I'm an introvert and I own it

[Curegirl]

DD, that's my SO and me too! When I was younger I'd spend hours drawing and reading, never saying a word to anyone. The only people I felt really comfortable with were my parents and grandma. Then I became super talky in high school but that was more pointing out what was wrong (charming teen huh?) then became a hermit again in college. I'm becoming more introverted with age and would like nothing else but to be holed up with my darling boyfriend for days with no contact with anyone else.

[migirl]

Definitely an introvert here, and perfectly happy being so. I'm happiest just being at home (preferably *alone*, but with 3 young kids and a husband that happens very rarely!), being in social situations is stressful and exhausting for me.

[diggitydot]

I don't mind socializing, I just need lots of quiet alone time afterwards to recharge. I'm actually pretty outgoing, which always throws people for a loop when I talk about being introverted. They can't reconcile the two.

[Curegirl]

It seems like a lot of people don't get the recharging thing...I talk and smile a lot so that throws people off. It's like depression-a lot of people think every depressed person should look like a Cymbalta commercial and every introvert should be antisocial.

[niener]

I don't mind socializing, I just need lots of quiet alone time afterwards to recharge. I'm actually pretty outgoing, which always throws people for a loop when I talk about being introverted. They can't reconcile the two.

It seems like a lot of people don't get the recharging thing...I talk and smile a lot so that throws people off. It's like depression-a lot of people think every depressed person should look like a Cymbalta commercial and every introvert should be antisocial.

^^ All this.

I had a friend that actually seemed aggravated when I told her I was an introvert because she thought I was lying. She equated introvert with socially awkward hermit, so to her introvert was a "mean" thing to call someone.

Introverts are social, have close friends that are extroverts, can carry on stimulating conversation for hours, mingle in and out of a crowd, etc. It's not like you can spot an introvert walking down the street. They look and act just like normal people .

I enjoy being in a crowd and going out with friends as long as I get a some quiet alone time afterwards to just live inside of my head for a bit and process the day. If I know I have a long weekend ahead, sometimes that means I stay up an hour after everyone else has gone to sleep to just read or write in my journal so my social batteries are recharged and I'm ready to hang out again the next day.

[moonlight]

I really like people, friends, hearing your story, making a connection. If I have to be honest I feel thrilled after hanging out with friends. If we do something with tons of physical activity, then yes I will want to rest afterwords. A couple days ago I had luch with a friend then dinner at another friend's house. Came home sleepy, but with a smile on my face. I think too much alone time really brings me down.
Those of you that are I's with big families... How does that work or fit into your need to recharge? I've always wanted to ask this question!

[diggitydot]

I don't consider ours a "big" family, but 4 out of the 5 of us are significant introverts. We can all chill and recharge in the same room without saying a word for hours. Our single extrovert is *barely* extroverted and she needs some downtime, too.

[moonlight]

So basically it works because your kids can keep quiet and they don't really have friends around either? Interesting.... When I say a bigger family I just mean more than a couple kids.

[diggitydot]

So basically it works because your kids can keep quiet and they don't really have friends around either? Interesting.... When I say a bigger family I just mean more than a couple kids.

Oh, no -- our kids have friends over and are involved in about eleventy billion extracurriculars. We just give each other the space and quiet we need when we need it.

Case in point: This summer after my mom, grandfather, niece, and nephew left after a weeklong visit, we were all silent for a good 6 hours. We ALL needed the recharge after having 3 inescapable extroverts in our space for a week.

We all talk to and with each other, but we can read when the others need space and give it to them freely.

[Deebs]

I am not an introvert (though I'm not completely extroverted, either), but, iMSN has completely helped me understand introverted ness, and I'm so grateful for that. My DH is an introvert who is VERY outgoing, as is my daughter. When I tell people that, they argue with me. But, both DH and DD need time alone daily to recharge, and get overwhelmed in groups.


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[moonlight]

I had this work meeting back in Aug. it's for a sales type job. It was all about the relaunch of a new product. Non stop music, videos, talking, speakers, food, activities, and I had a hotel roommate. By the end of the 3 days I wanted to hide in a closet. I think it was way too much, even for the normal E. is that what it feels like for a I after a full day of being with people?

[HouseofWool]

Pretty much.

It is funny, DS is fairly introverted and is a relatively quiet child. DD? She talks even in her sleep sometimes. I relish it when she is gone because I feel like all of my nerve endings are exposed by the end of the day with her.

[niener]

I had this work meeting back in Aug. it's for a sales type job. It was all about the relaunch of a new product. Non stop music, videos, talking, speakers, food, activities, and I had a hotel roommate. By the end of the 3 days I wanted to hide in a closet. I think it was way too much, even for the normal E. is that what it feels like for a I after a full day of being with people?

Yep sounds like that's in the range of how an introvert feels when they're overwhelmed. Not to say that you didn't enjoy the relaunch meeting, just that you really needed some peace and quiet after that much constant activity.

[diggitydot]

DD? She talks even in her sleep sometimes. I relish it when she is gone because I feel like all of my nerve endings are exposed by the end of the day with her.

Your DD and our DD2 are insanely similar. DD2 is our mild extrovert and she, at age 13, is FINALLY figuring out when to STFU for her own good.

[scrub-jay]

I don't mind socializing, I just need lots of quiet alone time afterwards to recharge. I'm actually pretty outgoing, which always throws people for a loop when I talk about being introverted. They can't reconcile the two.

This is me too.


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