Why We Retreat When We're Sick

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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