Somewhere along the way, isolation got rebranded. What used to be called “checking out” is now framed as boundaries. Disappearing is sold as healing. Canceling plans, going dark, staying home — all wrapped up in the language of self-care. And sometimes, yes, rest is necessary. But there’s a difference between rest and retreat. Between restoration and withdrawal. And too often, we confuse the two. Isolation masquerades as self-care because it feels like relief in the short term. No expectations. No emotional labor. No one needing anything from you. After a loud world, that quiet can feel like oxygen. The problem is what happens next. Extended isolation doesn’t regulate the nervous system — it amplifies it. Anxiety gets louder. Thought loops tighten. The stories we tell ourselves go unchecked. What started as “taking space” quietly turns into avoidance, then disconnection, then...