The art of being alone

What’s the best way to adjust to life on your own when a romantic relationship comes to and end? Journalist Carine de Kooning started by collecting tips from experts and friends.

Why is being alone so hard for many people? According to Dutch lifespan psychology professor Nele Jacobs, the pain of being alone is a drive to action, which is usually an uncomfortable sensation. “Hunger and tiredness can be difficult to endure,” she explains, “but hunger drives us to eat and tiredness drives us to sleep. In the same way, the discomfort of being alone drives us to seek out social contact. Humans are social creatures that don’t really function unless interacting with others.”