I have read that a higher than average number of people went crazy out on the Plains. It is not hard to see how that could be true.
“Cabin Fever” happens. I can see why, and that is where real toughness comes in. Being literate and having even a Bible to read would make a major difference.
I’d believe that; the isolation would get to most people. Today people want their space/privacy, but automobiles and communication technology have changed the dynamic of that.
A friend described how Canada saw a general improvement in mental health with color television; the winters were just too bleak.