Why are people reclusive

I loved my room. Being there behind a locked door was a treat. To me a punishment was being ordered to play Yahtzee with my cousin Louis. Asocial tendencies like these are often far from ideal. In the UK, the Royal College of General Practitioners says that loneliness has the same risk level for premature death as diabetes.

Strong social connections are important for cognitive functioning , motor function and a smoothly running immune system. Abundant research shows the harms of social isolation Credit: Getty Images.

This is especially clear from cases of extreme social isolation. Examples of people kept in captivity, children kept isolated in abusive orphanages, and prisoners kept in solitary confinement all show how prolonged solitude can lead to hallucinations and other forms of mental instability.

But these are severe and involuntary cases of aloneness. For those of us who just prefer plenty of alone time, emerging research suggests some good news: there are upsides to being reclusive — for both our work lives and our emotional well-being. One key benefit is improved creativity.

One personality trait associated with creativity is independence — which can include a preference for being alone Credit: Getty Images. One reason for this is that such people are likely to spend sustained time alone working on their craft. Whatever they keep themselves busy with will have according to their own thoughts and feelings a significant influence on the world and the people that inhabits it.

But do not think that reclusive people sit around doing nothing, sit in a catatonic state or is necessarily lonely or sad. Most reclusive people are very productive, they could be writing, creating or working towards a personal goal. They feel content and happy. Some reclusive people, on the other hand, could suffer from depression or anxiety. It could be that their depression has developed over a long period of time or that their anxiety is reinforced by events that they witness or hear about and this prevents them from venturing outside where they might feel unsafe, insignificant or exposed to uncontrollable factors.

We are encouraged by Government to maintain social distancing and although this may provide relief to people with social anxiety, a lack of interaction could maintain this social anxiety extremely negatively. There are so many worries, like worrying about health and safety, worrying about access to food and supplies, worrying about financial stability and on top of that the feeling of loneliness and isolation.

Basically, at the end of the day, humans are social animals. We have a desire to connect and be accepted by others. It is the fear of not being accepted or being exposed to health risks that can cause withdrawal into a reclusive being.

What can you do to help yourself or others who have withdrawn from society? The following poem was written by T.

This poem is like the Phoenix who rose from the ashes. There is hope, there are new dreams, new goals and a new path to a better world. We all need to work together to help one another, support one another and encourage one another and allow our world to bloom into its full glory. Whatever causes you to pull back into your own shell and to pull away from society, I want to clearly state that you are not alone, and that help is available.

There are people out there who cares and are willing to help in any possible way. It might be scary, intimidating and uncertain, but please do not take your struggles on by yourself. Jeanette, a Dutch female nomad, started to travel the world at the age of Walker of beaches, shell searcher and iPhone photographer. Writer and owner of two websites Currently, she lives in Mexico. She is an emigration coach and works online.

Hi Christina, thank you for reading and leaving a comment. I loved reading it, it sounds like my story. My reclusive lifestyle started expanding at around the same age. But I am on social media, that is part of my business model.

Or stay in touch with. I keep telling myself that the older we get, the harder it is to adjust to another person in our lives. Especially for those that love to be a recluse. Thank you for this article. I just feel so free. The noise of the world just gets to be to much some times. That is more than enough for me. When I first started to become reclusive..

Maybe 8 years ago? People kept giving me a hard time about it. But I do have some friends. Quality over quantity.. I do go do things. Actually I travel more than most people I know! So happy to see that there are like minded people out there. Your email address will not be published. Alt Sidebar. JC from Holland Jeanette, a Dutch female nomad, started to travel the world at the age of Alone time forces you to think deeply.

The most interesting art, writing, and music asks difficult questions about the nature of human existence. If you're constantly filling your time with distractions, this can inhibit your creativity as it stops you from considering deeper aspects of existence.

If you're alone, you'll have more time to ponder. If you're writing a memoir, for example, learning from other authors is important. If you've never had time to read all of Proust's work, your newfound life as a recluse can allow you to do so. Disconnect from technology. If you want to be reclusive, you need to disconnect significantly.

This means avoiding your phone and computer, as these devices allow you to connect with others. It's a bad idea to completely cut yourself off. If there's an emergency, for example, it's important to be able to get help. However, try to consciously disconnect from technology for a bit each day.

Set aside a few hours each day to turn off your smart phone and power down your laptop. Take this time to simply be alone with your thoughts. Think back to childhood. Part of what makes being alone hard is that troublesome, unwanted thoughts can creep in if we're alone for too long. You need to have some ability to self-soothe. Thinking back to your childhood can help. As children are frequently navigating new and difficult thoughts for the first time, they often have better self-soothing rituals than adults.

Even silly rituals, like daydreaming, can be helpful to relax if you spend a lot of time alone. If you had a happy childhood, you're more likely to be good at self-soothing. If your basic needs were met as a child, you viewed the world as a mostly safe, trustworthy place. However, if your needs were not met as a child, you feel insecure in the world.

You may have a need to bring others into your space in order to soothe yourself. It may be harder to be reclusive if you lack the ability to soothe yourself.

Spend time outdoors. Many reclusive people have a fondness for nature. The free space of nature enhances your ability to be alone with your thoughts. It can remove certain temptations, like modern technology, that prohibit your ability to embrace solitude. As long as you're experienced enough to understand safety precautions, look into taking an occasional weekend hiking or camping trip by yourself.

However, if you're not an experienced outdoors type, camping alone may be dangerous. Instead, try going for long walks in the woods by yourself. If you live in a rural area, just sitting in your backyard can help you feel alone in nature. Method 2. Find work you can do at home. If you want to be a recluse, you may be hesitant about working outside of your home.

With modern technology, there are many jobs can you can easily do from home if you have a laptop and an internet connection. Freelance writing jobs are often done at home. There are also many jobs, like transcription work, that can be done from home. Many companies hire web designers to work from their own house.

Also, a lot of call center type jobs are handled at home. You can be a customer service representative at your own house, taking calls on behalf of a business as they come in. This does not necessarily mean starting your own business.

You could do freelance work from home for clients.