Psychology of People Who Prefer Spending Major Holidays Alone

Some people hear the family Christmas is cancelled and have to try very hard to sound disappointed. If that's you, this video explains why. People who prefer to spend Christmas, New Year's Eve and other major holidays alone are rarely avoiding the people. More often, they're avoiding the performance. In this video, we look at the psychology behind holiday solitude: why the biggest days of the year can feel so draining, five reasons some people would rather spend them alone, three ways to protect what you need, and one question that tells healthy solitude apart from hiding. If this video made you feel understood, subscribe to Peak Psychology for more on the quiet parts of the mind that most people never talk about. Share it with someone who always gets asked if they'll really be okay on their own this Christmas. #Psychology #ChristmasAlone #Introvert #Solitude #HolidayStress #SelfAwareness REFERENCES - Nguyen, T. T., Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2018). Solitude as an approach to affective self-regulation. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. - Hochschild, A. R. (1983). The Managed Heart: Commercialization of Human Feeling. University of California Press. - Mehl, M. R., Vazire, S., Holleran, S. E., & Clark, C. S. (2010). Eavesdropping on happiness. Psychological Science. - Coplan, R. J., et al. (2019). Seeking more solitude: Conceptualization, assessment, and implications of aloneliness. Personality and Individual Differences. - Little, B. R. (2014). Me, Myself, and Us: The Science of Personality and the Art of Well-Being. PublicAffairs. - di Leonardo, M. (1987). The female world of cards and holidays: Women, families, and the work of kinship. Signs. - Gross, J. J., & John, O. P. (2003). Individual differences in two emotion regulation processes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. - Winnicott, D. W. (1958). The capacity to be alone. International Journal of Psycho-Analysis. - Tillich, P. (1963). The Eternal Now. Scribner. DISCLAIMER This video is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or psychological advice. If the holidays bring persistent low mood, isolation or distress, please reach out to a qualified mental health professional.