Why do some people become a recluse?

Question

Is it a mental health issue or is it because they just can't stand life in general e.g. untrustworthy friends or family, the state of the world or do they just enjoy being alone?
Lucille Ball became a recluse, can you think of anyone else?

Great answers.......may change my pic now ..... I thought it was cute, anyway....

The world is a sad place....have gone back to my avatar.... geesh

Answer 1

I think there are many many people who ultimately become recluses. There are countless reasons why they become one. For instance, wanting to meditate, getting burned by life in general, some don't want to cast their own personal burdens on other people. Some people are more loners than others. I would suggest you look at these sites for more information:
Recluse
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A recluse is someone in isolation who hides away from the attention of the public, a person who lives in seclusion from intercourse with the world. The word is from the Latin recludere, which means "shut up" or "sequester". A person may become a recluse for many reasons: a celebrity may seek to escape the attentions of his or her fans; a misanthrope may be unable to tolerate human society; a survivalist may be practicing self-sufficiency. Also, it can be due to psychological problems - such as apathy, a phobia, or other anxiety disorders. A person may also become a recluse for religious reasons, in which case he or she is usually referred to as a hermit or an anchorite.

The following are some famous individuals who lived reclusive lives that were considered quite unusual considering their fame and/or popularity:

Syd Barrett, Pink Floyd guitarist (1946-2006)
Harry Nilsson, musician, known at one point to be very reclusive
Howard Hughes, movie producer and aircraft entrepreneur, who suffered from obsessive compulsive disorder
Ian Curtis, lead singer of Joy Division
Greta Garbo, actress
The Kills (band), scarcely grants interviews, and is also anti-social
Thomas Pynchon, author
Thomas Ligotti, author
Trent Reznor, Nine Inch Nails frontman who recovered from social anxiety
Agnetha Fältskog, singer and former member of musical group ABBA
J.D. Salinger, author
Emily Dickinson, poet
Phil Spector, record producer
Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber
The Collyer brothers
Bill Watterson, creator of Calvin and Hobbes
Marlon Brando, famous method actor, described as very reclusive especially after his son murdered his daughter's boyfriend, and his daughter five years later committed suicide
Morrissey, former lead singer of The Smiths
Georges Lentz, composer
Terrence Malick, director
Bob Dylan, musician who went into a 20 month seclusion after a horrible motorcycle accident
Doris Duke, philanthropist
Jandek, musician
James Padgett, economist and philanthropist
Beverlee McKinsey, soap opera actress (Another World)
Eileen Derbyshire, soap opera actress (Coronation Street)
Kraftwerk
The Residents
Harper Lee, author of To Kill a Mockingbird
Thomas Harris, author
Cormac McCarthy, author
Jack Chick, Christian fundamentalist comic book publisher
Axl Rose, singer of the band Guns N' Roses avoided the public in varying forms from 1994 to May of 2006
Jeff Mangum, singer of the band Neutral Milk Hotel
Sly Stone
Reclusiveness does not necessarily connote geographical isolation. A recluse may live in a crowded city, but infrequently leave the security of his or her home. However, isolated and sparsely populated states (e.g., Montana, Wyoming, and Alaska) and countries (e.g., New Zealand or Australia) often harbor recluses, who are often seeking complete escape from civilization.

In Japan, an estimated 1.2 million people suffer from psychological problems which cause reclusive behavior. The phenomenon of "Hikikomori" or "social withdrawal" has become a major problem, often blamed on Japan's education system and social pressure to succeed.

Answer 2

Reclusive People

Answer 3

Ahh the joys of being a recluse: People become reclusive because they are typically dealing with some form of inner child issue (s). Somewhere in their early years they witnessed pain or dysfunction and subconsciously they internalized these challenging and possibly painfull memories.
Progressing through life and "the system" of education they were given little choice but to focus on the task at hand; education and physical transformation. Upon entering adulthood they are released from the system and set free to pursue work, relationships and another physical transformation inevitable through the process of aging.
Free to formulate their own decisions and yet captured by the results of their decision making these adults begin questioning their value to their work, to their new social network and most importantly to themselves. It is at this point in one's life that they compare themselves intensely to the perceived success of others. Feeling that they somehow don't match up and maybe they don't they begin the slow process of personal withdraw.
At this point being a recluse becomes comforting. Being alone eliminates comparing themselves either consciously or subconsciously to others. As in the case of stimulus response they have removed, at least temporarily, the stimulus of thought plus a social setting and have allowed themselves the relief that being a recluse provides.
Unfortunately, this behavior is more than likely a bi-product of some inner hurt or the lack of having learned and internalized the necessary coping skills to accept that no matter who they are or what they become or have become their life has equal value as every life regardless of personal achievements or lack there of.
Hence, I believe that time alone is indeed a gift and an earned right there is indeed a line that when crossed turns a casual recluse into a full blown recluse where the avoidance of emotional pain or just painfull subconscious beliefs transform healthy reclusive behavior into an unfortunate but very real state of mental illness.

Answer 4

I've become pretty reclusive. At first I enjoyed it somewhat, but now I'm pretty lonley. Yes I felt a lot of rejection "out there" starting from when I was really young and dependant on family. Over the years, I've made bad relationship choices but would have gotten hurt either way really. Breaking up hurts at any time.
Anyhow.. there are lots of reasons and not every solitary person wants to stay that way forever. I think I'll go read a bit about Lucy now.

Answer 5

Personally I'm in a good mood until I leave the house & someone pisses me off. It's a luxury to be a recluse, you just have to be set like those on the list above

Answer 6

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He suffered from mental illness,he had an irrational fear of germs and i suppose he thought if he became a recluse he would be safe from all those pesky bugs out there, he was married twice,once in 1925 to a woman named ella botts rice,he divorced her in 1929 and in 1957 he married the actress jean peters,they parted a few years later but did not divorce until 1970,for years hughes just ate chicken, milk and chocolate,no one was allowed to look at him in business meetings,some of these he attended naked.he died in 1976,there is a lot about him on line,he was a pioneer in aviation.

Answer 7

I know for me personally, I have always been a loner. But as I've gotten older and have witnessed how people treat one another and have dealt with personal pain from people over and over again, it has become easier to stay to myself. Don't get me wrong and I am a very nice person and if I see someone down and they need help, I'm there. But I have a difficult time trusting now and letting folks in.

Answer 8

Emily Dickenson was a recluse, and one of my favorite poets. I think it is a mental issue. I can be reclusive sometimes because I just dont really know how to talk to people in person. I have a low tolerance for ignorance, and people get on my nerves. I think if I had more patience, or was better at communicating, I might find I like being around people more.

Sure, its great to have alone time. Time to relax and enjoy things on your own. But I think too much of that is a bad thing.

Answer 9

Some people are reclusive because of social anxiety syndrome.
Some are reclusive because they have been physical, sexual or emotional abused and don't want to put themselves in that situation.Some people isolated themselves from people because the circumstances in their lives are so overwhelming that they don't want anyone to know.

Answer 10

A person can get tired of small talk, talk that doesn`t stimulate the mind,useless chatter.A person may realize that most conversations are boring to them.Many intelligent people are reclusive.Scientists that can be found working in their lab, people that camp by themselves,hiding under the thought of being an Outdoorsman.People that Love Animals to the point that they replace people. Afraid of being judged,not patient with other people, Low tolerance for ignorance.