August 18, 2026-
We have talked in the past about how there is often an assumption that people who are not around people are unhappy and will have poor mental health often with anxiety, depression, social anxiety and other conditions negatively impacting their mental health. That may be true for some people, but it is not true for everyone. I am saying this as someone who has always advocated for people developing friendships with people and stating that as human beings we generally need to be around other people on a regular basis and develop strong relationships with them. With that said, there are many persons who are quite happy with good mental health spending most of their time with themselves. Even a few enjoy a life with themselves with few if any close personal relationships. It is not good mental health when a person wants relationships with other people and is generally alone because they believe people do not like them, they are always saying things that cause problems, people have hurt them emotionally, they are fearful of meeting new people, and they have generally poor self-esteem that makes it hard for them to interact with others and develop close human relationships. In these circumstances, a lack of personal relationships is negative and can be quite destructive to a person’s mental health. Positive mental health can be the result when a person does not have many social interactions for many reasons that would include enjoying seeking better insight into themselves, being creative, regulating their moods, self acceptance, enjoying self with no interruptions, implementing difficult tasks, not relying on others, defining who they are and not others, developing greater spirituality, and enjoying time to have their mind fly in any direction they desire. I remember reading a biography of Winston Churchill, the great British Prime Minister during World War II, saying that even during the periods of time he was out of power and depressed that he was never bored because he had Winston Churchill to talk to! When I read that some years ago, I found that interesting. The more I have thought about it and have known persons who enjoy their own company, I have been able to make some sense out of it and see that it is accurate for some persons. My point here is not to suggest that persons who love being with other persons in close relationships are unhappy. No,but it is also true many persons in many close relationships often worry about how they are seen in these relationships and often desire their approval as part of the process. It also is true there are persons who do not desire a lot of time with other persons but interact with persons and may have friends and family they have a close connection. The point is that they do not need close ongoing relationships and they control the interactions they have with others.