But the doctors and psychological specialists who evaluated her approached the behavior differently.
They considered the effects of prolonged isolation, stress, anxiety, and exposure to an unfamiliar social situation.
Layan explained that she had become accustomed to the cave’s dim lighting.
Direct beams of light felt overwhelming.
She had also spent years interacting primarily with one person.
When several strangers suddenly appeared, speaking loudly and moving flashlights around her, she did not know how to respond.
She smiled because she was frightened.
She remained still because she was trying to understand whether the encounter was real.
And she was not consciously aware of how rarely she blinked during those moments.
The clinicians did not treat that single observation as proof of any particular diagnosis.
Instead, they considered it alongside her medical condition, personal history, and emotional responses.
The more significant issue was her fear of leaving.
Layan explained that she had repeatedly imagined rescue.
