We all experience loneliness but still feel ashamed to admit it. Why is that, and what can we do about it? — “I don’t believe the cure for loneliness is meeting someone, not necessarily. …

A deep dive into the neuroscience of loneliness, how social isolation impairs brain function, and what we can do to recover. — Kaboom! Before the young man could realize what he’d done, a tamping rod half his size blasted through his left cheek, exited the top of his skull, and landed a train car’s length away from him. The year was 1848. The place was a railway construction site in Vermont. …

The sneaky mechanisms of loneliness reveal surprising paths into the spiral of connection. — In early 2022, I found myself in a strange situation. I had just moved to Portugal, trying to make a living from full-time writing. Behind me lay months of isolation due to the pandemic and years of frustration due to a career I didn’t enjoy. Portugal was my ticket to…

An explorative quest to unmask loneliness— and find deeper connections in the process. — In the lonely wintertime, I often sit at my desk to observe the houses across from me. Not to spy, be nosy, or play Big Brother. I simply want to see signs of light, signs of life. When dusk sets in, the spectacle begins. Lights are switched on, and TVs…

Turns out, loneliness is a double-edged sword. — I stared at the screen. Flabbergasted, I scrolled through the search results. “Loneliness: the Silent Killer.” “The Detrimental Effects of Loneliness on Your Health.” “Loneliness as Dangerous as Smoking 15 Cigarettes a Day.” These weren’t the headlines I’d hoped to find amidst a period of grave loneliness. I actually looked…

And how you can easily replicate it — no ticket to space required. — It’s the most merciless environment you could possibly imagine. Extreme radiation. Temperature differences of 275°F. Meteorite hazard. Zero oxygen. An infinitely dark vacuum. But the toughest part about space — as veteran astronaut Scott Kelly once said — is “being away from your loved ones, your friends, your family.” Space…

Or: Why loneliness goes deeper than not having friends — Loneliness is not the same as being alone. You can feel lonely in a crowd, in marriage, and, of course, in isolation. Being alone is objective and neutral, whereas loneliness is personal, painful, and multi-faceted. And yet, our conversation around loneliness is marked by one-dimensionality and a lack of vocabulary…

A comprehensive guide to (re-)connecting with other people and yourself — A few years ago, on a frosty winter night, my loneliness hit so bad that I curled up in front of my radiator. I wanted to replicate human warmth. I wanted to cry. I wanted to feel something. But there was nothing. My chest felt like an airlock that was…

Loneliness equals desired connections minus perceived connections. — Loneliness is a complex, confusing, and diverse sensation. Chances are, we’ll never be able to express it fully. But we can try. In fact, we should try because most people still have misconceptions about loneliness. We’ve all experienced this painful feeling but often struggle to put it into words. What’s…

And why there’s still hope for a more connected future. — Loneliness is a deeply inherent human feeling. It developed as a survival instinct — like hunger — to signal us the importance of companionship. And because our brain software hasn’t really changed for millennia, this feeling of loneliness is still the same as it was back then. But you know…

How the language of loneliness can help you build a more connected life. — The language we use to talk about loneliness (if we ever talk about it) is like scrambled eggs. We put all the vocabulary in a humungous frying pan, give it a sturdy whisk, and add ingredients according to our fantasy and imagination. For instance, a friend recently told me, “I…

And how food can show you the way to human connection. — In 2021, the German YouTuber Fritz Meinecke started a crazy experiment. He and six others were dropped separately into the wilderness of Sweden. The challenge was to survive for seven days with only seven items of their choice. No camera teams. No human contact. Complete isolation. Watching this show is…

Why young adults are the loneliest age group — and why that’s okay. — I’m telling you this as someone wading through his 20s right now: Fighting loneliness has been one of the biggest struggles in my life. There have been so many instances where I felt detached, didn’t have anyone to talk to, or was craving human connection. And make no mistake, I’m…

How to use the 3 types of loneliness to feel connected in a lonely world. — One of the most frustrating things about loneliness? It’s complex. Everyone experiences different kinds of loneliness in different stages of their lives. Loneliness is not a lightbulb we can turn on and off; it’s a vast spectrum of brightness, colors, and temperatures. But that doesn’t mean we’re powerless. Quite the…

Understanding loneliness is the first step in fighting it. — The first time I remember feeling lonely — really lonely — was when I moved out from home. I was 18 and felt like the whole world was at my feet. My grand vision was to become an engineer, earn lots of money, and travel the world. …