let’s talk: the loneliness epidemic
“Loneliness epidemic”; aka heterosexual cisgender men’s resistance to come into greater compatibility with their partners through emotional evolution. Whether this refusal is out of fear of the unknown or out of outgrowing emotional compatibility with previous generations, the cost of resisting growth is a heavy one. Emotionally suppressed people are finding this out quickly and it is uncomfortable.
The coping mechanisms we have inherited or gained within our lifetime are here to stay as long as our body can survive and reproduce. Unless they prove harmful to life, limb, or the potential of progeny, our body perceives them as evolutionary survival tactics. It is up to us to discern that numbing emotions may have been a lifesaving coping mechanism in the past, but now it only serves to distance us from community and our inner guidance. Previous generations went through atrocious times of war, enslavement, and oppression; to mentally reconcile with this emotional numbing was necessary not only for survivors but also their perpetrators. Along with this inheritance, we learned the “safety” of numbing from our earliest experiences. A highly reactionary adult or emotionally absent caregiver may have dominated our world early on. This has become a deeply ingrained reaction for the majority of us.
As we grow and our world expands, this reaction no longer creates safety for us. It creates distance from others as well as our sense of self. Choosing to respond differently takes intention and practice.
Choosing to respond differently takes intention and practice.
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Choosing to respond differently takes intention and practice. 〰️
We may soon reach a point where people living in the extremes of survival mode find this “loneliness epidemic” unbearable because they cannot connect with others. This is not out of spite, but out of self-respect and love. People on a healing path learn to set boundaries and want to be surrounded by those also willing to take a step in the direction of self-reflection and healing. This is because these learned coping mechanisms separate us from our inner knowing and authenticity. It is our responsibility to find our way back. As much as it may be easier to stay in patterns long-established, it is more joyful to find an authentic expression.
If any of this feels triggering it may be time to closely inspect the ways in which you may be self-abandoning. We have to learn to be accountable for our role in this disconnect from self.
No matter how far you’ve strayed, you can always come back home. We can all choose a path of growth, one where you balance emotional autonomy and connectedness while detaching from the emotionally unconscious practices of the past. The joy and peace you find in this may even inspire those from previous generations to follow your lead into a more intuitive, introspective, and authentic existence.
Disclaimer
The information included in this post is not medical or spiritual advice. It is intended as a conversation starter on the above topic. Please leave me your thoughts below. If you find this content applicable to your healing path, please consult further with your medical practitioners and spiritual guides.
