Why is Solitary Confinement a bad thing?

Human Right's Watch- People suffer grievously in prolonged solitary confinement because human beings are social ani­mals whose well-being requires interaction and connection with others as well as mental, physical, and environmental stimulation. As one federal judge noted, prolonged super-maximum security confinement “may press the outer bounds of what most humans can psychologically tolerate.” Washington University Journal of Law & Policy stated in 2006 that  “In addition, solitary confinement often resulted in severe exacerbation of a previously existing mental condition” In other words, placing these inmates in solitary confinement intensifies the very reason they are in prison in the first place.  Confinement imposes significant psychological pain while in isolation and often debilitates the inmate’s ability to adapt to their environment.