Seclusion is the act of secluding (i.e. isolating from society), the state of being secluded, or a place that facilitates it (a secluded place). A person, couple, or larger group may go to a secluded place for

privacy Privacy (, ) is the ability of an individual or group to seclude themselves or information about themselves, and thereby express themselves selectively. The domain of privacy partially overlaps with security, which can include the concepts of a ...

or peace and quiet. The seclusion of an individual is called

solitude Solitude is a state of seclusion or isolation, meaning lack of socialisation. Effects can be either positive or negative, depending on the situation. Short-term solitude is often valued as a time when one may work, think, or rest without distu ...

Restrictions on the seclusion of a man and a woman

In some cases where there are legal, religious or social restrictions on two people having

physical intimacy Physical intimacy is sensual proximity or touching. It is an act or reaction, such as an expression of feelings (including close friendship, platonic love, romantic love or sexual attraction), between people. Examples of physical intimacy i ...

, there may be restrictions on being together in a secluded place. For example, under traditional schools of

sharia Sharia (; ar, شريعة, sharīʿa ) is a body of religious law that forms a part of the Islamic tradition. It is derived from the religious precepts of Islam and is based on the sacred scriptures of Islam, particularly the Quran and the H ...

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...

law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...

, a man and a woman who are not married and not

mahram In Islam, a ''mahram'' is a family member with whom marriage would be considered permanently unlawful (''haram''). One's spouse is also a mahram. A woman does not need to wear hijab around her mahram, and an adult male mahram may escort a woman ...

, being together in a house, a bathroom, or a secluded place, may be forbidden. A man and woman could be in a secluded area for work purposes, just talking, or anything that does not allow them to pass their limits. See also

yichud In Jewish religious law (''halakha''), the laws of ''yichud'' ( he, איסור ייחוד ''issur yichud'', ''prohibition of seclusion'') prohibit seclusion in a private area of a man and a woman who are not married to each other. Such seclusio ...

—a similar rule in Judaism.

As a therapy

Seclusion may be used as a control tactic in

psychological Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries between t ...

treatment settings. Seclusion of an agitated person in a quiet room free of stimulation may help de-escalate a situation which may be dangerous to the agitated person or those around him. In relation to administering medications, seclusion is a tactic devised for those unwilling to proceed with instructions. Patients who are secluded due to aggressive behaviour should not be given drug treatment to calm them down, but restraint measures should be taken into consideration. Other measures, such as behavioural therapy, should be considered when assessing the care of the patient. Seclusion must only be used in the best interest of the patient, it must only be used as a last resort method, and it must not be prolonged as a form of punishment on the patient. In Ireland, The Mental Health Commission governs seclusion in psychiatric institutions. The act states that people can only be placed in seclusion if * it prevents them from hurting themselves and/or others * and it complies with the rules set out by the commission. To prevent

contagious disease A contagious disease is an infectious disease that is readily spread (that is, communicated) by transmission of a pathogen through contact (direct or indirect) with an infected person. A disease is often known to be contagious before medical s ...

transmission

self-isolation In health care facilities, isolation represents one of several measures that can be taken to implement in infection control: the prevention of communicable diseases from being transmitted from a patient to other patients, health care workers ...

is used as a

public health Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the det ...

measure.

References

{{Wiktionary, seclusion Treatment of mental disorders