McGill says pro-Palestinian protest outside senior administrator's home 'crosses the line'
McGill University has denounced a pro-Palestinian protest held Sunday outside the home of one of its senior administrators.
In a virtually constantly connected world, the notion of solitude seems elusive, even daunting, and being alone is often thought of in a negative context.
But solitude is not the same as loneliness, and when people choose to spend time by themselves, it can actually be beneficial, according to Robert Coplan, a professor of psychology at Carleton University in Ottawa.
The key is to understand the difference between the two, Coplan told CTVNews.ca in a phone interview.
Solitude, he emphasizes, is the deliberate choice to spend time alone, a concept often misunderstood and conflated with loneliness.
“It is possible to feel lonely when you are not alone,” he said. “Adolescents will tell us they feel lonely sitting at the dinner table with their family.
“And, of course, it's also possible to be by yourself and not feel lonely.”
Loneliness, on the contrary, is the discrepancy between how much time someone wants to be with others versus the time they actually spend alone. This manifests as a negative feeling which can be harmful to people’s health, he said.
People who frequently feel lonely report poor mental health and lower levels of satisfaction, according to a survey by Statistics Canada.
The survey, titled “Canadian Social Survey – Well-being, Activities and Perception of Time,” reported close to half (49 per cent) of those who said that they always or often felt lonely indicated their mental health was either fair or poor. In comparison, a smaller share (seven per cent) of those who said they rarely or never feel lonely, indicated fair or poor mental health.
This data was collected between August and September of 2021, to provide the first direct measure of loneliness felt by Canadians more than one year into the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Nobody's disputing that loneliness is bad, and unwanted time alone, unwanted solitude is bad,” said Coplan.
But when people choose to spend time alone, that’s when the benefits of solitude arise, he said.
Some of the benefits include reducing stress and feelings of anger and frustration, Coplan said.
Coplan said there’s no “one-size-fits-all” approach to spending time alone as each person is different. It’s a matter of discovering one’s own “Goldilocks spot,” the optimal balance between alone time and engaging with others, he explained.
Coplan said he and his colleagues’ research highlights how even spending as little as 15 minutes a day alone can evoke a calming effect on emotions, lasting even a week after the solitary activity.
While practicing solitude, it’s important to do engaging activities, he said. So, instead of browsing social media or scrolling through messages on your phone – which Coplan argues doesn’t count as solitude – he recommends meditating, going for a walk, reading a book, listening to music or practicing a craft or hobby.
Coplan said solitude should be personalized to meet each individual’s needs.
“We can be our authentic, true selves (during this time). We can do what we want to do. There's no constraints. There's a liberation to that kind of experience,” he added.
Coplan also said there are fewer opportunities for unstructured solitary play time for children in schools.
“Kids are losing their ability to play by themselves… And when they are alone, more often than not, they're on a screen,” he said.
Coplan adds forced alone time is often used as a disciplinary action.
“Parents give you timeout if you’re doing something wrong. So, that’s the negative side of solitude,” he said.
This, he argues, may inadvertently hinder the development of crucial solitary skills.
“Just like everybody needs to develop their social skills, and their capacity to be with others, we also need to develop solitary skills and our capacity for solitude,” he said.
Ultimately, Coplan’s three-decade-long research urges a reconsideration of solitude, positioning it not as a solitary confinement, but as a realm for self-discovery, creativity, and rejuvenation.
Coplan is presenting his research at a free hybrid event on Sep. 13 at noon.
McGill University has denounced a pro-Palestinian protest held Sunday outside the home of one of its senior administrators.
If you've been to a party lately and haven't seen someone drinking a BORG, you're likely not partying with college students.
Singapore Airlines will reward its employees with a bonus worth nearly eight months of salary, a person familiar with the matter told CNN on Friday.
Katy Perry said her goodbyes on 'American Idol' after seven seasons. On Sunday night’s live 'idol' season finale, a medley of Perry's hit songs were performed, including 'Teenage Dream,' 'Dark Horse' and 'California Gurls.'
U.S.-based restaurant chain Red Lobster has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a Florida court after securing $100 million in financing commitments from its existing lenders, the company said on Sunday.
A federal judge will reopen the sentencing hearing for the man who broke into Nancy Pelosi's San Francisco home and bludgeoned her husband with a hammer after the judge failed to allow him to speak during his court appearance last week.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal by a Canadian-born former Guantanamo detainee who was seeking to wipe away his war crimes convictions, including for killing a U.S. soldier in Afghanistan.
Microsoft wants laptop users to get so comfortable with its artificial intelligence chatbot that it will remember everything you're doing on your computer and help figure out what you want to do next.
A 35-year-old woman is in critical condition after the pick-up truck she was driving was struck by a Via Rail passenger train Monday morning in Quebec's Monteregie region.
A sanctuary dedicated to animals with disabilities is celebrating the third birthday of one of its most popular residents.
Catching 'em all with impressive speed, a 7-year-old boy from Windsor, Ont. who only started his competitive Pokémon journey seven months ago has already levelled up to compete at a world championship level.
2b Theatre recently moved into the old Video Difference building, seeking to transform it into an artistic hub, meeting space, and temporary housing unit for visiting performers in Halifax.
A B.C. woman says her service dog pulled her from a lake moments before she had a seizure, saving her life.
A Starbucks fan — whose name is Winter — is visiting Canada on a purposeful journey that began with a random idea at one of the coffee chain's stores in Texas.
Members of Piapot First Nation, students from the University of Winnipeg and various other professionals are learning new techniques that will hopefully be used for ground searches of potential unmarked grave sites in the future.
ALS patient Mathew Brown said he’s hopeful for future ALS patients after news this week of research at Western University of a potential cure for ALS.
When Adam Kirschner wrote 'Slap Shot,' he never imagined the song would be embraced by his favourite team.
A team is ready to help an entangled North Atlantic right whale in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.