What Causes Cottage Nonsense?

Cottage nonsense is the fear of leaving home, worrying about returning to a normal day after a long stay at home. The world outside the home can seem daunting compared to home security.

Cottage nonsense is not a psychological disorder

According to experts, a person suffering from cottage nonsense can get nervous breakdowns as well as suffer from short periods of depression as well as a recurring large number of negative and irrational thoughts that together torment a person significantly.

Cottage nonsense has been identified especially in people who have been sentenced to prison, have spent long periods in hospital, or have even been kidnapped for long periods of time. In all cases, fear and anxiety are experienced as the environment changes.

At this stage, it should already be noted that this is not a psychological disorder. The simple fact is that when a person spends such long times in a limited environment, he or she adapts the nervous system to a sense of security, to the home or place where he or she has been locked up.

How is cottage nonsense created?

The first symptoms of cabin fever were documented as early as the early 20th century. In fact, U.S. researchers found that people who spent months in isolation in their cottages or lighthouses began to experience the symptoms and traits characteristic of this phenomenon in many cases.

Due to this fact, this set of different traits and symptoms got the name by which it is still known today. The reasons why this syndrome begins to occur, especially in people who spend long periods of time in isolation in a particular place, are because the brain gets used to one particular and concrete environment. This environment is the only one with which that person is able to interact.

Cottage nonsense occurs because the brain gets used to a certain environment. Therefore, this same environment becomes a fundamental and inseparable part of that person, thus withdrawing from the outside world. We all know that anything unknown or something we are not interested in knowing more can turn out to be quite a disturbing situation.

Characteristics and symptoms of cottage housing

Although there may be slight differences in this syndrome depending on the person, the most common is that a person suffering from cottage nonsense has drowsiness and anxiety. More detailed symptoms include the following:

• Greater than normal fatigue
• Excessive drowsiness (hypersomnia)
• Numbness of the upper and lower limbs

• Lack of concentration
• Memory problems
• Negative thoughts
• Difficulty experiencing pleasant emotions
• Lack of motivation
• Sadness
• Fear of going out
• Anxiety
• Excessive appetite
• Increased craving for certain foods (this is used as a strategy to manage anxiety)

How should it work?

Experts in human behavior, or psychologists, know what to do in these situations: gradually expose oneself to fear. This is the best way to solve the problem over time. Functionally, this syndrome is very similar to other similar cases that have already been studied quite closely by psychologists and psychiatrists. Fear-related syndromes and psychological disorders are well known today and the success rate in their treatment is high.

Anyway, we want to share a few helpful tips for those who feel they want to overcome this fear:

• Continuous exposure to new environments.  Exposure to a new environment produces emotions that, however, are perfectly normal and do not indicate any particular psychological disorder. For this reason, leaving home should not be seen as a situation where all or nothing is achieved. It is better that you approach the door gradually. Go out, go a few meters away from the house, then take small walks and gradually increase the distance.
• Scheduled routine. In this regard, it is good to create a routine for various activities as well as for rest. It is not auspicious to sleep more than what your body needs. It’s also not worth spending a lot of time lounging on the couch or in bed. A balanced diet combined with physical activity can have a significant impact on overall well-being.

Ultimately, it should be noted that the normalization of the situation, as well as the creation of new connections with other people, will surely gradually eradicate cottage nonsense completely. That’s why it’s worth keeping in mind that if you feel or believe you’re suffering from cottage nonsense, there’s no need to cultivate obsession with it, so you don’t lose control of the situation either. However, if the anxiety is very severe, you may need to seek professional support from a psychologist, many of whom also offer their services online today.