I often think of myself as a lonely person, even though I'm surrounded by such wonderful people. My therapist explained to me that this habit of anticipating a future loneliness or feeling an impending sense of loneliness is very similar to catastrophizing or future prepping. According to countless studies, our minds have essentially evolved to promote our survival through social connection. And feelings of loneliness are a neural mechanism of drawing us back into the protection of a group.
This week we break down the psychological, biological and evolutionary underpinnings of loneliness and break down some of the stigma around feeling lonely in your 20's. This decade is full of a number of significant life transitions and changes that can lead us to feel isolated and detached, but loneliness sometimes get's a bad wrap. We explore how we can cultivate a better relationship with loneliness by understanding the instinctual urges behind this feeling, embracing solitude and reframing the narrative around exactly how common it is to feel lonely in your 20's. Listen now!
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