
Why We Retreat When We're Sick
From We Have Concerns by Jeff Cannata/Anthony Carboni
May 4, 2026 · 13 min · Episode 813
About this episode
The episode explores the instinctual behavior of retreating when sick, referencing a study published in Cell.
Do you wanna crawl under the house and hide like a dog when you're sick? You're not alone. I mean, you're alone, you're under the house like a dog. But you're not alone in the FEELING. A recent study published in Cell discusses why we have this instinct, and it's not just because we're grumpy. Spolier: it is also not because we're dogs.
People in this episode
Hosts: Jeff Cannata, Anthony Carboni
Topics covered
- sickness
- psychology
- animal behavior
- human instincts
- health
Keywords
- sickness
- retreat
- instinct
- study
- behavior
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: Cell
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