B2 – Upper Intermediate
After a long while being stuck indoors, we start feeling bored and restless. This is called “cabin fever”. It sounds like an actual disease but it is not. However, when one gets into this state, some effects could be being anxious, irritable, and even depressed caused by the long period of confinement in a tight or a remote, isolated space.
Read the article to learn more about cabin fever and be able to answer the questions below:
https://www.healthline.com/health/cabin-fever#symptoms
Discussion Questions:
- Have you ever had cabin fever before? If so, why and what happened?
- How did you cope or deal with it?
- What situations usually cause people to have it?
- What advice can you give to a person suffering from it?
- Are you a social hermit or a social butterfly?
6 replies on “Cabin Fever”
Have you ever had cabin fever before? If so, why and what happened?How did you cope or deal with it?What situations usually cause people to have it?
During the fiesta lockdown I had some symptons of cabina fever. I was working in Madrid and I went back to Sevilla. I didnt want to see my family because it wasnt clear how the virus spread off.
I was scared so I decided to lock myself at home during two weeks.
At the beginning I was quite anxious but mainly because of the Uncertainty. People was dying and everything was out of control
There were a lot of initiatives in Instagram just to help people at home with this new and unknown situation. I started following the people driving these initiatives.
Sometimes it was exercisew, others painting, cooking, make-up, meditation, wine tasting, etc
What advice can you give to a person suffering from it?
My main advice os try to engage their brains , occupying their time in different hobbies or doing the pending things they have due to their previous busy lifes, work, family, etc.
In addition dedicate some time to socialize. It could be hanging out virtually with friends. It is quite important as well, establish some routines and, as part of this routine, the rest has to be important and well-planified. Cabin fever symptons could normally be restlessness but difficulty waking up as well.
Are you a social hermit or a social butterfly?
It depends on the day
Thanks for sharing your first-hand experience with cabin fever.
Here is how you can improve this sentence:
Until your next writing entry!
1.-Have you ever had cabin fever before? If so, why and what happened?
The last few months I have had a cabin fever because I felt blue some days and I couldn’t sleep well. Sometimes at 5 in the morning I couldn’t breath because of anxiety. I bought valerian’s pills for helping to control de anxiey with natural herbs.
How did you cope or deal with it?
I did tai chi and meditation and it´s helping me a lot for trying to control the anxiety and my sadness. It’s difficult to control the emotions but I work in it.
What situations usually cause people to have it?
The last month in isolation time for the coronavirus or war times when people had to hide for surviving.
What advice can you give to a person suffering from it?
Try to be busy with your hobbies or with activities that you always wanted to do. Talk with your friends or family and avoid to feel alone. Loneliness could provoque an illness. Do sport every day helps for being well.
Are you a social hermit or a social butterfly?
I’m a social butterfly. I need to talk and keep on contact with my friends because that means I’m alive. We are social animals and we need contact with others.
Very well-written responses! Sorry to hear that you had cabin fever before but we’re glad you were able to find amazing ways to cope with it.
The last month in isolation time for the coronavirus or war times when people had to hide for surviving.
> The last month in isolation time due to the coronavirus or war times when people have to hide (in order) to survive.
Keep up the good job!
1.Have you ever had cabin fever before? If so, why and what happened?
Maybe in this quarantine, I had cabin fever for some weeks, when we passed six or more weeks in our houses. I felt more anxiety and my motivation was low.
2.How did you cope or deal with it?
I tried to continue with my routine, practice exersise and read any different books
3.What situations usually cause people to have it?
In long period of quarantine. We are social animals and if we are isolated in our house we start to have cabin fever.
4.What advice can you give to a person suffering from it?
They have to stay relax, practice any hobby what they cannot in normal days, do exercise and talk with friends.
5.Are you a social hermit or a social butterfly?
Maybe I am in the middle.
Feel free to elaborate on your responses in order to express more details in your answers. Here are some expressions you can improve:
… when we passed six or more weeks in our houses.
> … when we spent six or more weeks in our houses.
I felt more anxiety and my motivation was low.
You can also say it this way: I felt more anxious and demotivated.
Thank you for answering these questions well.