Written by Kerem Muldur
I am sure that you have experienced the feeling of not belonging. While this feeling happens, you notice that you have no relationship with your environment. Imagine sitting and chatting with your family when you suddenly think “Are they my family? Or on occasion with your friends, you might say “Why am I even here? God damn me! I can't have fun like these people, why am I here?” This feeling is called Monachopsis. In this article, we’ll delve into Monachopsis.
“The subtle but persistent feeling of being out of place, as maladapted to your surroundings as a seal on a beach… unable to recognize the ambient roar of your intended habitat, in which you’d be fluidly, brilliantly, effortlessly at home”(1). This description is the most famous representation of Monachopsis and is taken from Koenigg. Monachopsis comes from “Monachos” which means single, solitary in Ancient Greek, plus “Opsis,” which means sight and view in Ancient Greek as well (2). Monachopsis is a common disorder; however, it’s also somewhat a member of indescribable emotions, so we do not have clear information about its history and discovery process. Let’s take a closer look at this phenomenon from a psychological perspective.
Image Credit: https://www.encounters.film/monachopsis.
Monachopsis is usually not a major problem, provided it doesn’t hinder us from living the life we want. However, Monachopsis is an ever-present state for some that adversely colors thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. There are many reasons why we might feel uncomfortable with our surroundings (3). Let's examine some of them:
Discomfort in social environments is one of the factors that trigger Monachopsis. The culmination of this condition is social anxiety disorder. It is a diagnosable condition that entails fear of being judged in performance situations such as speaking in a meeting or queuing at the supermarket. However, the definition of Monachopsis refers to a 'subtle' emotion. Many people experience a less severe version of social anxiety in the form of mild to moderate discomfort, especially when interacting with others in groups. This anxiety can leave you feeling alienated and even disconnected from others.
Introversion is also a contributing factor to alienation. It means paying attention to one's inner world and experiences, up to a point. There is often a preference for spending time alone or in low-stimulus environments (e.g., quietly reading a book, or engaging in a solitary hobby). If they're in a busy environment (e.g., lots of talking, high noise levels), those who tend to be introverts may feel out of place.
Imposterism can also create the alienation motion. Because their fear of being found out or being revealed as incompetent can drive a strong sense of Monachopsis(4)
The Monachopsis process can be light or severe. If it affects your life, you might feel the need to do something about it. However, whether light or severe, considering Monachopsis and attempting to defeat and declare war with Monachopsis will be extremely ineffective. Because the human brain cannot comprehend the negative. You can’t tell your brain not to do something. If you say to your brain “Don’t think of a purple elephant,” you will think of a purple elephant. It has the same effects as trying to defeat Monachopsis. For this reason, rather than trying to prevent and suppress Monochopsis, it may be much more effective to simply allow it to exist.
In conclusion, the subtle but persistent feeling of being out of place is called Monachopsis. Monachopsis like a derivative of the feeling of alienation. Social anxiety, new environments, and maybe the fear of being revealed as incompetent can trigger Monachopsis and these alienation feelings. Also, it is better to allow it to exist because creating pressure and suppressing the Monachopsis is not an effective way. If you want to defeat Monachopsis, you should allow it to exist and accept it. Monachopsis may simply reflect being in a challenging situation in which opportunities lie for self-development. Starting a new job with new colleagues in a new line of work could easily trigger Monachopsis. But this could also represent an opportunity to grow and develop by getting through an uncomfortable phase of your career.
References:
Koenig, J. (2021). The dictionary of obscure sorrows. In undefined. Simon & Schuster.
John Koenig, The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, page 124
Spendelow, D. J. (2021, March 21). What is Monachopsis, and what can you do about it? In Medium. https://thepracticalpsych.medium.com/what-is-monachopsis-and-what-can-you-do-about-it-b47d224c95a9
Learn about Monachopsis. (n.d.). In The practical psychologist. https://thepracticalpsych.com/blog/monachopsis
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