In recent years, we've heard a lot of unsettling news about the
loneliness epidemic and the dangers of social isolation. But
could all this talk about loneliness paradoxically be making the
problem... worse?
Dr. Laurie unpacks what we get wrong about loneliness. Along the
way, she speaks with historian Fay Bound-Alberti about why
loneliness, as we think of it today, is a surprisingly modern
phenomenon. Psychologist Micaela Rodriguez explains why we often
confuse loneliness with being alone — and why learning to enjoy
solitude can actually make us less lonely. And writer Emma Gannon
shares practical tips for embracing the joy of your own company.
Laurie discovers why spending time alone is a skill, and how
getting better at it can help us regulate our emotions, spark
creativity, and strengthen our connections with others.
Experts Mentioned:
Vivek Murthy, 19th and 21st Surgeon General of the United
States
Fay Bound-Alberti, Professor of Modern History at King’s
College London
Micaela Rodriguez, Assistant Professor of Psychology at Yale
University
Emma Gannon, author, blogger, and podcaster
Matthew Killingsworth, Senior Fellow at The Wharton School,
University of Pennsylvania
Timothy Wilson, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the
University of Virginia
Scott Campbell, Professor of Mediated Communication at The
Ohio State University
Julia Cameron, author, poet, songwriter, filmmaker, and
playwright
Blaise Pascal, 17th-century French philosopher
Resources Mentioned:
“Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation: The U.S. Surgeon
General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection
and Community,” by Office of the Surgeon General (2023)
“Social connection linked to improved health and reduced risk
of early death,” by World Health Organization Media Team (2025)
A Biography of Loneliness: The History of an Emotion, by Fay
Bound-Alberti (2019)
“Just think: The challenges of the disengaged mind,” by
Timothy Wilson, David Reinhard, Erin Westgate, Daniel Gilbert,
Nicole Ellerbeck, Cheryl Hahn, Casey Brown, and Adi Shaked
(Science, 2014)
“How people think about being alone shapes their experience
of loneliness,” by Micaela Rodriguez, Kathryn E. Schertz, and
Ethan Kross (Nature Communications, 2025)
“From ‘isolation’ to ‘me-time’: Linguistic shifts enhance
solitary experiences,” by Micaela Rodriguez and Scott Campbell
(Cognition and Emotion, 2025)
“Solitude can be good—If you see it as such: Reappraisal
helps lonely people experience solitude more positively,” by
Micaela Rodriguez, Samuel Pratt, Benjamin W. Bellet, and
Richard J. McNally (Journal of Personality, 2023)
A Creative Compass: Finding Your Way to a Creative Life, by
Emma Gannon (2026)
“A love letter to solitude,” by Emma Gannon (The Hyphen,
2025)
“‘Don’t you have friends to go with?’: the stigma and joy of
a table for one,” by Emma Gannon (The Guardian, 2026)
The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron (1992)
Related Episodes:
“Beat Your Isolation Loneliness”
“Fighting that "Meh" Feeling of Languishing”
“Emotions Are Data…So Listen to Them”
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