The Lonely Hour

It's a strange time for all of us, but only healthcare workers know the particular stresses of caring for sick people right now—and what it feels like to put themselves at risk for contracting coronavirus every day they're at work. In this episode, nurse Mary-Elizabeth Suarez records from the ER at Stanford Hospital.

Kimberly Chou was already experiencing a period of uncertainty this winter. Now we all are—and the stakes are high. Those of us who are lucky enough to be at home are seeking comfort, and Kimberly is finding it in food and gift giving. Plus: Understanding how the pandemic has impacted the restaurant industry.

It's hard not to think about touch right now, when it's something so many of us are craving and can't have. In this episode, we explore physical contact, relationships and single life during the era of social distancing.

In our next isolation diary, host Julia Bainbridge's father records from the Maryland countryside, plus a relaxation meditation to help reduce anxiety right now.

The Walking Dead actress Pollyanna McIntosh chooses good vibes over stress while sheltering in place in Los Angeles. Let her be your guide to finding happiness in the small things right now.

We are social distancing—a term with which we're now all painfully familiar—in order to slow contagion of the coronavirus. In a break from format, host Julia Bainbridge talks more directly to listeners in this episode, and she consults various experts about dealing with anxiety as well as ways to find joy in this time of crisis.

We've been social distancing—a term with which we're now all painfully familiar—and so have you. But we've also been working: The Lonely Hour will have new episodes, starting this week, to help you through these strange, isolating times. Get ready to hear more from us soon. xo

Jenny Odell, author of How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy, talks about wandering, observing without judgment, and letting go of the idea that time is money. Part four of The Lonely Hour's mini-series, Inner Lives. Original illustration by Payton Cosell Turner.

Poet and philosopher David Whyte discusses his inner life and the importance of loneliness: "I've always felt that when you do feel loneliness, it's always a kind of inverse measure of what you actually belong to." Part three of The Lonely Hour's mini-series, Inner Lives. Original illustration by Payton Cosell Turner.

Priya Parker, author of The Art of Gathering, shares how discussing her childhood dreams with her mother equipped her with the tools to deeply understand what it is that she desired. Part two of The Lonely Hour's mini-series, Inner Lives. Original illustration by Payton Cosell Turner.

Manoush Zomorodi, host of the Note to Self podcast, makes the case for rethinking our digital habits and being more purposeful about putting boredom into our lives. Part one of The Lonely Hour's mini-series, Inner Lives. Original illustration by Payton Cosell Turner.

Having grown up in a born-again Christian community with strict rules governing how best to live, James finally woke up to the fact that he didn't know himself—and that his marriage was crumbling. He turned inward, retreating to a cabin in the Catskills, to figure it all out. This episode is sponsored by Audible and Away. Original illustration by Payton Cosell Turner.

Brandon Baltzley is the chef and co-owner of a restaurant called the Buffalo Jump. Determined to kick his substance abuse issues, he climbed a snow- and ice-covered hill in the dark to reach his home for the next month of his life: a yurt with no heat or running water. This episode is sponsored by HelloFresh and Care/of Vitamins. Original illustration by Payton Cosell Turner.

How losing both parents, navigating the transition of her only sibling, and extreme burnout led film producer Annabelle Dunne to seek solitude in Sri Lanka with just a cot and 17 books—and what it taught her about how she should lead her life now that she's back home. This episode is sponsored by Audible and Away. Original illustration by Payton Cosell Turner.

After a decade in New York working as a talent agent and a producer in fashion and a loss in her family, Kamey Butler sacrificed leaving her friends and familiar places to try to regain control the only way she knew how: She bought a one-way ticket to Cape Town. Original illustration by Payton Cosell Turner.

Comedian Lane Moore, host of Tinder Live author of the new essay collection How to Be Alone: If You Want To, and Even If You Don't, talks about “stranger luck” and how she plans on spending Valentine's Day with her dog, Lights.

Find four new episodes of The Lonely Hour on Stitcher Premium. Subscribe now at stitcher.com/lonelyhour.

Abandon Me author and former heroin addict and dominatrix Melissa Febos discusses what it's like to lose your identity to addiction and obsession—and host Julia Bainbridge signs off with a meditation on living in that loneliness.

Jennifer Romolini, author of the new memoir and career guide, Weird in a World That's Not, opens her book with this: “I am not supposed to be here. I spent the first 28 years of my life as a fuckup and a failure. I failed and I failed and I failed.” And then she became a professional success—and wrote a book about it. She speaks about her journey on today's episode.

Writer Jennifer Romolini visits the show next week. Here's an excerpt from her new book, Weird in a World That's Not.

At the age of 20, Christopher Knight left his car and the rest of the world behind: He didn't send a letter, spend any money, or use the internet for over two decades. He said one word to one person, accidentally, during that time. Michael Finkel, who wrote a book about Knight called The Stranger in the Woods, shares his story.

Brooke Russell stepped onto the scale and couldn't believe the number she saw. She tells the story of how, as she struggled with disordered eating, she kept herself away from others.

David Bazan—a touring musician, most notably with Pedro the Lion—always assumed God existed. His life, and music, was centered around his Christianity. Then he started to question all of it.

Comedian and writer Aimée Lutkin hasn't dated in a while, and wonders if she ever will again. 

Our awareness of an "ism" can lead to loneliness, and in George McCalman's case, that ism was racism. After living much of his life in New York City feeling part of the community, he suddenly felt like an outsider, because of an episode at a magazine where he worked in his twenties.

A personal chef to big-name celebrities, Kat Turner has been behind the scenes for years. Now, she wants to step forward, in front of a camera.

Season two picks up on April 19th. Here's a sneak peek of what's coming!

A holiday message from The Lonely Hour, plus, some writers try to define loneliness.

Reid Whitten, an international trade lawyer, willingly moved to his firm's Brussels office. Three years later, expat life has turned out to be lonelier than he anticipated.

Writer Samantha Siva discusses the breakup of her marriage, and the loneliness of having been the breaker.

Sex with Shakespeare author Jillian Keenan struggled with understanding her spanking fetish—and so did those around her.

Our host Julia Bainbridge attempts to answer why she's doing this podcast, and shares what's in store for season two.

For writer Charlotte Druckman, wearing a hood lets people know she'd like to be left alone.

Writer and activist Stephen Satterfield reads his Lonely Hour poem, called “Lonely Our.”

Writing professor Rachel Mennies considers the particular breed of loneliness found on Carnegie Mellon's campus.

Former New York Times 'Frugal Traveler' Matt Gross finds himself alone (in Istanbul) for the first time in years.

In the first of our five essay episodes, a pre-season two mini-series, Jamie Feldmar wonders if her lack of loneliness means something might be wrong with her.

Human closeness is fundamental to our mental well-being, but many people have hurdles to human closeness. Whether it's anxiety, depression, or addiction, mental illness can be isolating.

Both substance abuse and sobriety can be isolating.

We idolize the Mark Zuckerbergs of the world, but many of those entrepreneurs struggle through anxiety and loneliness on their way to the top — if they ever reach it.

The act of writing is a solitary one. We talk to three writers about their process, and about the loneliness of their profession.

Do people like — or are they even growing to prefer — dining alone?

Motherhood can be a lonely-making experience, whether it's because of postpartum depression, the pressure of guarding a human life, or the quest to get pregnant in the first place.

"Technology has distracted us from the age-old truths of what is most important — true friends whom we can be ourselves in front of, rather than our carefully scripted online persona.

In this episode, New York Times writer Alan Feuer expands on what he wrote about his 400-mile drive on Alaska's Dalton Highway, which he calls one of America's loneliest roads. I talk to Yahoo Travel editor at large Paula Froelich, a big fan of solo travel, as seen on her adventure travel web series A Broad Abroad, about “giving myself the gift of reflection” on the road. And I learn what single handing is from Randall Reeves, who plans to circumnavigate both the Americas and the Antarctic in a small sailboat starting in September 2017, passing through four separate oceans and nearing both poles in the process. Oh, and he's doing it alone.