Alone time is important. We all need time to get in touch with who we are and what we are, and allow our thoughts to circle around uninterrupted. But when the hours drag into days and weeks, there may be some unintended consequences. Here are 17 signs you’ve been spending too much time alone.
We all talk to our pets, and that’s perfectly normal. They’re a fantastic sounding board – nonjudgmental and very unlikely to interrupt. But when the occasional comment about the weather turns into a passionate argument about the sad state of the country’s political affairs launched on your dog, things have progressed too far. And in that vein…
It started with your dog, and then moved on to trees. But at least plant life can still be considered living organisms. When you start chatting up your socks, you know there’s a problem.
It’s been a while since you’ve used your vocal chords, and you don’t recognize that unearthly sound they just made. You’re not sure who’s more surprised – you or your poor, unsuspecting conversation partner.
Why would you need to set aside meditation time in your day to be alone with your thoughts? That’s kind of your status quo, man.
It’s more turned into an activity you only partake in when you can smell yourself to distraction. Otherwise, a quick walk in the rain is basically the same thing, right?
There’s 371 to be exact. Plus that one weird one in the corner that doesn’t quite fit. But it’s the quirky one, and you like it that way.
Heading to the beach day after day by yourself means that nobody is going to be able to apply your sunscreen for you – unless you want to be one of those creepers that asks strangers to do that. Or end up finding one of those creepers that LOVES to do that.
Why would you bother cooking up a big feed when it’s just you? That means solo prepping, cooking, AND dish washing. Who needs it? Just buy a few more ready-to-eat frozen dinners and you’re golden.
“Why yes! I do in fact love the golden oldies! Oh, how well you know me, DJ Smooth Jams!”
It’s been a while since somebody was around to break into your monologue. You can’t quite remember how to do the back-and-forth conversation thing any more, and it’s really taken you for a loop.
“Hi, Mom, it’s me!”
“Sorry, who?”
“Me, Charlie!”
“Charlie…?”
“Your son, Mom. Thanks.”
It’s like a straight-jacket for your legs. You just want to BREATHE!
When your phone rings, you have anxiety over answering it because you don’t know if you remember how to be the bubbly, social person they’re used to speaking to. Or worse, if you get a text, you’re afraid someone is asking you to hang out—the idea of being around people sounds mostly exhausting. That happens: the less social you are, the less social you become, and the more social you are, the more social you become.
You find yourself really wanting to engage your mail person or the FedEx guy or the gardeners. You invite them in for lunch. Oh—they had plans with their kids, well…their kids can come too! This is your true self reminding you that you want human contact!
Thoughts of, “Why do I even try?” and “I’m delusional if I think I’m ever going to achieve my dreams” set in. When you’re busy, you don’t have time for these thoughts! But when you’re alone, they swoop in like birds of prey.
When you were busy, your hunger would catch up on you. You’d say, “Oh wow! I haven’t eaten in 10 hours!” But when you’re spending all your time alone, meals are a highlight of the day and you count down to them.
You would never say that, in so many words, you leave it on “for company” but you do notice a feeling of deep sadness or anxiety sink in when the house is too quiet.
The shows you always thought you were too good for on Netflix—yeah, you watched those. You’d already watched everything else! There was nothing left!
Nobody was coming over—not even to just pick you up, or drop something off—so you always had an excuse to leave one more dish unwashed. And piles of laundry are building up because you have no occasion to need those clothes clean for.