Want to help with autism research? The Social Experiences of Loneliness of Autistic Adults (SELA) Project at the AJ Drexel Autism Institute is forming a Community Council of autistic adults (ages 18–35) to help guide a 5-year study on loneliness and social connection. Info in flyer and alt-text.

Solitude isn’t about isolation. It’s about reconnection. When we spend time alone by choice, we’re not withdrawing from the world, we’re returning to ourselves.

We believe that finding restorative #solitude is much more than just making the time for yourself; it's also about having people that support you to have that time. This Family Recharge series aims at helping #parents reframe me-time. This is a collab with Common Films, led by UCL Dr Paul Craddock.

Gràcies! 🙏 🎉 Check out the discussion in Catalan about solitude from the team of researchers at University of Vic @uvic-ucc.cat Click on thread below 👇

New paper! 📄 🎉 We used a mixed-methods approach to understand the perception of "aloneness" among new mothers. The research highlight the importance of support system for mothers' rest and self-care. Read more 👉 www.durham.ac.uk/news-events/... Our project 👉 www.solitude-lab.com/family-recha...

New podcast episode 🎧 The Art of Solitude: radio.foxnews.com/2025/07/21/t... In this episode of Searching for Heroes, our lab’s PI Dr Thuy-vy Nguyen joins Benjamin Hall to talk about how solitude can be a meaningful part of everyday life. Give it a listen - and let us know what you think 🌿 😊

Thank you for your suggestion! We have recently looked into a few traits that are related to Sensory-Processing Sensitivity, including Introversion and Autistic traits. We found that individuals high on those traits tend to prefer solitude especially when experiencing social stress.

🧠 Meet the minds behind In-Mind: Social Media Team 🧠 ✨ Anika Cukingnan 💼 Social Media Team 🎓 BSc Psych Student @durham-university.bsky.social, Summer Internship @thesolitudelab.bsky.social 🔍 Research interests: social, clinical & health psychology #MeetTheTeam #Psychology #ScienceCommunication

Congratulations 🎉 to 3-year undergrad Anika Cukingnan ✨ who has been awarded the @durhampsych.bsky.social's Summer Internship. Anika will be helping our lab to process physiological data 📈 collected from a project looking at the effects of extended solitude on emotion and cognition 👏

Congratulations 🎉 to 3-year undergrad Anika Cukingnan ✨ who has been awarded the @durhampsych.bsky.social's Summer Internship. Anika will be helping our lab to process physiological data 📈 collected from a project looking at the effects of extended solitude on emotion and cognition 👏

For this post, we brought to you a reflection sparked by an exchange with a Solitude Lab reader💬. They reached out to share their experience with #neurodivergence 🧠 and how #solitude has been a nurturing space for them - to heal, think, and create 🌿. Read here: www.solitude-lab.com/post/solitud...

Sometimes solitude is just you, the sky, and a jellyfish-shaped kite. No noise, no rush, just wind, string, and stillness. #SolitudeLab #QuietMoments #TimeAlone

Congratulations to our lab member Xiangyu Deng for winning the Poster Award at the Psychology Early Career Conference (PECC). Xiangyu is in his 1st year PhD and his first study uses #EMA to look at the interplay between social media use and cognitions in different social and solitary contexts.

Happy Friday! This week our lab had our end-of-year get-together and discussed the studies everyone has helped with this academic year. It is only appropriate to mark this occasion with some violin plots 🎻 🎉

🏡 For most of history, privacy was rare—people worked, ate & shared beds together. Over time, design changes (private studies, separate rooms, locking trunks) influenced how and where we find subjective and objective solitude. 🔗 Read more in our latest blog post: buff.ly/MPUIGsa #Solitude #Privacy

What does solitude mean to 6th graders? @thuyvytnguyen.bsky.social spoke with a class of 11 year olds, who showed nuanced understanding of solitude and loneliness. Choice and what they do alone are central to their solitude experiences. ✨ Read our new blogpost: www.solitude-lab.com/post/explori...

We Are Back! 👋 Our lab has taken a three-month pause to focus on a few key activities behind the scenes—but we have so many updates to share with you! From new blog posts and research findings to upcoming events and collaborations, there’s a lot happening.

Retirement brings more time alone—but how do retirees spend it? We interviewed older adults & thematically analyzed their insights. While some embraced solitude for hobbies & self-care, others faced challenges adjusting. Read their experiences: www.solitude-lab.com/post/finding... #MeTime #WellBeing

Another preprint is out! 🚀 We explore how retirees experience and redefine (or plan for) their solitude in meaningful ways. Check it out here: doi.org/10.31234/osf... #Retirement #Solitude Here’s a quick breakdown of key findings! 🧵👇

Our lab's attempt of creating a GIF (pronounced "gif" or "jif" 🤔). This summarises recommendations delivered next week to the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government. We triangulated qualitative and quantitative on factors most valued by living-alone adults about their neighbourhood.

🏡 For most of history, privacy was rare—people worked, ate & shared beds together. Over time, design changes (private studies, separate rooms, locking trunks) influenced how and where we find subjective and objective solitude. 🔗 Read more in our latest blog post: buff.ly/MPUIGsa #Solitude #Privacy

23 older adults shared their experiences of solitude in retirement. For some, alone time is a source of joy and creativity. For others, it can feel isolating. Our latest blog explores these perspectives through in-depth interviews. Read more: https://buff.ly/4i4v90A

New preprint out! 🎉 We explore how first-time mothers experience "aloneness"—a mix of solitude, loneliness, & caregiving demands—during early motherhood. A 🧵 on our mixed-methods study & key findings. #Motherhood #Solitude #MentalHealth Link to paper: https://buff.ly/4hXKqAa 👇

Are we becoming more anti-social, or is solitude an adaptive response to modern stress? Research shows people often withdraw due to stress. Focusing only on getting people to socialise ignores the bigger issue: relentless life demands & overstimulation. Read more:

🌟 New blog post 🌟 How does social media shape adolescents' emotional and internal world in solitude? 🌐 Our blog explores whether scrolling provides connection, fosters self-exploration, or disrupts meaningful reflection. The key lies in how we use it. Read more here:

✨ The latest Solitude Lab newsletter is here! ✨ This week, we reflect on how solitude shapes adolescence and highlight emerging solo trends in 2025. We also invite parents and retirees to try a reflective exercise on well-being 🌿 Sign up to read more: https://buff.ly/4airpWQ

Happy New Year! 🎉 Our first blog of 2025 explores how solitude provides space for adolescents to reflect, grow, and find their identity. But it’s not always easy—too much isolation can bring challenges. Finding the balance with mentor support is key. 👉 https://buff.ly/4aeruuE

🌍✨ Our lab contributed to Well+Good to explore solo trends of 2025. Our 2024 paper ( shows solitude preference is higher during negative experiences. Could the rise in demands for alone time reflect collective social stress? https://buff.ly/3VLvKM6

🎄✨ Merry Christmas to all who celebrate! The holiday season is often filled bustling togetherness, but for those looking to spend it a little differently this year, this blog is for you. 👉 https://buff.ly/49S1XHl Wishing you peace, warmth, and happiness, however you celebrate!

🎄✨This thoughtful piece from The Washington Post https://buff.ly/4gwMr5U highlights how some are choosing to step back from the usual social activities - whether by spending Christmas solo or opting out of large family gatherings for quieter celebrations 🕊️

📢 Our Latest Newsletter is Here! ✨ As the year winds down, it’s the perfect time to pause and reflect. We explore how personal time shapes mothers' well-being, invite you to join reflective exercises on navigating life transitions. Read more: https://buff.ly/4fhnzxM

✨ New blog post ✨ We used Ecological Momentary Assessments with the @expiwell app to capture real-time insights into how personal time impacts mothers’ well-being and family life. Discover what a first-time mother's day really looks like. Read here 👉 https://buff.ly/4gsFXEZ 💬

✨ New Solitude Lab Newsletter! ✨👉 https://buff.ly/4g6gKAd 📺 Blog: The role of TV in solitude 💛 Fundraising for Age UK to support older adults 📖 Our book "Solitude" is a @CUPBookshop Book of the Year—now Buy One Get One 50% Off! 🌿 Full blog access, no login needed!

The shows you watch can subtly influence your actions, offering comfort during loneliness. Our blog explores how television portrays and shapes solitude, revealing deeper reasons—beyond just humor—why we connect with our favorite shows 📺 Read more 👉 https://buff.ly/493jRq4

✨ Check out the new Solitude Lab newsletter! ✨ Sign up for updates on our solitude research, including a study on stress regulation. Our website now offers open access to blogs and features. Enjoy our content? Share your thoughts! 🌿 Read more: https://buff.ly/3Z7Pbko

🌌 Why do we spend time alone? In our latest blog, we reflect on Ira Cohen’s Solitary Action and the richness of intentional solitude. What does alone time mean to you? Does it recharge you, spark creativity, or offer peace? Read more ⬇️ https://buff.ly/3YHqqdj #SolitaryAction

🚀 Exciting new insights from the @PsychScience Global Summit! Our research continues to shed light on the deactivation effect—whereby solitude facilitates emotional recovery, in this case from social stress. Click to hear from our intern Kazel Lim 🌟 https://buff.ly/4hy1n57

In this thought-provoking @aeonmag piece, @Samantharhill wrote about Hannah Arendt's warning of how loneliness creates fertile ground for totalitarianism, emphasizing the disconnection and isolation that enables ideological control and mass movements. https://buff.ly/3j6canm

✨ Our biweekly updates are here! ✨ This week we’re exploring the role of pets in solitude, bringing you our collab with @psyche_the_mag, sharing our latest research on the role of solitude in stress regulation at @PsychScience Global Summit!🌿 Read more: https://buff.ly/3NO6SPy

Our latest blogpost is live! ✨ This week we would like to highlight our quiet companion in solitude. 🐾 There’s a certain magic in the way pets provide companionship. They’re a source of comfort, offering presence without pressure 🐾 Read more: https://buff.ly/40jRMbO

Our PI, Dr. @thuyvytnguyen, had an interview with NYU Prof @sbkaufman to discuss her journey into solitude research and the latest insights from the Solitude Lab! Check out the interview and subscribe to Beautiful Minds for more: https://buff.ly/48gUDnI #Psychology #Solitude

We’re thrilled that 2,800 copies of Solitude: The Science and Power of Being Alone have been sold! 🎉 As we head into the holiday season, we’d love your support in helping us reach 3,000. ✨ 🌿 @CambUP_Psych Order: https://buff.ly/3Nzr7QU Ebook/Audio CD: https://buff.ly/3A98OPg

Our latest newsletter is live! 🎉 Dive into our new blog post on solitude in retirement, get event tickets, and check out our Washington Post feature. Subscribe now to stay updated and join the conversation! Click here to read our newsletter 👉🏼 https://buff.ly/48otIGZ

Research of Solitude Lab is featured in The Washington Post this month! 🎉 The article covers our work on solitude and emotional recovery, as well as a few tips for you to begin embracing solitude benefits. Log in with your email to read the article! https://buff.ly/3BFUYUW

Our latest blog post is live! ✨ This time, we dive into how older adults use solitude to reflect and find meaning in their retirement years. 💬 Read the full post here: https://buff.ly/4eYCdKA Don’t forget to sign up for our blog to stay updated and share your thoughts! ✍️📩

Today is #WorldMentalHealthDay. We invite you to consider the role of solitude to mental health. Points for Reflection: 🌱 When does solitude feel restful to you? 🌱 For you, is it a time for self-care or something to avoid? https://buff.ly/4gVlvNY

Earlier this year @thesolitudelab participated in the Psychology Early Career Conference at @durham_uni Teaching and Learning Center 🎉 . The half-day event brought together researchers from 5 universities across UK Northeast: Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland, Teesside.

It's Saturday—perfect for some quiet reading. We’ve welcomed more followers on our blog. Come join us for a relaxing read and share your thoughts! 🌿 What is solitude to you? https://buff.ly/4gVlvNY How does your relationship with solitude change as you get older?

Our newsletter is out today to our e-mailing subscribers! 🥳 Be sure to check out our website. Follow us here or on other sites to stay connected: LinkedIn: https://buff.ly/47TdmWq Facebook: https://buff.ly/4dxUnSk Instagram: https://buff.ly/4dvwURJ https://buff.ly/3Zwseb8

Our first blog post is live today! Starting in Summer 2023, we spoke with 22 first-time mothers and invited 47 into the lab. We explore how time alone shapes a mother's journey. Check it out to see the insights from their experiences. 💬 Read more here: https://buff.ly/4eIL9nt