Slashback: Forced Social Isolation Causes Neural Craving Similar To Hunger (scientificamerican.com) 105
This is the first story in a new occasional article series we're calling Slashback. We'll be covering a topic that may not be breaking news, but is interesting to us. Today's Slashback story features an article from Scientific American highlighting the profound effect of severe social isolation on the brain. From the report: The feeling of "wanting" something has repeatedly been shown to increase dopamine transmission in the brain reward circuit (see here and here). This circuit consists of the dopamingeric midbrain and the striatum. These areas are particularly active in response to images of food when hungry, to drug-related images for those who are addicted, and people with Internet Gaming Disorder who are deprived of gaming (see here, here, and here). What about social interactions? For social animals, it would make sense that social interactions would be a primary reward. However, so far such research has primarily been conducted on mice. In 2016, Gillian Matthews and colleagues published a paper showing that after 24 hours of social isolation, dopamine neurons in the midbrain were activated when mice sought social interaction. These dopamine neurons showed similar activation patterns to other cravings. It appears that the acute social isolation in these mice led to an aversive "loneliness-like" state that increased motivation for social engagement. Nevertheless, researchers have questioned whether these findings would apply to humans, especially since it's not possible to assess whether a mouse subjectively feels lonely.
Livia Tomova, a postdoctoral fellow in the Saxelab at MIT, was inspired by this earlier research on mice and pitched to Rebecca Saxe the idea of trying to replicate the findings in humans. [...] What did the researchers find? After only ten hours of social isolation-- and even despite people knowing exactly when their deprivation would end-- people reported substantially more social craving, loneliness, discomfort, dislike of isolation, and decreased happiness than they did at baseline. Similarly, the same findings were seen after ten hours of food fasting. Critically, the researchers found similar midbrain activity in response to food cues after fasting and social cues after isolation. The response was variable across participants, and those who reported more social craving after the social isolation period showed a larger brain response to the social stimuli. Interestingly, the variability across participants was also partially explained by the variability in pre-existing chronic levels of loneliness. Participants with higher levels of chronic loneliness at baseline reported less craving for social contact after 10 hours of isolation in response to the social stimuli, and showed a muted response in their midbrain in response to the social cues after social isolation (they also showed reduced midbrain responses to food cues after fasting). This finding is consistent with prior research showing that chronic loneliness is associated with reduced motivation to engage socially with others.
These results are exciting because they are consistent with the results from earlier research on mice and the "social homeostasis" hypothesis developed based on animal models. According to this hypothesis, since social connection is an innate need, animals evolved neural system to regulate "social homeostasis." The current findings suggest that there is a similar mechanism underlying social craving in humans, and that people who are forced to be isolated crave social interactions in a similar way as a hungry person craves food. As the researchers note, these findings are also encouraging for translating mouse models of mental health disorders that affect social motivation, such as autism spectrum disorder, social anxiety disorder, or depression. While the article makes little to no mention of the coronavirus, it does make one ponder how the mandated period of isolation associated with it will affect us, especially as local governments around the country begin to lift restrictions and reopen.
What happens when a person starved of food is suddenly presented with the ability to eat? They gorge themselves. What about when a person who has been socially isolated for weeks suddenly gets to socialize? Perhaps they'll jump on the chance to surround themselves with others. We're already starting to see more people booking local holidays...
Livia Tomova, a postdoctoral fellow in the Saxelab at MIT, was inspired by this earlier research on mice and pitched to Rebecca Saxe the idea of trying to replicate the findings in humans. [...] What did the researchers find? After only ten hours of social isolation-- and even despite people knowing exactly when their deprivation would end-- people reported substantially more social craving, loneliness, discomfort, dislike of isolation, and decreased happiness than they did at baseline. Similarly, the same findings were seen after ten hours of food fasting. Critically, the researchers found similar midbrain activity in response to food cues after fasting and social cues after isolation. The response was variable across participants, and those who reported more social craving after the social isolation period showed a larger brain response to the social stimuli. Interestingly, the variability across participants was also partially explained by the variability in pre-existing chronic levels of loneliness. Participants with higher levels of chronic loneliness at baseline reported less craving for social contact after 10 hours of isolation in response to the social stimuli, and showed a muted response in their midbrain in response to the social cues after social isolation (they also showed reduced midbrain responses to food cues after fasting). This finding is consistent with prior research showing that chronic loneliness is associated with reduced motivation to engage socially with others.
These results are exciting because they are consistent with the results from earlier research on mice and the "social homeostasis" hypothesis developed based on animal models. According to this hypothesis, since social connection is an innate need, animals evolved neural system to regulate "social homeostasis." The current findings suggest that there is a similar mechanism underlying social craving in humans, and that people who are forced to be isolated crave social interactions in a similar way as a hungry person craves food. As the researchers note, these findings are also encouraging for translating mouse models of mental health disorders that affect social motivation, such as autism spectrum disorder, social anxiety disorder, or depression. While the article makes little to no mention of the coronavirus, it does make one ponder how the mandated period of isolation associated with it will affect us, especially as local governments around the country begin to lift restrictions and reopen.
What happens when a person starved of food is suddenly presented with the ability to eat? They gorge themselves. What about when a person who has been socially isolated for weeks suddenly gets to socialize? Perhaps they'll jump on the chance to surround themselves with others. We're already starting to see more people booking local holidays...
Introverts? (Score:5, Insightful)
For an extrovert , this makes sense, but for introverts?
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Re:Introverts? (Score:5, Insightful)
Introverts like their friends and family too and miss them when they can't see them, they just have smaller group of people they're comfortable around and take a very long time to open up to someone.
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Only true for non hermits...
Re:Introverts? (Score:5, Insightful)
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So you played Quest for Glory 1: So you want to be a hero (Originally Called Hero's Quest) by Sierra Online
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"Hee hee, hey! Good to see you! Got any Snickers? No? Ok, but hey! Hoo boy you're sure clean! Hee Hee! How about a Mars Bar? No? Ok, your loss. Hee hee! You guys got flying cars by now? No? Oh man, too bad, I wanted to see one of those. You single? Just kidding! Hey, where are you going? Stay for tea! Hee hee! Man, I could sure go for some Twix. You got any? Oh, ok, you're going. Hey! If you come back, bring some underwear ok? Hee hee! And a Butterfingers! Man, he sure was nice wasn't he..
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Talk for yourself. I'm very happy that the people I have to interact with are not around me but just voices in my headset that I can take off and remove them from my life whenever I had enough of them.
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What he said. +1
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you're antisocial, not introverted
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Antisocial = Introvert + assholes who try to "cure" you.
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That's not an introvert, that's an antisocial. I was speaking for introverts.
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Just knowing that you can see your friends and family when you want to makes big difference too. It's a safety net, if you feel lonely or unhappy you know there are people you can see who will help you. Meeting them is something to look forward to, and not having things you look forward to is a common symptom of depression.
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Introverts like their friends and family too and miss them when they can't see them, they just have smaller group of people they're comfortable around and take a very long time to open up to someone.
Exactly this. There's a general misconception that introverts are anti-social loners. We're not. We just prefer to socialise in smaller, more manageable, doses. But having no social contact at all is not good.
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Exactly this. There's a general misconception that introverts are anti-social loners.
Asocial, not anti-social. Rioters are anti-social.
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No such thing. (Score:4, Interesting)
My hypothesis is, that there is no such thing as an "introvert"..
And that it is a mentally damaged individual in any case.
The thing is: Kids do not think a state is wrong, if they never knew it any differently.
This is a major mental protector for abused kids, but sadly often makes them treat it as normal when adult too. (E.g. former child rape victims are more likely to rape children themselves, as counter-intuitive as it sounds.)
Disclaimer: I say that as a former introvert, who suffered from it, and cured it. The first step was realizing all the things in my life that were bad, since they did not feel bad, but just "normal" at the time. This was possible when I found out, how much better it could feel!
E.g. you probably associate social interactions with a very uncomfortable feeling. Maybe memories of being bullied, hazed, or just feeling inferior or not accepted. Maybe it stresses you and feels unnecessary.
But if suddenly, there would be a social circle where you'd feel amazing an loved... you'd definitely like that! And if you were in a rock-bottom situation, where you just would stop giving a fuck, since everyone "hates" you anyway, so it would stop being stressful, since you could just be yourself, in full "ugliness" and all negative reactions would just be the be expected normal state ... ... ... It certainly gave me goosebumps in a positive way, when I first encountered that situation!
And if strangely, the former social circle would happen *while* you were in the latter rock-bottom situation
In case this does in no way at all apply to you, I'd be really curious to hear your situation, and update my very early hypothesis.
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I was never bullied or hazed or etc, I just decided I don't like human interaction much. I do talk to assholes online some, but during this covid BS i've gone weeks without leaving my bedroom and love it. I have no real problem dealing with folks and do it readily when I'm getting paid to do it, but if I'm not getting paid - screw that. People in general are just assholes, I don't even like folks yet I'm perfectly nice to anyone until they aren't to me, then fuck em. But most folks just seem to be prick
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But-but-but... haven't you heard? It's a disease! Let the good doctors cure you and you will feel better by being just like society dictates! /sarcasm
Re:No such thing. (Score:4, Informative)
Now if I was an armchair psychologist like the GP, I'd tell you that this behaviour is based on introspection and then application of somewhat deductive reasoning on those premises. The point being that with a premise like this, you can analyze yourself at best (still not recommended unless you've been trained to do so), but you almost certainly should not apply that to other people. But I'm trying to not be an armchair psychologists and will readily admit that I don't know if it is true in this case without further knowledge of the circumstances.
For the last 6 months I've been taking psychology classes online, despite having graduated in engineering over 10 years ago (yes I am that kind of nerd).
From there I understand that there's plenty of stuff that I don't know.
But some of the first things that was taught was methodology and ethics.
And from that I understand that before your behaviour can be considered dysfunctional and therefore an disorder, some very specific criteria must be fulfilled. Some general criteria is that you must suffer from the situation (which is somewhat subjective), there must be a deterioration in your lifestyle, declining health, grades getting worse in school or at university, not being able to keep a job, which then causes you to run out of money, which causes further problems, and so forth. And all this will have to be examined by a trained and licensed professional.
If those criteria are not true, you are not dysfunctional. It would not be considered to be a disorder.
Some other things to remember here: Psychologist working in research ought not to make statements about links between this and that without having data to back it up. And they ought to be aware that statistics do not apply to the individual. Psychologists working in therapy have an ethic code that is similar to medical doctors. It's their job to help people. When they analyze the state of a client, it will usually take them a while during which they may try different approaches. All of which involve talking to the client and observing the behaviour. Only after that they make a diagnosis.
The spiteful and manipulative psychologist that seizes up people's personality in a split second is mostly an invention by Hollywood. The stereotype is however reinforced by all the armchair psychology idiots on the internet. But in reality psychologists like that would lose their license very fast.
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While the field of psychology does seem a fuzzy with a big problem of replication errors, there is a lot of empirical data of therapy improving the quality of life in people. Or when it comes to the research branch of psychology in marketing, writing, and product design (the latter two of which is why I am interested in the field) it helps to make your product more appealing to at least some certain demographics.
So to me, someone who comes from the field of engineering and
Re:No such thing. (Score:4, Informative)
That's utter BS.
Compartmentalizing various behaviors as diseases is as shitty as they go. Declaring something as a disease is the first step towards cleansing. Very, very dangerous.
Kids do not think a state is wrong, period. Have you considered how many kids would naturally become introvert if they weren't forced to gather in crowds? Think of the hundred millenniums from the past, where communities were less than 1000-strong, and social interaction was way smaller than now. Was that all wrong?
While sometimes introversion is a mental protector for abused kids, it only means some of the introverts have an unfortunate cause, but it also doesn't mean they would not have been introverts otherwise. You might have a case if ALL introverts were abused, but that's simply not the case.
I am an introvert, not because I dislike human interaction. I like human interaction, just had an entire weekend where people were invited to our house and we had barbecue, long discussions and it felt great. However, I don't like doing so very often. Once or twice a month is best. So I do associate social interactions with good feelings, but I also associate being left to my own devices with good feelings, because I can then spend long periods of time uninterrupted, e.g. working on my many projects. And guess what, I am appreciated by my circle of friends and acquaintances, and I appreciate them too.
Stop generalizing your own case as if it applies to everyone. It does not.
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For something to be classified as a mental health problem it has to be harmful. If being introverted does you no harm it's not a problem. If it makes you unhappy or depressed then it is.
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Homosexuality was officially classified as a mental health problem in the past, and it still is nowadays in many places, unfortunately. Is it harmful? Not at all. So there.
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That was a mistake.
Re:No such thing. (Score:4, Informative)
I think there's probably something in what you say. I'm introverted, in that I can enjoy time on my own, and have what I consider a rich inner life to keep me entertained during such periods. This attitude didn't just fall out of the sky, however. I grew up an only child in the middle of the countryside, and spent most of my time entertaining myself - so grew to be good at it.
That said, I don't think introversion is something that "needs fixing". I enjoy some social events - and I like to think I can be good company, but I often feel the need for solitude - quite long stretches of it. I produce my best creative and intellectual output in these times, and consider them my "peak existence".
Re:No such thing. (Score:5, Insightful)
You "cured" being introverted?
Is that like "curing" being gay?
Re:No such thing. (Score:4, Interesting)
Probably a Shy Extrovert, much like how some people who are Gay won't admit it to themselves and try for Hetero-relationships. When they finally come out, a lot of people were shocked because they had a lot of Boy/Girl friends that fit the Hetero-normative expectation.
The Shy Extrovert probably was told by others, and convinced by themselves. That they shouldn't talk up to people, as they will judge you negatively. So they will play the part, and pretend they just don't want to deal with people. Where if their shyness can be conquered they would act like an Extrovert and probably feel much better with their life.
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Well mothers have a choice to ensure that their kids don't have a choice.
Re: No such thing. (Score:1)
Growing up I was quite an introvert. But as a young man in my early 20s I was thrust by circumstances into living in a rather social community. A community where I was not only accepted, but "popular". It was an eye opening experience indeed!
That and many subsequent experiences made me realize that that my own feelings toward socializing depend much less on "me", and much more on who I spend my time around.
For the self-described introverts: at least consider the possibility that if you don't enjoy socializi
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I say that as a former introvert, who suffered from it, and cured it.
Then you were never an introvert. You were a damaged extrovert who started healing.
You seem to have the same deranged thinking as all the other people who believe, "They're not like me, so they must be fixed." I think extroverts are crazy to want to be around so many people so much. I can only imagine the psychological torture that keeps them from being energized by their inner thoughts and their inner being, and feeling the need to get their self-worth from other people. I feel so sorry for them, right up
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Re: No such thing. (Score:2)
Thanks, I was going to write exactly that. Mods, please mod patent up.
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Like a lot of things in your life introversion and extroversion isn't a boolean state. Is is a complex set of traits with different scales and factors.
The Extrovert will indeed tire out from being in a party, and will want some alone time. The Introvert wants to go out to a party sometimes.
If you were naturally an extroverted person and were punished for talking too much, you may act like an introvert.
Or if you were naturally an introvert and were told to speak up an be the center of attention then you w
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How about a cite for that bland assertion? More than one would be better.
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My hypothesis is, that there is no such thing as an "introvert"..
And that it is a mentally damaged individual in any case.
You seem to equate being introverted with being shy, asocial, uncomfortable in public. It isn't that at all, and it's a mistake often made.
Being an introvert is about the way the brain processes information. Introverts process everything much more deeply and unfiltered, and this causes their brains to overload in situations that generate a lot of input. They will listen intently to your conversation, taking in every word, but at the end will feel "assaulted" because they can't filter out any of it.
Extrovert
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Even introverts get lonely and want contact with other people.
The difference is that Extrovert get charged when in contact with a lot of people. While this will tire out an introvert. While with an introvert they do much better 1 on 1 or with a small trusted group.
However even for very introverted people (who are still mentally healthy) they do want to socialize with other people from time to time. Even it is is just a quick hello with a smile and some chit-chat about the weather that lasts less than 30
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Introverts can suffer boredom (Score:2)
There are "social" things, which maybe we don't really think of as social, but technically are, that introverts are happy to do. Check out how far they went in isolating the subjects:
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s/ticking/tickling/
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They are just as attached to friends and loved ones as anybody else.
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Comment removed (Score:3)
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My daughter uses her phone and her computer to stay in just about constant contact with her circle of friends - it's just that her circle isn't defined by physical proximity. They do, however, plan special in-person meetups once or twice a year - usually around some event (such as Seattle's ComiCon). People drive in, fly, make hotel reservations... they hang out for a few days, do fun stuff and seem to have a blast.
Of course ComiCon got cancelled this year (well, technically, I guess it was "postponed").
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Also, she doesn't have any friends. Many youngsters are effectively in cults, echo chambers of ideological re-inforcement. Think I'm kidding. Take a good look at the raw Marxism of the Frankfurst School and so-called "Critical Studies" of postmodern feminism. Their worship of the identity as whatever gender their little local groupleader fancies themselves to be is the early separation from the family that all cults require.
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As you pulled that one right out of your ass, the rest of what you say isn't worth paying attention to.
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Did you ever stop to listen to a group of teenager friends talking to each other?
Each person is talking their own topic (often barely tangential to the other persons topic) often with a sort of chest thumping to show how great they are at that one thing they are good at. The "friend" will let them get their sentence and not challenge that notion. Then the friend will bring up a different factor that they are great at.
This phase in their life they are just starting to develop a Super Ego. While trying to fig
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Yeah, that's gonna fly with parents.
Want to bet that they'd rather have their kids in fucked up echo chamber cults than the threat of them learning about Le Sex?
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In this study ("no social interaction and no other social stimulation (e.g. social media, email, fiction)"), there's no way people would be allowed to bury their faces in their phones. Take away these young'uns' phones and you don't think they'll feel a craving within 10 hours?
not that bad for most (Score:2)
89% of people in USA, 88% in UK and 92% of Australians live in household with more than one person. So how lonely did that one in ten feel, was the telephone and internet chat/email enough?
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Do I like being alone all the time? No.
Can I handle it, even for extended periods? Yes. It doesn't bother me even a little.
I think I'll sit back, drink a beer, and watch another movie. Or read a book.
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This.
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When I was single and living alone. I can relate to that post. I didn't like being alone, however it wasn't a bad experience, when I met to be wife, it actually took me some time getting use to not being alone.
They are Trade-offs from being along to Sharing a Life with someone. These so while I didn't like being lonely, I also did like being able to do what I wanted and when I wanted.
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But TFA:
Watching that movie or reading that book may very well bounce you out of the group they're studying. Of course you can handle it, because you're not really isolating (by their criteria).
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Old joke: Why were the Soviets our friends and now they're our brothers?
Well, you can choose your friends but not your family.
How many of those 90% choose to live with the people they have to live with? That sounds more like enforced proximity, which explains why the domestic violence cases skyrocketed during the lockdown.
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The point was that having your own home takes money, and a lot of young people don't have that kind of money at their disposal, and in a gig economy without a job that you can rely on still having tomorrow there's also barely the chance to get a mortgage, let alone even believing that you'll be able to pay it back.
The question is, how many of them are actually living with people they want to live with instead of having to live with them, and how many wish they were alone rather than having to share living q
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Well I assume my wife still wants to live with me, if not she can leave with the mailman and she'll be replaced.
As for my kids, I assume they like having their education paid for by me since it costs more than they'd make until they get degree. Also the food, clothing, air conditioned home, smart phones and computers and network infrastructure are nice too.
But, they are free to leave if they don't like it, but no complaints thus far.
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Hope you never complain about your boss abusing his power over you, I mean, you could always quit and live under the bridge.
News for nerds (Score:5, Interesting)
Is anyone else depressed by the fact that the current crop of editors felt the need to create a new series of articles that are actually "news for nerds" rather than politics?
I miss the days of CowboyNeal....
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And as the link he posted proves, it is *not* a new series.
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Not sure if you are welcoming or complaining about this article... In any case it's an important one, geeks are just as vulnerable to mental health problems as anyone else and this isolation is going to take a toll.
It's tempting to think that many of us are quite introverted anyway but knowing you can go out and see people whenever you like changes the psychology of being alone. It's a choice, not something forced on you.
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Is anyone else depressed by the fact that the current crop of editors felt the need to create a new series of articles that are actually "news for nerds" rather than politics?
I'm not. Sure, I've been perturbed by the gradual change in tone and focus here on Slashdot - but I'm glad the eds have done something to address it. When I look at the quality of discussion so far for this story, I find it quite refreshing - we could use more of this.
You're messing this RIGHT up posting here. (Score:3)
Besides the economy dying and people across the world dying, covid19 has been nothing short of a blessing for most of the introvert types who post here.
I work a desktop job, so I'm hella lucky to be able to WFH (For the time being) and I assure you, I'm getting more work done, less disturbances, I'm saving money and my wife can't 'nag me out of the house' to go on unnecessary holidays (and I love my wife but holy shit Americans are obsessed with doing stuff EVERY weekend)
I'm saving between $40 to $100 per WEEK in transit costs, food, gasoline at least and I'm extremely frugal as it is.
I'm loving it, I could do this indefinitely, I have 0 interest in going outside personally.
Sad and codependent normies (Score:2)
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One could argue that hanging out on Slashdot counts as human contact... just not in the traditional sense.
Don't make my diagnosis part of your dumb joke!! (Score:3)
People on the spectrum need human contact like everyone else, their comfort zone is just different and their ability to process sensory information varies. Every adult I know on the spectrum, including some really difficult ones, are married with kids and healthy relationships. Even the non-verbal kids with severe ASD that need to be institutionalized have great frien
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I was born alone, I will die alone - and I'm perfectly fine with that. Most aren't, but I am. I seem to be an outlier but that's fine with me too, were I wealthy enough to move away from civilization while still using the parts of it I want to on any given day - I would.
We have a voice now to tell you to F yourself (Score:1)
In my generation we still laughed at cripples and retards like you.
That's real classy, buddy. Take pride in being an asshole #MAGA.
Today, people less abled and those that love us have a voice to tell you to fuck yourself. So seriously, go away. You're not wanted. Any message you intended to deliver is instantly destroyed by your first sentence.
Do you call your black "friends" the N-word as well?
Your generation needs to learn that every other generation doesn't want you calling us that.
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Forced social isolation (Score:2)
Oh boy you slashdotters must be starving.
Simple, well-tested solution: (Score:1)
Increase it gradually! (To a normal level.)
This works well for both dieting and social contact.
Hell, it works well for sound waves and image contrasts in dynamics-limiting environments like compression or low-resolution output!
But what am I talking ... Like we /.ers have any experience with real-world social interaction... ;)
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As usual, introverts are unexpected & inexplic (Score:1)
Once again, a scientific study has completely ignored the existence of introverts who do not require social interaction the way that extroverts do. I believe this is because introverts seem like The Other to extroverts. They thrive on social interaction and will create it even when it is meaningless. That humans just like them could be content alone? It seems monstrous. Those people can't be fully human.
You'd figure scientists, who I thought carried more introverts than usual, would know this. But I
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Once again, a scientific study has completely ignored the existence of introverts who do not require social interaction the way that extroverts do.
You talk as though introversion and extroversion are set at birth, fixed and immutable. I can tell you that they're not, at least not for everyone. Some of us have moved from introversion toward extroversion, and I suspect many of us move back and forth between the two extremes based on life circumstances, biology, mood, and external factors such as Covid. Few things are as black-and-white as you seem to think introversion and extroversion are.
Oh the Girls (Score:1)
It's reward-anticipatory pleasure (Score:1)
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Now look at that (Score:1)
Aww, poor babies. Guess it DOES hurt to be alone, huh? Now who would have guessed. Certainly not the ones that you called crybabies when they were feeling alone and rejected that you told to just grow a pair back when you could go out and have fun with your friends.
We grew a pair. Now it's your time. If you want sympathy, here's not where you'll find it.
ahha (Score:2)
> We'll be covering a topic that may not be breaking news, but is interesting to us.
So... just like regular slashdot?
Isolation = demonstrations (Score:2)
Fits something I noticed about protests (Score:2)
Not everyone is some pathetic extrovert... (Score:2)
...desperate for constant human contact/validation.
I don't dispute that SOME PEOPLE crave contact like some sort of heroin, but to universalize this (as presented) like it's some default facet of humanity is just wrong.