The primary goal of this pilot study is to test the feasibility and safety of a research protocol for a voluntary darkness retreat. The study will also allow for a preliminary examination of the psychological effects of the retreat. The investigators will investigate whether participants experience changes in their well-being and ruminative style, whether these changes persist over time, and if these effects are moderated by individual characteristics such as readiness for change or subjective evaluation of the experience as well as frequency of participants' monitoring. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two experimental groups, both of which will spend 3 days and 3 nights in seclusion. These groups will differ only in the frequency of psychological monitoring during the retreat, allowing us to compare the effectiveness and safety of each protocol.
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Study Protocol Feasibility
Timeframe: From recruitment start until completion of the six-month follow-up.
Penn State Worry Questionnaire Score Change
Timeframe: Time point 1: Just prior to the intervention. Time point 2: Immediately after the intervention. Time point 3: Six months after the previous measurement (time point 2).