What is the longest period of time you have gone without interacting with anybody?

[Cath!]

I watched 48 Hours last night and one man who had been kidnapped went for 5 months without understanding or being understood by a soul. By the time his wife paid off the ransom, he was almost going nuts from loneliness. I can't imagine going a day, let alone 5 months without talking to anyone.

 

[KillerMuffin]

3 months. I went 3 months without speaking to another human being or having another human being speak to me. I was 14. I find it not only wonderfully peaceful, but healing.

 

[AusTess]

I have a morbid fear of being alone.
I've never lived alone,ever.
Never slept alone in my house,ever.
If Mark goes away,i have a friend sleep over,I'm truly pathetic.

And i have a telephone.
If i'm alone,i'm talking on that.

 

[morninggirl5]

Two weeks has been the longest for me. At that point, my friend was getting ready to have the police bust down my door. As KM said, it was truly peaceful and healing.

 

[Angel]

Twice I have holed myself up for a long time, refusing interaction of any kind with anyone.

The first time was when I was 17. I isolated myself completely for three months. No TV, no phone, no people, no computer.

The second time was October 2000. I went about a month.

 

[patient1]

Only 4or5 days. I'm used to living & working alone, but there's always somebody calling these days, couldn't go more than 2.

 

[sigh]

just this past october i got three nights alone in a cabin in the woods...my cousin took my son and for the first time since he was born we were separated for any period of time

i had a hot tub, music and my laptop, but no phone or tv

i'd like a month next time

 

[Elizabeth]

Two weeks is the longest I have gone. I relish my alone time. I have two boys and two stepkids that live with us full time. I NEED a break from them and my husband, sometimes. In that two weeks, I read, took walks, watched movies I hadn't had time for and slept. I never went nuts while away and I was more relaxed with the family when I returned.

 

[Fly_On_Wall]

after my accedent I went into a rut where i neeed to be alone
other people were around, but for 2 months I would curse, throw things and hit people with things. nasty nasty mood that hit me.

in grade 8 and 9 I was still again around people but I dind't want to interact with anyone. I'd go right home spend my time away from my family. just in a rut needing to be by myself.

 

[nasty]

1 whole day. Because, I never got out of bed.

 

[Shy Tall Guy]

With no human interaction whatsoever of any kind?

Probably a couple of weeks sometime when I was camping or hunting.

Without any face to face interaction, never seeing another human being, but talking to people? Again, probably a few weeks when I was in Alaska on a DOD project - I had to go and get supplies and stuff from time to time. As a father I have always tried to keep touch with my daughter so I don't think I would could go without some kind of interaction with her just to know that she was okay.

I can go a pretty long time without much face to face human interaction. I spent a number of months in Alaska without any face time interaction except for going into town to get supplies, and that was only as much interaction as was required to pay the bill and so on.

I don't get all that lonely anymore, and although I like human interaction and look forward to it, I don't think I would go crazy from loneliness, just bored if there wasn't something to do. Solitary confinement would have little impact on me as I am something of a recluse anyway. My fave times are Saturday and Sunday mornings when there is very little human noise outside and I can hear the birds chirping and the wind in the trees.

I've always tried to stay away from a lot of human made noise as long as I can remember. When camping or traveling on my bike, I contact my daughter periodically just to make sure she was okay and so she woun't worry about me.

 

[Sir Alex 4 U]

Just 9 days, but it was incredibly restful.

I spent all my time reading and catching up on "me" stuff. I really think it made a difference in my attitude!

I live alone, but travel so often for my job that I often find it strange to be in my own place. So when I got a week plus off, I took full advantage of it!

I highly recommend that everyone take a few days now and then! It is an excellent time to examine your priorities and rediscover what is important to you!

 

[Hawks_Titansfan]

Well I dunno about that...But I have went
6 months without leaving my house before.

 

[Xander]

I have gone 2 months without speaking to a soul a few years back. By my own choice.

Started to speak to other again, when the conversatins with myself got....uhm....weird.

 

[MorgaineLaFay]

Are we talking no human contact what so ever ? Who knows.... what I think is almost worse is having it ... but having no actual touchy-feely contact. There is a quote in the play “Dinner With Friends” where the guy says he played this game ... he tried to see how long it would take before his wife would touch him, and not in a sexual way, but just a touch, a gentle grace of the arm, human contact between two people that should happen normally, whatever, it never happened for him ... he said he ended up breaking down in tears before the week was out ... I know his pain.

 

[LadyDarkFire]

I went 8 months. The groceries were dropped off, the bills were paid by mail, and were the only bills I opened. I was 18, in a sever depression, and took over my family's summer home. It is part of what made me who I am today. I loved those months, no service for the television meant only movies, ordered off the internet. I didn't have chats, or email, or IMs. I still look back on those months and wonder if I truely am a hermit.

 

[Nighthunter]

About 2 weeks. after i was royally fucked over by a family i was living with, went into the state park near here and hung around in a rock overhang, and made certain to avoid any ppl. very soothing actually, may do it again befoe i leave here.

 

[plasticman33]

Two weeks is the longest I have gone. I relish my alone time. I have two boys and two stepkids that live with us full time. I NEED a break from them and my husband, sometimes. In that two weeks, I read, took walks, watched movies I hadn't had time for and slept. I never went nuts while away and I was more relaxed with the family when I returned.

A week for me, all I could spare unfortunately! The solitude helps relieve the stress and helps you forget the day to day mundane problems that take a toll on us. Camping in the wilderness, far from civilization, communing with nature, the most relaxing thing I know. Time for reflection and self analysis.

 

[Cheyenne]

No contact at all? I don't know, but it would be a very short period of time. I'd go stark raving mad without people.

I have taken vacations by myself where there have been few contacts with people other than those I run into at gas stations, restaurants, etc. Those can be fun, but not for more than a few days at a time.