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Psychological effects on Chilean miners

They’re out!

The trapped Chilean miners have all resurfaced, amid scenes of jubilation. In the media circus that has ensued, it’s easy to forget what 69 days underground will have done to them both psychologically and physiologically…

 
Previous experiments have shown that isolation can do strange things to the mind. Indeed, the Chilean Health Minister, Jaime Manalich, said that some of the miners had been showing signs of anxiety and increased heart rates prior to being lifted out.
 
All the miners will now undergo a series of tests at hospital. Aside from post-traumatic stress and other psychological symptoms, the miners are likely to have suffered physically, such as experiencing vitamin D deficiency, due to lack of sunlight.

Only time will tell how big an impact this event has had on them ...
 

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Submitted by Jheni Osman

Anxiety to come...

Mon, 2010-10-25 09:12
Thinker

I believe going back into the mine is no longer a necessity for them anymore considering the worldwide "stardom" they now have. I would assume that mining is a pretty daunting job at the best of times and anyone returning after such a traumatic event would end up having panic attacks and a future case of claustraphobia!

Trauma

Wed, 2010-10-20 06:41
M Paul Lloyd

Well other than the trauma of coming to terms with wives finding out about mistresses I expect that the effects of having spent so long in a veritable hell-hole (akin the the black hole of Calcutta) constantly worrying that every fetid breath they took might have been their last will have taken its toll. I suspect they will suffer nightmares and panic attacks for some time to come and despite claims atributed to some of these miners I find it hard to believe that they will be able to go underground anytime soon. I know I wouldn't.