Mythbusters Cabin Fever
May 11, 2008 by Healthy Shana
During the Mythbusters Alaska Week special they not only took on the Dynamite Dog myth but they also tried to determine if cabin fever really existed. For this testing phase, Adam and Jaimie were locked in separate cabins in remote Alaska locations, with nothing but the four walls. They do this for an entire 48 hours.
During the process Kari monitors both men with cameras from her own cabin. Its evident that they are both beginning to get bored. Adam starts making toys out of hangers and the genius that is Jaimie begins to re-write the United States Constitution. WOW!!! That must take alot of boredom for one person to say, “you know what…I have NOTHIGN else to day today. Let’s see if I can’t re-write one of the oldest documents in United States history”. Cabin Fever indeed.
Throughout the process they both took various tests to measure their mental capacity as well as their saliva, which they said measures your stress level. Some of the tests came out to be invalid, but overall Adam showed four signs of cabin fever. He was irritable, he was forgetful, he had “angry eyes” and he slept alot. Jaimie only had one which was excessive sleeping.
Overall, they did prove that this myth was indeed PLAUSIBLE and Cabin Fever does truly exist.
So now you’ve been introduced to 2 out of 3 of the Alaskan Special myths, let me know which has been your favorite thus far. Who can tell a great story of when they experienced cabin fever!
Image Source: Heinrich Van Den Bers
Cabin Fever after only 48 hours…? I was amazed when I saw the show, and I’m equally amazed now, months later.
Personally, it really made me stop and wonder about the effect of being alone on single people who are unemployed, people with no social outlets, or elderly people who are shut-ins… if Adam and Jamie got that bored and showed signs of cabin fever after only 48 hours, what must being alone and having no interaction with others be like for people who for one reason or another endure this kind of existence for much longer periods…? Take a step back and think about it…
Do a Google search for “cure for cabin fever”, if you’re interested. There’s a considerable amount of information there, especially for us folks up in the northern climates where we get snowed in in the winter months.
Now that they’ve taken on cabin fever, I’d like to see them debunk the related issue of boogie fever. For extra credit, compare/contrast with boogie-woogie fever.
ha ha…thats funny
Never heard of cabin fever before..
When you live alone in a boring town, as i am, i’m always alone, far longer than 48 hours..
that stinks
where were the cabins located, i would like to stay there to see the northern lights Regards chris matthews