Liminal spaces are comforting and I'm tired of pretending they're not
This popped into my mind because I recently watched The Backrooms series on YouTube (which you should definitely watch if you haven't yet).
I should also say the reason I like liminal spaces is because of my dog shidd mental health so you've been warned...
Liminal spaces are usually defined by timeless seemingly never ending spaces with 90's/2000's nostalgia, often transitional spaces like halls, shopping centres and streets, sometimes a lack of natural light, and most importantly a lack of people. Looking at liminal spaces, the feelings can be uncanny or nightmarish to some people but I and various others find it affirming, even comforting.
Why do I find them comforting?
Much if not all of my stress in life comes from people. People make noise, they make strong smells, they fight each other and at times take me as an easy target. My life spent in public places has never been a positive experience, I'm always on high alert thinking: "are they gonna move out the way" "is this man going to invade my personal space on the train" "please stop shouting" "don't follow me" "please leave me alone".
Going through life only ever visible as a target is stressful and on top of that the sensory environment of public places is incredibly draining and nothing ever stops.
I come away from them eyes glazed over, dissociating, physically weak and exhausted. In these moments I have recurring thoughts of "I can't keep up" "can things stop so I have a chance to catch up" "why doesn't anything stop?"
What liminal spaces provide for me is the opportunity to stop without any consequences.
It affirms the dreamy feelings I have when I start disassociating in public spaces and I can sit and take in my surrounding without any sensory overload, things are quiet and still for a change. Just clip out of reality, take a breather, and clip back in again when you're ready. There's no one there to make any noise or harass me or invade my personal space.
I'm finally alone. I can finally relax.
There's a sense of comfort in liminal spaces you'll never find in the real world and that's the comfort of being completely alone.