchand 7y ago

The headlines apply to isolation but the text is very specific to astronauts. Headlines: Follow a schedule; But pace yourself; Go outside; You need a hobby; Keep a journal; Take time to connect; Listen to experts; We are all connected; Oh, and wash your hands -- Often. (OK, this last one was just an important sentence.) We're not boarding submarines and hiding from the world for three months at a time. This is more like living in a retirement home before you're ready and nobody wants to visit...

viburnum 7y ago

Great article. Makes you think about the two million Americans in prison.

wtvanhest 7y ago
I wish there was some way to highlight this discussion better. For everyone going stir crazy right now, it really makes me appreciate having my freedom. Of the 2mm+ people in prison, almost none of them should be there for as long as they are and many should not be there at all. The entire situation is so awful, but I really don’t know what I can do.
- beatgammit 7y ago
  Honestly, I think the worst part is feeling like you can't go outside. I voluntarily go days (sometimes more than a week) without leaving the house because I honestly like being at home (books, video games, wife and kids, etc). I don't feel like U need as much social stimulation as others. My wife is pretty much the same way, but she gets really down when she cannot leave the house (e.g. when she has a newborn and I'm at work). Just having the ability to leave, even if she doesn't take advantage of it, is enough for her. I wonder whether being at home for days on end is the problem, or just the feeling that you can't or shouldn't leave the house? If it's the latter, we could probably recommend safe activities instead of focusing on banning/discouraging unsafe ones.
  - op03 7y ago
    I knew a guy who quit his Wall St job and worked on investing/trading from home. Nice house, financially well off, kids, working wife etc but he hardly ever got out of the house. In 2 years he developed this lung condition (apparently there was some bug in the air conditioning that effected him more than anyone else cuz of the amt of time he was home...I forget the name of the condition) and now he needs to walk around with oxygen tanks for the rest of his life. So check those air filters regularly, if you plan to spend time in the same room for too long. Also you can leave your room. Find spaces in the neighborhood that aren't used much or used throughout the day - a beach, the woods, a park, rooftops, yards, empty parking lots, terraces etc etc. If it has some sun(for that vitamin D), greenery and breeze even better.
  - skinnymuch 7y ago
    In suburbia not having a car is the absolute worst. Even if you only drive say 100 miles a month. And could cut it down to 50. Knowing the car is there is such a difference maker. It’s hard to describe the difference it makes.
- JSeymourATL 7y ago
  > Of the 2mm+ people in prison, almost none of them should be there... A rather significant percentage of the US Prison population are in fact, considered violent. > https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/pie2019.html https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/pie2019.html To be fair -- still a massive social & economic problem.
  - CathedralBorrow 7y ago
    In the interest of being fair, shouldn't you include the full quote you responded to? > Of the 2mm+ people in prison, almost none of them should be there _for as long as they are and many should not be there at all_.
    - JSeymourATL 7y ago
      Perhaps you over looked the quote included an ellipsis for brevity> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellipsis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellipsis
- ihm 7y ago
  There are a bunch of organizations doing work to fix the problem, like Initiate Justice (https://www.initiatejustice.org/take-action/join-us/ https://www.initiatejustice.org/take-action/join-us/). If you email me at izaak@o1labs.org I can try to help you get plugged into something.
cachvico 7y ago
It honestly did not do that for me. (Although I take your point).

freepor 7y ago

Why do the Kelly brothers have 100x the media exposure of any other astronaut?

akeck 7y ago
Because they allowed themselves to be subjects in an unprecedented long-term experiment on the effects of space on the human body. Since they are identical twins, one is a near perfect control for the other who stayed in space. Unfortunately, it's not looking good for people traveling in space over long periods.
- 1996 7y ago
  can you do a tldr on the body differences due to space?
  - akeck 7y ago
    https://www.pbs.org/show/year-space/ https://www.pbs.org/show/year-space/ https://www.pbs.org/a-year-in-space/home/ https://www.pbs.org/a-year-in-space/home/

sn41 7y ago

I have always wanted to read science fiction which focuses on the psychological problems of prolonged solitude in ultra-cramped quarters. This should be an interesting thing to creatively think about. The only story I know which sort of deals with this is "Scanners live in vain"

notduncansmith 7y ago
You should check out “Red Mars”, I haven’t finished it but have so far enjoyed the treatment of cramped quarters and solitude.
- sn41 7y ago
  Thanks... will check it out.

Jaruzel 7y ago

http://archive.is/5Lj1N http://archive.is/5Lj1N