Being on your own can be maddening. Self-isolation can easily tip into self-sabotage. How do you recognise when you’re in trouble, and how do you reach out and ask for help when you really need it? In this episode, Dr Aleks Krotoski speaks with polar explorer and author Eric Larsen (On Thin Ice), a man who's whole life is dedicated to being on his own in hostile conditions. Eric shares some of his most harrowing lows on the ice, before giving some practical tips for pulling yourself out of a mental hole when there’s no one around to hear you scream. Psychologist Dr Nathan Smith explains why this period of isolation is so maddening, and what his work with explorers and astronauts can teach us about ways we can protect our mental wellbeing.