I’m sorry you deal with that. Personally, I don’t have it quite that bad in terms of isolation, but ideologically, it is similar. I’m the odd one out in people I’m closest to, having the views I do. And though I’m with some family, it doesn’t feel how I expect it would in a culture that intrinsically values family and community. I don’t want to get into too much personal detail about it here, but I’m sure you are familiar with the nuclear family standard of how things are in the US. To the point that ones who stick around family more and longer are probably the odd ones, compared to most other cultures. So instead of feeling comforted by it, at this point in my life I more just feel like there’s something wrong with me.

But yeah, I think the impact of loneliness is underestimated sometimes and emotional pain is a real kind of pain. Not that it’s a competition who is suffering more or less and in what ways, but just that it is something to recognize as a real harm that’s being done.

Oh and best of luck with your backpacking goal.