Prairie madness

Prairie madness is a term that describes an affliction that was common in the United States among white settlers of the Great Plains during the mid to late 1800's. The term describes a 'madness' due to the effect of extreme isolation on an individual. This individual would realize that they were surrounded by hundreds of miles of prairie land, with no neighbors or anyone to talk to, it often became too much to bear and mental breakdowns would occur shortly after.