ABSTRACT
Solitary confinement is one of the ultimate sanctions within correctional institutions precisely because it is so highly aversive. Following on from the idea that there are certain things that are basic to our psychological wellbeing is the notion that when people experience difficulty, or engage in problematic behaviours, it is often due to a loss of contact with these basics. Loss of contact with the fundamental requirements of our wellbeing is not in itself an illness or a disease. This is why Acceptance and Commitment Therapy practitioners tend to talk in terms of clients being stuck, rather than broken. Consider someone feeling low in mood, experiencing persistent thoughts about worthlessness when they mix with others. If that person sees the thoughts as evidence of being broken, one solution is to withdraw from socialising in the hope of experiencing those thoughts less.
