[marvin]

The interesting part of this story, for me, was how Antarctica is for some the ultimate, final destination for people escaping from themselves. If anything, this only highlights the need to improve awareness and treatment of mental illness in the United States.

It is obvious to anyone who has first-hand experience with these issues that you can never outrun your own problems. Some people flee for a while before realizing this, someone just keeps taking the delusion to its logical end. What is really needed is an acceptance that it's okay to have issues and that in most cases, they can actually be treated.

[tommi]

Actually you shouldn't totally dismiss fleeing. It modifies the environment and that is a major component in a mental change.

[base698]

That doesn't mean there isn't an active role you have to play in making yourself better. Moving may get you over a hurdle of feeling hopeless, but if you aren't active in pursuing self improvement you'll quickly find yourself in the same spot.

[tommi]

Of course it doesn't, that is why it's just a component of the change. And it's not only about getting over of feeling hopeless. Change in environment helps you to break routines and create new ones. Hopefully ones which guide towards a better path.

[seszett]

The problem with Antarctica is that you cannot stay there forever. It's not an effective way to flee.

[interknot]

Along these lines is the (wonderful) Werner Herzog documentary, Encounters at the End of the World.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encounters_at_the_End_of_the_Wo...

[znowi]

There's also another great documentary from Werner Herzog called Happy People: A Year in the Taiga. Very genuine and profound. Werner is a master of being in the moment.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_People:_A_Year_in_the_Tai...

[sp332]

I loved that. It's a striking representation of nature and people.