OW SERIES: Day 22 – Why we feel lonely around others

There is no greater loneliness than the loneliness we feel in the presence of others, especially when those others are our loved ones. Almost everyone has experienced this feeling of strangeness in a familiar universe and it is frightening.

It’s actually a sign of a temporary anxiety that psychologists call depersonalization or derealization. Don’t panic if it happens to you. We are living in an exceptional period of uncertainty, and being anxious is normal. You’re not losing control. Your brain and body are simply preparing themselves to deal with whatever comes next.

Try to be accommodating towards yourself. It is simply your humanity expressing itself.