Simply put, populated spaces drain me.
I experience this too. I think it's because the energies in the room draw me away from myself. I also wonder if I am not being affected by all the phones in every other hand, wifi, mobile data.
I love how you describe what you feel in nature. If I spend enough time in the woods, especially near water, everything turns golden and I feel infused with love. Why not spend all our time in that space? Thankfully, I can get a bit of that in my own back yard.
I do not know how I missed so many of your posts this week!