An old couple who are my friends, are so lonely that the walls are closing in/on them.
Is my phrase correct to say that they start to behave oddly?
-
3They "feel the walls closing in" (or "feel like the walls are closing in"). But this does not directly imply "odd" behavior, merely a state of mind of being "trapped", or perhaps "suffocating".– Hot LicksCommented Jan 22, 2016 at 2:09
-
If they feel the walls closing in, they are, or they soon will, behave oddly. They need help.– ab2Commented Jan 22, 2016 at 3:08
-
@ab2 - Actually, they may be trapped in a trash compactor.– Hot LicksCommented Jan 22, 2016 at 3:10
-
Have you thought about asking on our sister site English Language Learners?– AAM111Commented Jan 22, 2016 at 3:28
-
1@Old Bunny They need SE. They will get addicded to one of he sites, and never notice the walls.– ab2Commented Jan 22, 2016 at 3:55
|
Show 1 more comment
2 Answers
You might want to use the phrase Stir Crazy. This generally refers to someone who's going a bit nutty due to prolonged loneliness or incarceration.
I do believe that the term "feeling the walls closing in" is anxiety. I has having an episode when I had a major presentation, a paper, a test, another paper, 4 classes (everything to this point was due the next day), an exam the next day, paper #3, and a dying grandmother. I'm in college BTW, but the feeling described above is apart of an anxiety attack.
