Dr. Aditi Nerurkar

So the first thing that we're going to talk about is this idea of horizonlessness. It is a term coined by journalist Kayana Mogadam. I first heard about it during the pandemic when writer Nina St. Pierre interviewed me for an Elle magazine feature on horizonlessness and this uptick of people who are feeling like they don't really have many options and they're not very excited for the future.

So the first thing that we're going to talk about is this idea of horizonlessness. It is a term coined by journalist Kayana Mogadam. I first heard about it during the pandemic when writer Nina St. Pierre interviewed me for an Elle magazine feature on horizonlessness and this uptick of people who are feeling like they don't really have many options and they're not very excited for the future.

So when they think about their own future, they draw a blank. And that is very problematic because in the science, we know that when you anticipate a future that is potentially hopeful, it is beneficial for your brain. It is also beneficial for stress, mental health, and wellbeing overall.

So when they think about their own future, they draw a blank. And that is very problematic because in the science, we know that when you anticipate a future that is potentially hopeful, it is beneficial for your brain. It is also beneficial for stress, mental health, and wellbeing overall.

So when they think about their own future, they draw a blank. And that is very problematic because in the science, we know that when you anticipate a future that is potentially hopeful, it is beneficial for your brain. It is also beneficial for stress, mental health, and wellbeing overall.

In one study, they looked at brain scans, so MRIs of people who were anticipating a future and found that that sense of anticipation acts on an area called the median prefrontal cortex, and it's correlated with well-being. And now when you ask around and say, what are you looking forward to?

In one study, they looked at brain scans, so MRIs of people who were anticipating a future and found that that sense of anticipation acts on an area called the median prefrontal cortex, and it's correlated with well-being. And now when you ask around and say, what are you looking forward to?

In one study, they looked at brain scans, so MRIs of people who were anticipating a future and found that that sense of anticipation acts on an area called the median prefrontal cortex, and it's correlated with well-being. And now when you ask around and say, what are you looking forward to?

You know, back in maybe 2018, you may have said, oh, I'm looking forward to getting married or having a child. I'm looking forward to graduation or getting this new job, maybe buying a car, taking this trip or... setting up a garden. I mean, there's so many things that people used to look forward to. And now it's like, we just draw a blank.

You know, back in maybe 2018, you may have said, oh, I'm looking forward to getting married or having a child. I'm looking forward to graduation or getting this new job, maybe buying a car, taking this trip or... setting up a garden. I mean, there's so many things that people used to look forward to. And now it's like, we just draw a blank.

You know, back in maybe 2018, you may have said, oh, I'm looking forward to getting married or having a child. I'm looking forward to graduation or getting this new job, maybe buying a car, taking this trip or... setting up a garden. I mean, there's so many things that people used to look forward to. And now it's like, we just draw a blank.

I felt that certainly that sense of horizonlessness you probably have as well, because it is how our brains are working right now. It's really a telltale sign of this post COVID era and this new mindset that we're in. How common of an experience is this? You know, we don't have enough data in terms of studies to look at what is horizonlessness. How do you define it? And we do need more research.

I felt that certainly that sense of horizonlessness you probably have as well, because it is how our brains are working right now. It's really a telltale sign of this post COVID era and this new mindset that we're in. How common of an experience is this? You know, we don't have enough data in terms of studies to look at what is horizonlessness. How do you define it? And we do need more research.

I felt that certainly that sense of horizonlessness you probably have as well, because it is how our brains are working right now. It's really a telltale sign of this post COVID era and this new mindset that we're in. How common of an experience is this? You know, we don't have enough data in terms of studies to look at what is horizonlessness. How do you define it? And we do need more research.

But the reason that many of us are feeling the sense of this blank sensation when we think about or anticipate the future is because your brain is built like a dam. So under normal circumstances, let's say you're going through an acute stress.

But the reason that many of us are feeling the sense of this blank sensation when we think about or anticipate the future is because your brain is built like a dam. So under normal circumstances, let's say you're going through an acute stress.

But the reason that many of us are feeling the sense of this blank sensation when we think about or anticipate the future is because your brain is built like a dam. So under normal circumstances, let's say you're going through an acute stress.

You shore up your internal reserves and you keep it together at all costs. So let's think back to 2020 when we were all in lockdown and we were told, okay, you're going to be in lockdown for three weeks, four weeks tops, right? You remember that messaging. And so you kept it together.

You shore up your internal reserves and you keep it together at all costs. So let's think back to 2020 when we were all in lockdown and we were told, okay, you're going to be in lockdown for three weeks, four weeks tops, right? You remember that messaging. And so you kept it together.

You shore up your internal reserves and you keep it together at all costs. So let's think back to 2020 when we were all in lockdown and we were told, okay, you're going to be in lockdown for three weeks, four weeks tops, right? You remember that messaging. And so you kept it together.