Vermont:
Over the years, Expert alarm is looking How long did the Americans spend alone.
Statistics show that we are choosing to be solitary for more More than our waking hours before, Stuck at home Instead of going publicly. We are the growing number Alone And Traveling singlesAnd rates living alone It has almost doubled in the last 50 years.
Coincides with these trends Surgeon General’s 2023 announcement A loneliness epidemic, leading to recent claims that America is “living in one”Anti -social century,
Loneliness and isolation are actually social problems that pay serious attention, especially since the old states of loneliness are combined with poor results Depression and a short lifetime,
But this story has another side, which is closely viewed. For some people, the change towards aloneness represents a desire what researchers say “Positive solitude“A state that is Is associated with goodnessNot loneliness.
PsychologicallyI have spent doing research in the last decade as to why people like to be alone – and spend the right amount of time there themselves – so I am deeply familiar with the happiness of solitude. My conclusions Others join a host, who has documented a long list of benefits received when we choose to spend time, from opportunities to opportunities Recharge our battery And experience Individual development To make time to join us Emotions And our Creativity,
So it makes me understand why people live alone As soon as their financial conditions allowand when Asked why they like to eat single foodPeople simply say, “I need more time.”
It is also that I am not surprised 2024 national survey It was found that 56% of Americans considered time required for their mental health alone. Or he is selling costco now “Solitude shed“Where you can buy something peace and cool for approximately US $ 2,000.
It is clear that in American culture there is a desire for solitude, and a market. But why this side of the story is often lost Warning about social separation,
I suspect that it is to do it alone with a collective concern.
Solitude
This concern stems in a large part than our culture Loss of solitudeIn this type of thinking, the desire to be alone is seen as unnatural and unhealthy, some are pits or frightened rather than valuable or encouraged.
This is not just my own observation. A study published in February 2025 found that American news is 10 times more likely to have a frame of being alone in the headlines. Positively negativeThese types of prejudices shape the beliefs of people, Studies showing adults And Children are equally clear decisions When it is – and the important thing is when it is not – it is acceptable for your peers to be alone.
It is understandable that American holds culture Additionalness as ideal – As a basis for usually normal. Hallmark of Additionalness Being sociable and vocal, as well as expressing more positive emotions and looking for more stimulation than the opposite personality – more reserved and risk -introduction. Even though not all Americans are extra, most of us have been air conditioned to cultivate that feature, and those who do Social and professional awardsThis cultural miles, Likes to be alone,
But solitude is not a path related, and it is Not just for introvertedNor does it automatically perform the magic of social isolation and a lonely life. In fact, the data does not fully support the current fears of a loneliness epidemic, some Scholars And Journalists Has recently accepted.
In other words, although Americans are actually spending more time alone than the previous generations, it is not clear that we are really getting alone. And despite our fear for the biggest members of our society, research shows that Big adults are happy in solitude The story of loneliness will inspire us to believe.
Social media disrupts our solitude
However, whenever we take a break from the social world, the benefits of solitude do not appear automatically. They come when we are really alone – when we deliberately take out the time and space to join us – not when we are alone on our equipment.
My research has found positive effects on the good of solitude Very less likely If most of our time of time is spent staring at our screen, then it is to find out Inactive scrolling social media,
This is where I believe collective anxiety is well kept, especially focusing on young adults who are growing fast for social interactions In favor of a virtual life – And which can lead to a result of important crisis.
Social media definition is social. It is in the name. When we are on this, we cannot really be alone. What is more, it is not the type of nutritious to me “time”, I suspect that many people are craving.
True solitude pays attention to the inside. It is time to slow down and reflect. A time as we please, not to please anyone else. Time to be emotionally available for themselves emotionally instead of others. When we spend our solitude in these ways, there is benefit: we feel Rest and resurrectionWe Get clarity and emotional balanceWe think Freer is more connected to itself,
But if we are accustomed to being busy, it can be difficult to slow down. If we are using to see a screen, it can be scary to look inside. And if we Not the skill of being alone As a common and healthy human needs, then we feel our alone time guilty, strange or selfish.
Importance of resolving solitude
The American choosing to spend more time alone is actually a challenge for cultural scripts, and it can be difficult to change the stigma of solitude. Nevertheless, a small but growing body of research indicates that it is possible, and effective, to re -nominate the way we think about solitude.
For example, Seeing solitude as a beneficial experience Being alone instead of being alone has been shown to help reduce negative emotions, even for those participants who were seriously alone. People who see their time alone As “full” instead of “empty” Development-oriented objectives such as self-confidence or spiritual relationship are more likely to experience your time alone.
Even simple as a linguistic innings – instead of “separation” with “me time” – people cause people See their time more positively And there is a possibility how his friends and family also see it.
It is true that if we do not have a community of close relationships to return after being alone, then we can do solitude Lead for social separationBut this is also true Too much social interaction Tax, and such surcharge The quality of our relationships negatively affectsThe recent gravity of the country can partially reflect the desire for more balance in a life which is very busy, very scheduled and, yes, very social.
Just as the relationship with others is necessary for our good, similarly there is a relationship with ourselves.
(Author: Virginia thomasAssistant Professor of Psychology, Middlebury,
(Disclaimer statement: Virginia Thomas does not work for funding from any company or organization, or benefits from this article, and will benefit from this article, and has not disclosed any relevant affiliation beyond their educational appointment.)
This article has been reinstated Conversation Under a Creative Commons License. read the Original article,
(Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is published by a syndicated feed.)