Oak Parker Offers Advice to Trapped Chilean Miners

The basic needs of the 33 miners facing up to four months trapped in a collapsed Chilean mine are being met, but what advice could possibly be offered to boost their spirits?

Daniel Beach, chair of Dominican University's psychology department, took to the airwaves recently and offered his take on the unique psychological challenges faced by the group, stuck nearly a half mile below the earth's surface. 

"They've been able to sustain them physically," Beach said. "But psychological sustenance is the real issue."

Beach spoke with WGN-AM's Greg Jarrett, participated in a panel discussion on the BBC's World Have Your Say television program and was interviewed for a BBC radio program. 

Beach, an Oak Park resident, has worked with prisoners or war and victims of torture.  He also has a particular fascination with the psychology of polar explorations — typically lengthy, isolated adventures.

Talking with Oak Park Patch from his university office, Beach said there are several critical "elements of success" for the miners:

• Each person needs a few minutes of communication with his family — each day and at the same time. He also suggested national sports heroes and celebrities talk to the miners on occasion, "to let them know how important they are to the rest of the country and rest of the world." 

• The men need to establish teams in which they will have "meaningful psychological tasks" to accomplish.

• They will need to exercise, both to preserve dwindling muscle tone and to generate certain chemical activity in the brain and body.

Since the mine collapsed Aug. 5, the survivors have been told it might be December before workers can complete a rescue tunnel to reach them, though new reports suggest they could be rescued in 60 days.

Either way, the psychological ramifications facing the miners are virtually unprecedented, Beach said. 

The trapped men, who are receiving fresh air, food and water, can communicate with those above ground using supply bore holes. Videos circulated on the Web show the men in relatively good spirits, but health concerns abound.

"There's every reason to believe they'll survive. Technically, it's possible," Beach said. "The thing you're really fighting here is despair."