It is woven into the fabric of our society that we should conform. A young teenager from Australia now in a California high school tries as quickly as possible to lose the accent that differentiates her, that makes her the object of laughter. The same pressures motivate the stutterer to keep quiet, speaking only when absolutely necessary. The National Merit Scholar says "ain't" among his school friends to be one of them. Children are especially sensitive to covert expectations, the implicit _shoulds_ that are handed down from the adult world and are frequently refashioned to fit the stages children move through. At each stage, the implicit maxims are _dress alike, talk alike, think alike_. Be "in." Especially, have the same feelings, values, and hopes. Most of us are raised to fear being different because we might come to be a lonely minority of one. But when we become ill, especially if we are emotionally troubled, the rules change radically. Animals, from the aquarium angelfish to the household dog or cat, seem to have an instinct to {14} seek isolation when ill. This tendency probably has evolved because it contributes to survival: the sick animal can more easily rally its energy for self-healing in quiet, undisturbed by others of its kind. And going off to be alone reduces the chance that the animal will spread any disease it has. Added to an animal's self-isolating tendency is the tendency to hide the very _signs_ of illness or injury. An animal that shows signs of injury or illness is immediately a target for predators who look for the weaker members of the species. We human beings also tend to choose solitude and to hide the revealing symptoms of sickness or injury. Admiral Byrd admitted to these defenses only in his loneliness. But it is important to realize that hiding our feelings and isolating ourselves frequently are not in our best interests. Animals do not practice medicine, though many species are capable of offering moral support and even a certain amount of physical assistance, as in the case of a sick whale who may be supported by its fellows in the water in order to breathe. But only we have developed medicine, and we have more recently begun to develop ways to treat problems that affect our emotions, attitudes, and behavior. When individuals, perhaps instinctively, distance themselves from others and bottle up their malaise, they turn their backs on the educated assistance and goodwill that are available. Sometimes we do so out of fear of treatment coupled with fear of admitting that we are not as self-sufficient as we want to believe. But more often in the case of problems that directly affect our moods--i.e., "psychological problems"--we feel ashamed and afraid of the stigma, the disgrace, that our society attaches to those who admit they have unhappy or confused feelings.