According to a psychology textbook I picked up off a strange strange desk, there are two ways to cope with stress. There is problem-focused coping and there is emotion-focused coping.

Problem focused coping is where a person tries to fight, remove or compromise the problem or cause of stress in order to cope with it. Emotion focused coping is where a person alters their perception of the problem or scenario in order to cope.

Typically, a person will at first attempt to use Problem focused coping and then resort to Emotion focused coping.

However I wonder, what would a person do when they can neither remove the problem or alter their perceptions? What would be their next line of defense? Will they resort to the guidance of another person or will they find something else, perhaps a change in environment or a fortress of solitude?

I would find a fortress of solitude. Problems are catalysts for more problems. They can cause problems for others without being consumed in the process. When a person under stress tells another about said problem, issues of concern, worry and other second hand negative thoughts emerge. That person themselves then has to fight new problems whilst helping the original victim.

A fortress of solitude would be a place of internal mediation. A place where a person can reflect. Like superman in a crystalline fortress, there is, I hope, a place to everyone which they can find salvation in. For me it would be a rock face in the Australian Bush, surrounded by hostile flora. The world seems to reflect and the late night fires burning in the caves engraves new motivation.

The problems of the world simply slip...away..

So where is your fortress of solitude?