Memo to Jack Bauer: Mental Torture as Bad as Physical

A new study suggests that many drastic forms of mental torture are just as traumatic as physical torture. And I know what you may be thinking: "Yeah, ask some torture victims and see what they think." Well, actually, the study authors did just that:

The researchers interviewed 279 torture survivors from Bosnia, Croatia and Serbia, which became embroiled in conflict as the former nation of Yugoslavia broke apart in the 1990s.

On a scale of distress, the torture victims rated psychological torture at about the same high level as physical torture.

The team concluded that aggressive interrogation methods or detention involving deprivation of basic needs, being kept in uncomfortable conditions, hooding, isolation, forced nudity, forced stress positions, threats, humiliating treatment and other psychological abuse inflict as much mental harm as physical torture.

The New Yorker ran a story a few weeks ago about the TV show "24" (where the character Jack Bauer resides) and it mentioned, as I recall, that some torture experts were trying to convince show producers to try mental instead of physical torture techniques. Maybe this will give them a bit more motivation to do that.
Mental, Physical Torture Inflict Similar Pain [HealthDay]