#loneliness — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #loneliness, aggregated by home.social.
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In New Kind of Suburb, Folks Trade Big Homes for Interaction
The dream house, it turns out, can feel pretty empty if the block around it does, too.…
#NewsBeep #News #US #USA #UnitedStates #UnitedStatesOfAmerica #Business #Community #Houston #isolation #loneliness #Neighborhoods #neighbors #newyorktimes #Suburban #Suburbs #supportcommunities
https://www.newsbeep.com/us/871083/ -
DATE: October 4, 2026 at 12:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Problematic pornography use is linked to craving, shame, depression, and loneliness, meta-analysis finds
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 111 samples found that problematic pornography use tends to be higher among people who report stronger cravings, more sexual shame, depression, loneliness, emotion dysregulation, and moral disapproval of pornography. The strength of these links varied widely across studies and may partly depend on how problematic use was measured. The paper was published in Addictive Behaviors Reports.
In modern times, pornography is widely accessible through the internet. Many people worldwide use it without problems in their daily lives. However, for some individuals, pornography use becomes difficult to control and begins to interfere with relationships, work, sexual functioning, or emotional well-being. This pattern is often called problematic pornography use.
Problematic pornography use is not a formal psychiatric diagnosis. Rather, it is an umbrella term for a range of self-reported difficulties, such as feeling unable to control one’s use, being preoccupied with pornography, or feeling distressed about it. It is less about how often pornography is viewed than about whether use feels compulsive or causes significant distress or impairment.
Researchers have examined a range of factors linked to problematic pornography use. These include impulsivity, difficulties with emotion regulation, loneliness, stress, anxiety, depression, and a tendency to use pornography as a way of coping with negative emotions. Sexual factors, such as high sexual desire or dissatisfaction with one’s sex life, also seem to play a role for some people.
In addition, moral or religious conflict about pornography can intensify feelings of guilt and distress, sometimes making people perceive their use as more problematic than its behavioral pattern alone would suggest. Easy availability, privacy, novelty, and the virtually unlimited variety of online sexual content may further reinforce repeated use in susceptible individuals.
These different perspectives are reflected in the questionnaires researchers use. Some measures focus mainly on loss of control, such as unsuccessful attempts to cut back, compulsive use, or continued use despite negative consequences. These are known as dysregulation-oriented measures. Others focus more on the emotional distress associated with pornography use, such as guilt, shame, worry, or moral conflict, and are known as distress-oriented measures.
Study author Sonay Sheikhi and colleagues at Kharazmi University in Tehran, Iran, conducted a systematic review of existing studies to identify psychological characteristics associated with problematic pornography use. They also conducted a meta-analysis, a statistical technique that combines results across studies, to estimate how strong these associations are. In addition, they examined whether the strength of these associations depended on which kind of measure a study had used.
The researchers searched the PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, and supplemented the results with searches of Google Scholar, Iranian databases (SID, Magiran, and Noormags), and gray literature sources such as the Open Access Theses and Dissertations database. They included studies published in English or Persian between 2012 and 2025.
In the search, they used keywords related to problematic pornography use (e.g., problematic pornography use, pornography addiction, compulsive pornography use, problematic online pornography use, cyber pornography) combined with terms referring to psychological correlates (e.g., impulsivity, emotion regulation, attachment, craving, moral incongruence, depression, anxiety, and personality).
The search identified over 38,000 unique records, from which the authors selected 925 full-text documents for review. Of these, 97 articles met the inclusion criteria. Together, they described 111 independent samples totaling 121,728 participants. The average participant age was about 27.5 years, and around 46% of participants were women.
The studies were published between 2012 and 2025, with about 85% of participants coming from studies published between 2017 and 2025. Nearly all of the data were collected online.
The psychological characteristics most strongly associated with problematic pornography use were craving (a strong desire to view pornography) and sexual shame, each with an average correlation of 0.54. Correlations range from −1 to 1, with values near zero indicating no relationship. The weakest associations were with the personality trait of extraversion and with indicators of family environment, both close to zero.
Problematic pornography use was also associated with depression (0.32), emotion dysregulation (0.29), moral disapproval, meaning the belief that pornography is morally wrong (0.27), and loneliness (0.23). The craving and sexual shame estimates, however, were each based on only four or five studies, compared with 12 to 21 studies for these other characteristics.
Results also varied widely from study to study. For most characteristics, the range in which future studies’ results would be expected to fall was wide and often included values near zero, meaning a given study could find a much weaker association or none at all. The authors therefore describe the pooled results as average tendencies rather than effects that apply equally across all populations.
The authors also examined whether the type of measure mattered. Studies using dysregulation-oriented measures tended to show stronger associations with impulsivity and craving, whereas studies using distress-oriented measures tended to show stronger associations with shame and moral disapproval. However, the authors describe these patterns as descriptive, and formal statistical tests found few reliable differences between the two kinds of measures.
In one case, the subgroup results ran against this pattern: religiousness was more strongly associated with problematic use in studies using dysregulation-oriented measures than in those using distress-oriented ones. The authors conclude that measurement differences may account for some, but not all, of the variation across studies.
“Across the available evidence, PPU [problematic pornography use] was associated with a broad range of psychological variables spanning behavioral self-regulation, emotional functioning, interpersonal processes, and evaluative distress. However, the magnitude of these associations varied considerably across psychological domains and across studies, indicating that PPU cannot be adequately characterized as a single, homogeneous construct,” the study authors concluded.
The study sheds light on the psychological characteristics linked to problematic pornography use. However, the authors note that the studies they analyzed were predominantly cross-sectional, meaning they measured everything at a single point in time, which rules out conclusions about cause and effect or about which came first. Additionally, most studies relied on self-report questionnaires for both pornography use and psychological characteristics, which the authors say may have inflated some of the observed associations.
The authors also note that their two categories of measures are rough groupings, since many questionnaires capture both loss of control and distress. The differences between them should not be read as evidence of distinct types of problematic pornography use.
The paper, “Psychological correlates of problematic pornography use: A systematic review and meta-analysis of measurement and conceptualization differences,” was authored by Sonay Sheikhi, Shahram Mohammadkhani, and Mehdi Akbari.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #ProblematicPornographyUse #PornographyAddiction #Craving #SexualShame #Depression #Loneliness #EmotionDysregulation #MoralDisapproval #MentalHealth #MetaAnalysis
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DATE: October 4, 2026 at 12:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Problematic pornography use is linked to craving, shame, depression, and loneliness, meta-analysis finds
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 111 samples found that problematic pornography use tends to be higher among people who report stronger cravings, more sexual shame, depression, loneliness, emotion dysregulation, and moral disapproval of pornography. The strength of these links varied widely across studies and may partly depend on how problematic use was measured. The paper was published in Addictive Behaviors Reports.
In modern times, pornography is widely accessible through the internet. Many people worldwide use it without problems in their daily lives. However, for some individuals, pornography use becomes difficult to control and begins to interfere with relationships, work, sexual functioning, or emotional well-being. This pattern is often called problematic pornography use.
Problematic pornography use is not a formal psychiatric diagnosis. Rather, it is an umbrella term for a range of self-reported difficulties, such as feeling unable to control one’s use, being preoccupied with pornography, or feeling distressed about it. It is less about how often pornography is viewed than about whether use feels compulsive or causes significant distress or impairment.
Researchers have examined a range of factors linked to problematic pornography use. These include impulsivity, difficulties with emotion regulation, loneliness, stress, anxiety, depression, and a tendency to use pornography as a way of coping with negative emotions. Sexual factors, such as high sexual desire or dissatisfaction with one’s sex life, also seem to play a role for some people.
In addition, moral or religious conflict about pornography can intensify feelings of guilt and distress, sometimes making people perceive their use as more problematic than its behavioral pattern alone would suggest. Easy availability, privacy, novelty, and the virtually unlimited variety of online sexual content may further reinforce repeated use in susceptible individuals.
These different perspectives are reflected in the questionnaires researchers use. Some measures focus mainly on loss of control, such as unsuccessful attempts to cut back, compulsive use, or continued use despite negative consequences. These are known as dysregulation-oriented measures. Others focus more on the emotional distress associated with pornography use, such as guilt, shame, worry, or moral conflict, and are known as distress-oriented measures.
Study author Sonay Sheikhi and colleagues at Kharazmi University in Tehran, Iran, conducted a systematic review of existing studies to identify psychological characteristics associated with problematic pornography use. They also conducted a meta-analysis, a statistical technique that combines results across studies, to estimate how strong these associations are. In addition, they examined whether the strength of these associations depended on which kind of measure a study had used.
The researchers searched the PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, and supplemented the results with searches of Google Scholar, Iranian databases (SID, Magiran, and Noormags), and gray literature sources such as the Open Access Theses and Dissertations database. They included studies published in English or Persian between 2012 and 2025.
In the search, they used keywords related to problematic pornography use (e.g., problematic pornography use, pornography addiction, compulsive pornography use, problematic online pornography use, cyber pornography) combined with terms referring to psychological correlates (e.g., impulsivity, emotion regulation, attachment, craving, moral incongruence, depression, anxiety, and personality).
The search identified over 38,000 unique records, from which the authors selected 925 full-text documents for review. Of these, 97 articles met the inclusion criteria. Together, they described 111 independent samples totaling 121,728 participants. The average participant age was about 27.5 years, and around 46% of participants were women.
The studies were published between 2012 and 2025, with about 85% of participants coming from studies published between 2017 and 2025. Nearly all of the data were collected online.
The psychological characteristics most strongly associated with problematic pornography use were craving (a strong desire to view pornography) and sexual shame, each with an average correlation of 0.54. Correlations range from −1 to 1, with values near zero indicating no relationship. The weakest associations were with the personality trait of extraversion and with indicators of family environment, both close to zero.
Problematic pornography use was also associated with depression (0.32), emotion dysregulation (0.29), moral disapproval, meaning the belief that pornography is morally wrong (0.27), and loneliness (0.23). The craving and sexual shame estimates, however, were each based on only four or five studies, compared with 12 to 21 studies for these other characteristics.
Results also varied widely from study to study. For most characteristics, the range in which future studies’ results would be expected to fall was wide and often included values near zero, meaning a given study could find a much weaker association or none at all. The authors therefore describe the pooled results as average tendencies rather than effects that apply equally across all populations.
The authors also examined whether the type of measure mattered. Studies using dysregulation-oriented measures tended to show stronger associations with impulsivity and craving, whereas studies using distress-oriented measures tended to show stronger associations with shame and moral disapproval. However, the authors describe these patterns as descriptive, and formal statistical tests found few reliable differences between the two kinds of measures.
In one case, the subgroup results ran against this pattern: religiousness was more strongly associated with problematic use in studies using dysregulation-oriented measures than in those using distress-oriented ones. The authors conclude that measurement differences may account for some, but not all, of the variation across studies.
“Across the available evidence, PPU [problematic pornography use] was associated with a broad range of psychological variables spanning behavioral self-regulation, emotional functioning, interpersonal processes, and evaluative distress. However, the magnitude of these associations varied considerably across psychological domains and across studies, indicating that PPU cannot be adequately characterized as a single, homogeneous construct,” the study authors concluded.
The study sheds light on the psychological characteristics linked to problematic pornography use. However, the authors note that the studies they analyzed were predominantly cross-sectional, meaning they measured everything at a single point in time, which rules out conclusions about cause and effect or about which came first. Additionally, most studies relied on self-report questionnaires for both pornography use and psychological characteristics, which the authors say may have inflated some of the observed associations.
The authors also note that their two categories of measures are rough groupings, since many questionnaires capture both loss of control and distress. The differences between them should not be read as evidence of distinct types of problematic pornography use.
The paper, “Psychological correlates of problematic pornography use: A systematic review and meta-analysis of measurement and conceptualization differences,” was authored by Sonay Sheikhi, Shahram Mohammadkhani, and Mehdi Akbari.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #ProblematicPornographyUse #PornographyAddiction #Craving #SexualShame #Depression #Loneliness #EmotionDysregulation #MoralDisapproval #MentalHealth #MetaAnalysis
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DATE: October 4, 2026 at 12:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Problematic pornography use is linked to craving, shame, depression, and loneliness, meta-analysis finds
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 111 samples found that problematic pornography use tends to be higher among people who report stronger cravings, more sexual shame, depression, loneliness, emotion dysregulation, and moral disapproval of pornography. The strength of these links varied widely across studies and may partly depend on how problematic use was measured. The paper was published in Addictive Behaviors Reports.
In modern times, pornography is widely accessible through the internet. Many people worldwide use it without problems in their daily lives. However, for some individuals, pornography use becomes difficult to control and begins to interfere with relationships, work, sexual functioning, or emotional well-being. This pattern is often called problematic pornography use.
Problematic pornography use is not a formal psychiatric diagnosis. Rather, it is an umbrella term for a range of self-reported difficulties, such as feeling unable to control one’s use, being preoccupied with pornography, or feeling distressed about it. It is less about how often pornography is viewed than about whether use feels compulsive or causes significant distress or impairment.
Researchers have examined a range of factors linked to problematic pornography use. These include impulsivity, difficulties with emotion regulation, loneliness, stress, anxiety, depression, and a tendency to use pornography as a way of coping with negative emotions. Sexual factors, such as high sexual desire or dissatisfaction with one’s sex life, also seem to play a role for some people.
In addition, moral or religious conflict about pornography can intensify feelings of guilt and distress, sometimes making people perceive their use as more problematic than its behavioral pattern alone would suggest. Easy availability, privacy, novelty, and the virtually unlimited variety of online sexual content may further reinforce repeated use in susceptible individuals.
These different perspectives are reflected in the questionnaires researchers use. Some measures focus mainly on loss of control, such as unsuccessful attempts to cut back, compulsive use, or continued use despite negative consequences. These are known as dysregulation-oriented measures. Others focus more on the emotional distress associated with pornography use, such as guilt, shame, worry, or moral conflict, and are known as distress-oriented measures.
Study author Sonay Sheikhi and colleagues at Kharazmi University in Tehran, Iran, conducted a systematic review of existing studies to identify psychological characteristics associated with problematic pornography use. They also conducted a meta-analysis, a statistical technique that combines results across studies, to estimate how strong these associations are. In addition, they examined whether the strength of these associations depended on which kind of measure a study had used.
The researchers searched the PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, and supplemented the results with searches of Google Scholar, Iranian databases (SID, Magiran, and Noormags), and gray literature sources such as the Open Access Theses and Dissertations database. They included studies published in English or Persian between 2012 and 2025.
In the search, they used keywords related to problematic pornography use (e.g., problematic pornography use, pornography addiction, compulsive pornography use, problematic online pornography use, cyber pornography) combined with terms referring to psychological correlates (e.g., impulsivity, emotion regulation, attachment, craving, moral incongruence, depression, anxiety, and personality).
The search identified over 38,000 unique records, from which the authors selected 925 full-text documents for review. Of these, 97 articles met the inclusion criteria. Together, they described 111 independent samples totaling 121,728 participants. The average participant age was about 27.5 years, and around 46% of participants were women.
The studies were published between 2012 and 2025, with about 85% of participants coming from studies published between 2017 and 2025. Nearly all of the data were collected online.
The psychological characteristics most strongly associated with problematic pornography use were craving (a strong desire to view pornography) and sexual shame, each with an average correlation of 0.54. Correlations range from −1 to 1, with values near zero indicating no relationship. The weakest associations were with the personality trait of extraversion and with indicators of family environment, both close to zero.
Problematic pornography use was also associated with depression (0.32), emotion dysregulation (0.29), moral disapproval, meaning the belief that pornography is morally wrong (0.27), and loneliness (0.23). The craving and sexual shame estimates, however, were each based on only four or five studies, compared with 12 to 21 studies for these other characteristics.
Results also varied widely from study to study. For most characteristics, the range in which future studies’ results would be expected to fall was wide and often included values near zero, meaning a given study could find a much weaker association or none at all. The authors therefore describe the pooled results as average tendencies rather than effects that apply equally across all populations.
The authors also examined whether the type of measure mattered. Studies using dysregulation-oriented measures tended to show stronger associations with impulsivity and craving, whereas studies using distress-oriented measures tended to show stronger associations with shame and moral disapproval. However, the authors describe these patterns as descriptive, and formal statistical tests found few reliable differences between the two kinds of measures.
In one case, the subgroup results ran against this pattern: religiousness was more strongly associated with problematic use in studies using dysregulation-oriented measures than in those using distress-oriented ones. The authors conclude that measurement differences may account for some, but not all, of the variation across studies.
“Across the available evidence, PPU [problematic pornography use] was associated with a broad range of psychological variables spanning behavioral self-regulation, emotional functioning, interpersonal processes, and evaluative distress. However, the magnitude of these associations varied considerably across psychological domains and across studies, indicating that PPU cannot be adequately characterized as a single, homogeneous construct,” the study authors concluded.
The study sheds light on the psychological characteristics linked to problematic pornography use. However, the authors note that the studies they analyzed were predominantly cross-sectional, meaning they measured everything at a single point in time, which rules out conclusions about cause and effect or about which came first. Additionally, most studies relied on self-report questionnaires for both pornography use and psychological characteristics, which the authors say may have inflated some of the observed associations.
The authors also note that their two categories of measures are rough groupings, since many questionnaires capture both loss of control and distress. The differences between them should not be read as evidence of distinct types of problematic pornography use.
The paper, “Psychological correlates of problematic pornography use: A systematic review and meta-analysis of measurement and conceptualization differences,” was authored by Sonay Sheikhi, Shahram Mohammadkhani, and Mehdi Akbari.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #ProblematicPornographyUse #PornographyAddiction #Craving #SexualShame #Depression #Loneliness #EmotionDysregulation #MoralDisapproval #MentalHealth #MetaAnalysis
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OK, there is something seriously wrong with psychologists, apparently. They needed a research study to determine that socially isolated kids grow up to be socially isolated adults, and that feeling loneliness doesn't magically cause you to go out and make lots of friends?
Seriously, what planet are these people living on?
i am deadly serious. This is stuff i have known my entire life, from personal experience of course. i was extremely isolated as a child and wouldn't you know it i never actually learned how to make or keep friends. Shocking, i know.
I really think psychology needs a healthy dose of marginalized people in it's ranks to bring a bit of reality to it's theories!
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OK, there is something seriously wrong with psychologists, apparently. They needed a research study to determine that socially isolated kids grow up to be socially isolated adults, and that feeling loneliness doesn't magically cause you to go out and make lots of friends?
Seriously, what planet are these people living on?
i am deadly serious. This is stuff i have known my entire life, from personal experience of course. i was extremely isolated as a child and wouldn't you know it i never actually learned how to make or keep friends. Shocking, i know.
I really think psychology needs a healthy dose of marginalized people in it's ranks to bring a bit of reality to it's theories!
-
OK, there is something seriously wrong with psychologists, apparently. They needed a research study to determine that socially isolated kids grow up to be socially isolated adults, and that feeling loneliness doesn't magically cause you to go out and make lots of friends?
Seriously, what planet are these people living on?
i am deadly serious. This is stuff i have known my entire life, from personal experience of course. i was extremely isolated as a child and wouldn't you know it i never actually learned how to make or keep friends. Shocking, i know.
I really think psychology needs a healthy dose of marginalized people in it's ranks to bring a bit of reality to it's theories!
-
OK, there is something seriously wrong with psychologists, apparently. They needed a research study to determine that socially isolated kids grow up to be socially isolated adults, and that feeling loneliness doesn't magically cause you to go out and make lots of friends?
Seriously, what planet are these people living on?
i am deadly serious. This is stuff i have known my entire life, from personal experience of course. i was extremely isolated as a child and wouldn't you know it i never actually learned how to make or keep friends. Shocking, i know.
I really think psychology needs a healthy dose of marginalized people in it's ranks to bring a bit of reality to it's theories!
-
@appassionato A very good and important article, i think. It fits well into the discussion about the society changing because of technological developments and so on in lots of articles in the NYTimes (by Mary Harrington and by Lulu Garcia-Navarro), The Atlantic (by Derek Thompson) and others in the last months. 👍 #technology #society #loneliness
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@appassionato A very good and important article, i think. It fits well into the discussion about the society changing because of technological developments and so on in lots of articles in the NYTimes (by Mary Harrington and by Lulu Garcia-Navarro), The Atlantic (by Derek Thompson) and others in the last months. 👍 #technology #society #loneliness
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@appassionato A very good and important article, i think. It fits well into the discussion about the society changing because of technological developments and so on in lots of articles in the NYTimes (by Mary Harrington and by Lulu Garcia-Navarro), The Atlantic (by Derek Thompson) and others in the last months. 👍 #technology #society #loneliness
-
@appassionato A very good and important article, i think. It fits well into the discussion about the society changing because of technological developments and so on in lots of articles in the NYTimes (by Mary Harrington and by Lulu Garcia-Navarro), The Atlantic (by Derek Thompson) and others in the last months. 👍 #technology #society #loneliness
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"With or without you"
How dangerous are other humans?A thread on hierarchy, risk, and autism...
🧵 ⬇️
(Article also on my site: https://www.neurofabulous.org.uk/with-or-without-you.html)
#ActuallyAutistic #Neurodivergent #AuDHD #Autism #AutisticExperience #Neurodiversity #Connection #Loneliness #Attachment #Community #NervousSystem #HumanNature #Hierarchy #Capitalism #Relationships #Love #Belonging
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"With or without you"
How dangerous are other humans?A thread on hierarchy, risk, and autism...
🧵 ⬇️
(Article also on my site: https://www.neurofabulous.org.uk/with-or-without-you.html)
#ActuallyAutistic #Neurodivergent #AuDHD #Autism #AutisticExperience #Neurodiversity #Connection #Loneliness #Attachment #Community #NervousSystem #HumanNature #Hierarchy #Capitalism #Relationships #Love #Belonging
-
"With or without you"
How dangerous are other humans?A thread on hierarchy, risk, and autism...
🧵 ⬇️
(Article also on my site: https://www.neurofabulous.org.uk/with-or-without-you.html)
#ActuallyAutistic #Neurodivergent #AuDHD #Autism #AutisticExperience #Neurodiversity #Connection #Loneliness #Attachment #Community #NervousSystem #HumanNature #Hierarchy #Capitalism #Relationships #Love #Belonging
-
"With or without you"
How dangerous are other humans?A thread on hierarchy, risk, and autism...
🧵 ⬇️
(Article also on my site: https://www.neurofabulous.org.uk/with-or-without-you.html)
#ActuallyAutistic #Neurodivergent #AuDHD #Autism #AutisticExperience #Neurodiversity #Connection #Loneliness #Attachment #Community #NervousSystem #HumanNature #Hierarchy #Capitalism #Relationships #Love #Belonging
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‘There’s a lot of silence’: have we created a new ‘Lonely Generation’?
By Celina RibeiroLearning to be one human among many has always been a little lonely and discombobulating. But young people around the world are lonelier than ever. Why?
https://www.theguardian.com/society/ng-interactive/2026/oct/04/young-generation-lonely-silence
#Loneliness #Youngpeople #Society #Australianbooks #Psychology #TheGuardian #CelinaRibeiro
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‘There’s a lot of silence’: have we created a new ‘Lonely Generation’?
By Celina RibeiroLearning to be one human among many has always been a little lonely and discombobulating. But young people around the world are lonelier than ever. Why?
https://www.theguardian.com/society/ng-interactive/2026/oct/04/young-generation-lonely-silence
#Loneliness #Youngpeople #Society #Australianbooks #Psychology #TheGuardian #CelinaRibeiro
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‘There’s a lot of silence’: have we created a new ‘Lonely Generation’?
By Celina RibeiroLearning to be one human among many has always been a little lonely and discombobulating. But young people around the world are lonelier than ever. Why?
https://www.theguardian.com/society/ng-interactive/2026/oct/04/young-generation-lonely-silence
#Loneliness #Youngpeople #Society #Australianbooks #Psychology #TheGuardian #CelinaRibeiro
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I Love People. I Just Need to De-People
I love people. But then, I just need everyone to sod off. In the nicest possible way. Please.
So, I’ve invented a new definition for the word:
De-people. What you need to do after you’ve had too much of… well, people.
I genuinely find people fascinating, from their stories, their experiences, their life lessons, their memories etc. I could talk to a stranger for hours and then say goodbye now knowing their mother’s family history and what happened on their holiday to Morocco with an ex-boyfriend in 1994.
You see, people are exhausting. Not all of them. I have some incredible, wonderful friends and family who are precious to me and I meet amazing strangers from supermarket cashiers to random people on the street. But, some people just have the emotional intelligence of a Tesco trolley with a wonky wheel. Some attract drama like a Desperate Beverley Hills Housewife. Some are just fickle and fake.
And then there are the ones where, when you’ve finished talking to them you’re thinking: I need to lie in a dark room asap.
My brain goes:
“Cue shutdown. Terminate all access points.”
So I De-People.
I’m not upset or angry. I haven’t suddenly decided I prefer trees to humans. Although… no. That’s another article.
I just reach my limit.
So how do I De-People? Well, it’s not that glamorous.
Pyjamas, mainly. Biscuits, many, obviously. A film, a book, a long hot bubble bath with candles and a bit of meditation if I’m feeling my spiritual woowoo come on. Sometimes I clean the hob. Not a euphemism. Sometimes I DIY then announce, “pffft, so the picture’s a bit wonky!” and then leave it like that for five years. And then perhaps some online shopping, because even when I’ve retreated, I still really need more shoes!
How I don’t De-People is on a £475 Spiritual Retreat in the Cotswolds, sipping flowery water and journalling by a scenic, tinkling river with some floating lager cans bobbing about.
Although I love a Spiritual Retreat. Message me with offers.
No, I just need to be at home to Sit and Sigh. That’s my technical term.
And here’s the weird bit. I can have an amazing night out, laughing, dancing, meeting fascinating people, hearing brilliant stories but come home thinking, what a bloody brilliant night. Then, my internal De-People siren is flashing red:
“CEASE ALL HUMAN INTERACTION.”
I’m an empath. I listen, I commiserate, I howl with laughter, I get genuinely excited about their news. But then it stays with me. I worry about them, keep laughing about their story, feel inspired by their adventures and my soul has absorbed all their energy like water on a paper towel.
I can go from Hero to Zero in 12 hours.
As a child, I knew loneliness. I was different from other children, physically, so hospital was my safe place. When home life was frightening, or lonely, I’d go to my bedroom, change Sindy into her 14th outfit of the day and play my Muppet Show record.
Or, I’d pray my next hospital visit would come quickly so I could be away from home again.
But don’t confuse loneliness with being alone. They’re different.
Being lonely is wanting someone when there isn’t someone.
Being alone can be a choice.
This two-minute video with Melissa Hogenboom, a Science Journalist, explains why there’s a link between solitude and mental focus.
I feel heard!
Silence is exquisite.
We live in a world where we’re expected to be permanently available or constantly connected. Message, call, meet, like, share, comment, reply, engage, organise. It’s relentless!!
Sometimes I don’t want to reply. Sometimes I don’t want to engage. Sometimes I don’t even know what dinner is, as I stare at my empty fridge, wondering if there’s a recipe for four small potatoes, sauerkraut, Greek yoghurt, dark chocolate and 300 condiments.
And sometimes it’s great just people-watching from our window, while we sip coffee and shove biscuits into our face at record-breaking speed.
It’s okay.
Look, we can love people but still need a break from them. We can adore being surrounded by others but then crave a padded panic room afterwards. I can easily cavort around a great bar on Saturday night like Liza Minnelli at an awards ceremony but then want everyone to sod off by ten!
This is what we forget. Solitude doesn’t always equate to loneliness. Solitude is simply our reset after a day of thinking, talking, organising, and soaking up ‘noise’.
So, if you fantasise about a day when nobody needs you, talks to you, messages you with “Can I ask…?”, “Are you coming…?”, “Did you read…?”, “Did you organise…?”, “Have you done…”, you just need to De-People.
Sit and Sigh with ice cream in bed at midday. Wear one sock around the house and no bra. Ignore your phone. Stare at the raindrops on the window. Shave your face. (Menopausal sisters: if you know, you know…) Do absolutely bugger all. For YOU.
And if you need me?
I’m unavailable until the day after tomorrow.
I’m De-Peopling.
#Humor #Loneliness #Writing #blog #creativeWriting #emotions #life #love #menopause #mentalHealth #selfCare -
I Love People. I Just Need to De-People
I love people. But then, I just need everyone to sod off. In the nicest possible way. Please.
So, I’ve invented a new definition for the word:
De-people. What you need to do after you’ve had too much of… well, people.
I genuinely find people fascinating, from their stories, their experiences, their life lessons, their memories etc. I could talk to a stranger for hours and then say goodbye now knowing their mother’s family history and what happened on their holiday to Morocco with an ex-boyfriend in 1994.
You see, people are exhausting. Not all of them. I have some incredible, wonderful friends and family who are precious to me and I meet amazing strangers from supermarket cashiers to random people on the street. But, some people just have the emotional intelligence of a Tesco trolley with a wonky wheel. Some attract drama like a Desperate Beverley Hills Housewife. Some are just fickle and fake.
And then there are the ones where, when you’ve finished talking to them you’re thinking: I need to lie in a dark room asap.
My brain goes:
“Cue shutdown. Terminate all access points.”
So I De-People.
I’m not upset or angry. I haven’t suddenly decided I prefer trees to humans. Although… no. That’s another article.
I just reach my limit.
So how do I De-People? Well, it’s not that glamorous.
Pyjamas, mainly. Biscuits, many, obviously. A film, a book, a long hot bubble bath with candles and a bit of meditation if I’m feeling my spiritual woowoo come on. Sometimes I clean the hob. Not a euphemism. Sometimes I DIY then announce, “pffft, so the picture’s a bit wonky!” and then leave it like that for five years. And then perhaps some online shopping, because even when I’ve retreated, I still really need more shoes!
How I don’t De-People is on a £475 Spiritual Retreat in the Cotswolds, sipping flowery water and journalling by a scenic, tinkling river with some floating lager cans bobbing about.
Although I love a Spiritual Retreat. Message me with offers.
No, I just need to be at home to Sit and Sigh. That’s my technical term.
And here’s the weird bit. I can have an amazing night out, laughing, dancing, meeting fascinating people, hearing brilliant stories but come home thinking, what a bloody brilliant night. Then, my internal De-People siren is flashing red:
“CEASE ALL HUMAN INTERACTION.”
I’m an empath. I listen, I commiserate, I howl with laughter, I get genuinely excited about their news. But then it stays with me. I worry about them, keep laughing about their story, feel inspired by their adventures and my soul has absorbed all their energy like water on a paper towel.
I can go from Hero to Zero in 12 hours.
As a child, I knew loneliness. I was different from other children, physically, so hospital was my safe place. When home life was frightening, or lonely, I’d go to my bedroom, change Sindy into her 14th outfit of the day and play my Muppet Show record.
Or, I’d pray my next hospital visit would come quickly so I could be away from home again.
But don’t confuse loneliness with being alone. They’re different.
Being lonely is wanting someone when there isn’t someone.
Being alone can be a choice.
This two-minute video with Melissa Hogenboom, a Science Journalist, explains why there’s a link between solitude and mental focus.
I feel heard!
Silence is exquisite.
We live in a world where we’re expected to be permanently available or constantly connected. Message, call, meet, like, share, comment, reply, engage, organise. It’s relentless!!
Sometimes I don’t want to reply. Sometimes I don’t want to engage. Sometimes I don’t even know what dinner is, as I stare at my empty fridge, wondering if there’s a recipe for four small potatoes, sauerkraut, Greek yoghurt, dark chocolate and 300 condiments.
And sometimes it’s great just people-watching from our window, while we sip coffee and shove biscuits into our face at record-breaking speed.
It’s okay.
Look, we can love people but still need a break from them. We can adore being surrounded by others but then crave a padded panic room afterwards. I can easily cavort around a great bar on Saturday night like Liza Minnelli at an awards ceremony but then want everyone to sod off by ten!
This is what we forget. Solitude doesn’t always equate to loneliness. Solitude is simply our reset after a day of thinking, talking, organising, and soaking up ‘noise’.
So, if you fantasise about a day when nobody needs you, talks to you, messages you with “Can I ask…?”, “Are you coming…?”, “Did you read…?”, “Did you organise…?”, “Have you done…”, you just need to De-People.
Sit and Sigh with ice cream in bed at midday. Wear one sock around the house and no bra. Ignore your phone. Stare at the raindrops on the window. Shave your face. (Menopausal sisters: if you know, you know…) Do absolutely bugger all. For YOU.
And if you need me?
I’m unavailable until the day after tomorrow.
I’m De-Peopling.
#Humor #Loneliness #Writing #blog #creativeWriting #emotions #life #love #menopause #mentalHealth #selfCare -
I Love People. I Just Need to De-People
I love people. But then, I just need everyone to sod off. In the nicest possible way. Please.
So, I’ve invented a new definition for the word:
De-people. What you need to do after you’ve had too much of… well, people.
I genuinely find people fascinating, from their stories, their experiences, their life lessons, their memories etc. I could talk to a stranger for hours and then say goodbye now knowing their mother’s family history and what happened on their holiday to Morocco with an ex-boyfriend in 1994.
You see, people are exhausting. Not all of them. I have some incredible, wonderful friends and family who are precious to me and I meet amazing strangers from supermarket cashiers to random people on the street. But, some people just have the emotional intelligence of a Tesco trolley with a wonky wheel. Some attract drama like a Desperate Beverley Hills Housewife. Some are just fickle and fake.
And then there are the ones where, when you’ve finished talking to them you’re thinking: I need to lie in a dark room asap.
My brain goes:
“Cue shutdown. Terminate all access points.”
So I De-People.
I’m not upset or angry. I haven’t suddenly decided I prefer trees to humans. Although… no. That’s another article.
I just reach my limit.
So how do I De-People? Well, it’s not that glamorous.
Pyjamas, mainly. Biscuits, many, obviously. A film, a book, a long hot bubble bath with candles and a bit of meditation if I’m feeling my spiritual woowoo come on. Sometimes I clean the hob. Not a euphemism. Sometimes I DIY then announce, “pffft, so the picture’s a bit wonky!” and then leave it like that for five years. And then perhaps some online shopping, because even when I’ve retreated, I still really need more shoes!
How I don’t De-People is on a £475 Spiritual Retreat in the Cotswolds, sipping flowery water and journalling by a scenic, tinkling river with some floating lager cans bobbing about.
Although I love a Spiritual Retreat. Message me with offers.
No, I just need to be at home to Sit and Sigh. That’s my technical term.
And here’s the weird bit. I can have an amazing night out, laughing, dancing, meeting fascinating people, hearing brilliant stories but come home thinking, what a bloody brilliant night. Then, my internal De-People siren is flashing red:
“CEASE ALL HUMAN INTERACTION.”
I’m an empath. I listen, I commiserate, I howl with laughter, I get genuinely excited about their news. But then it stays with me. I worry about them, keep laughing about their story, feel inspired by their adventures and my soul has absorbed all their energy like water on a paper towel.
I can go from Hero to Zero in 12 hours.
As a child, I knew loneliness. I was different from other children, physically, so hospital was my safe place. When home life was frightening, or lonely, I’d go to my bedroom, change Sindy into her 14th outfit of the day and play my Muppet Show record.
Or, I’d pray my next hospital visit would come quickly so I could be away from home again.
But don’t confuse loneliness with being alone. They’re different.
Being lonely is wanting someone when there isn’t someone.
Being alone can be a choice.
This two-minute video with Melissa Hogenboom, a Science Journalist, explains why there’s a link between solitude and mental focus.
I feel heard!
Silence is exquisite.
We live in a world where we’re expected to be permanently available or constantly connected. Message, call, meet, like, share, comment, reply, engage, organise. It’s relentless!!
Sometimes I don’t want to reply. Sometimes I don’t want to engage. Sometimes I don’t even know what dinner is, as I stare at my empty fridge, wondering if there’s a recipe for four small potatoes, sauerkraut, Greek yoghurt, dark chocolate and 300 condiments.
And sometimes it’s great just people-watching from our window, while we sip coffee and shove biscuits into our face at record-breaking speed.
It’s okay.
Look, we can love people but still need a break from them. We can adore being surrounded by others but then crave a padded panic room afterwards. I can easily cavort around a great bar on Saturday night like Liza Minnelli at an awards ceremony but then want everyone to sod off by ten!
This is what we forget. Solitude doesn’t always equate to loneliness. Solitude is simply our reset after a day of thinking, talking, organising, and soaking up ‘noise’.
So, if you fantasise about a day when nobody needs you, talks to you, messages you with “Can I ask…?”, “Are you coming…?”, “Did you read…?”, “Did you organise…?”, “Have you done…”, you just need to De-People.
Sit and Sigh with ice cream in bed at midday. Wear one sock around the house and no bra. Ignore your phone. Stare at the raindrops on the window. Shave your face. (Menopausal sisters: if you know, you know…) Do absolutely bugger all. For YOU.
And if you need me?
I’m unavailable until the day after tomorrow.
I’m De-Peopling.
#Humor #Loneliness #Writing #blog #creativeWriting #emotions #life #love #menopause #mentalHealth #selfCare -
I Love People. I Just Need to De-People
I love people. But then, I just need everyone to sod off. In the nicest possible way. Please.
So, I’ve invented a new definition for the word:
De-people. What you need to do after you’ve had too much of… well, people.
I genuinely find people fascinating, from their stories, their experiences, their life lessons, their memories etc. I could talk to a stranger for hours and then say goodbye now knowing their mother’s family history and what happened on their holiday to Morocco with an ex-boyfriend in 1994.
You see, people are exhausting. Not all of them. I have some incredible, wonderful friends and family who are precious to me and I meet amazing strangers from supermarket cashiers to random people on the street. But, some people just have the emotional intelligence of a Tesco trolley with a wonky wheel. Some attract drama like a Desperate Beverley Hills Housewife. Some are just fickle and fake.
And then there are the ones where, when you’ve finished talking to them you’re thinking: I need to lie in a dark room asap.
My brain goes:
“Cue shutdown. Terminate all access points.”
So I De-People.
I’m not upset or angry. I haven’t suddenly decided I prefer trees to humans. Although… no. That’s another article.
I just reach my limit.
So how do I De-People? Well, it’s not that glamorous.
Pyjamas, mainly. Biscuits, many, obviously. A film, a book, a long hot bubble bath with candles and a bit of meditation if I’m feeling my spiritual woowoo come on. Sometimes I clean the hob. Not a euphemism. Sometimes I DIY then announce, “pffft, so the picture’s a bit wonky!” and then leave it like that for five years. And then perhaps some online shopping, because even when I’ve retreated, I still really need more shoes!
How I don’t De-People is on a £475 Spiritual Retreat in the Cotswolds, sipping flowery water and journalling by a scenic, tinkling river with some floating lager cans bobbing about.
Although I love a Spiritual Retreat. Message me with offers.
No, I just need to be at home to Sit and Sigh. That’s my technical term.
And here’s the weird bit. I can have an amazing night out, laughing, dancing, meeting fascinating people, hearing brilliant stories but come home thinking, what a bloody brilliant night. Then, my internal De-People siren is flashing red:
“CEASE ALL HUMAN INTERACTION.”
I’m an empath. I listen, I commiserate, I howl with laughter, I get genuinely excited about their news. But then it stays with me. I worry about them, keep laughing about their story, feel inspired by their adventures and my soul has absorbed all their energy like water on a paper towel.
I can go from Hero to Zero in 12 hours.
As a child, I knew loneliness. I was different from other children, physically, so hospital was my safe place. When home life was frightening, or lonely, I’d go to my bedroom, change Sindy into her 14th outfit of the day and play my Muppet Show record.
Or, I’d pray my next hospital visit would come quickly so I could be away from home again.
But don’t confuse loneliness with being alone. They’re different.
Being lonely is wanting someone when there isn’t someone.
Being alone can be a choice.
This two-minute video with Melissa Hogenboom, a Science Journalist, explains why there’s a link between solitude and mental focus.
I feel heard!
Silence is exquisite.
We live in a world where we’re expected to be permanently available or constantly connected. Message, call, meet, like, share, comment, reply, engage, organise. It’s relentless!!
Sometimes I don’t want to reply. Sometimes I don’t want to engage. Sometimes I don’t even know what dinner is, as I stare at my empty fridge, wondering if there’s a recipe for four small potatoes, sauerkraut, Greek yoghurt, dark chocolate and 300 condiments.
And sometimes it’s great just people-watching from our window, while we sip coffee and shove biscuits into our face at record-breaking speed.
It’s okay.
Look, we can love people but still need a break from them. We can adore being surrounded by others but then crave a padded panic room afterwards. I can easily cavort around a great bar on Saturday night like Liza Minnelli at an awards ceremony but then want everyone to sod off by ten!
This is what we forget. Solitude doesn’t always equate to loneliness. Solitude is simply our reset after a day of thinking, talking, organising, and soaking up ‘noise’.
So, if you fantasise about a day when nobody needs you, talks to you, messages you with “Can I ask…?”, “Are you coming…?”, “Did you read…?”, “Did you organise…?”, “Have you done…”, you just need to De-People.
Sit and Sigh with ice cream in bed at midday. Wear one sock around the house and no bra. Ignore your phone. Stare at the raindrops on the window. Shave your face. (Menopausal sisters: if you know, you know…) Do absolutely bugger all. For YOU.
And if you need me?
I’m unavailable until the day after tomorrow.
I’m De-Peopling.
#Humor #Loneliness #Writing #blog #creativeWriting #emotions #life #love #menopause #mentalHealth #selfCare
