For me, coming to the realization that less social contact causes less stress and anxiety was a game changer. I struggled on and off with mental health issues for a good chunk of my adult life. I found myself constantly in situations that were triggering or exhausting, and I couldn't understand how "normal" people managed to survive without falling apart. At some point I realized I could just give up trying to do "normal" things and actually that didn't make me a bad person.

I divorced and didn't bother looking for a new partner. I stopped going to weddings and birthdays and other social events that had always stressed me out. I didn't become a hermit - I still go out to events that interest me and happily engage with strangers, I'm not worried about interacting with colleagues or customers in a work environment. The difference is that now social interactions are on my own terms, there isn't any pressure to appear or to perform in situations that I'm not interested in or that I have no contractual obligation to fulfill. It's let a massive weight off my shoulders and given me a much more positive outlook on life. I don't take any mood medication any more, I don't see a psychologist, my emotional health is so much better.

I've often wondered if this means I am an introvert. I don't hate other people - on the contrary, I always try to be kind and respectful, and I try to see the humanity in people, even those who hold different views to me. I care a lot about society and the future of our species and our planet. I just don't feel a need to have social interactions in these tight-knit groups, having realized that they were the source of pretty much all my emotional struggles.

One thing I do think is important to note is that this is somewhat of a privileged position to be in - things would be much harder for me if I were in a position where I needed to depend on familial or tribal support for survival. The longer I live like this, and meet other people who feel the same way, the more I've become convinced that a universal basic income is important, since it liberates people from having to be involved in social structures that might be harming their mental health. On the other hand, would deemphasizing family in a broader scale cause more loneliness in society? The article suggests lonely people are at higher risk of dementia, so is this actually a bad direction for society to take? It's interesting.