Four months out of a relationship breakdown, Rachel finds herself saying something she never thought she'd say: I'm never doing this again.

She gets it now. The bitterness. The wall. The absolute certainty that closing off is safer than trying again.

But she also knows there's a question worth sitting with — one that's harder than it sounds: is this protection, or is this avoidance? Because they feel identical from the inside. And the research says they have very different costs.

Hannah Rose Keys is back. Six months ago she was done with men entirely. Something shifted. This is that conversation.

Now What is hosted by Rachel Maksimovic. Follow @hannahrosekeys Follow @rachel.maksimovic & @nowwhat.podcast on Instagram.