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The Value of Solitude: Why We Should Learn To Be More Comfortable Being Alone
Don’t confuse loneliness with time by yourself.
Some people hate spending time alone. Others claim they simply don’t have the time. They’ll say things like, “I don’t have time for myself. I have kids, a spouse, work, etc.”
Solitude has been stigmatized for an incredibly long time. You don’t often hear people say, “I’m spending the day with myself today,” or “I’m going to a restaurant by myself.” Being by yourself is considered unusual, and science has even linked it to negative outcomes.
A 2014 research study discovered that people can be so irked by solitude and thinking that they’d rather administer electric shocks to themselves than be left alone with their thoughts. However, in an article written in the Atlantic by writer Brent Crane, he points out that scientists are starting to approach solitude as something that, when pursued by choice, can be proven therapeutic. Sociologist Jack Fong, from California State Polytechnic University who has studied solitude, says:
“When people take these moments to explore their solitude, not only will they be forced to confront who they are, they just might learn a little bit about how to out-maneuver some of the toxicity that surrounds them in a social setting.”
