A really good way I’ve heard it put is that introverts expend emotional energy on social interaction, and recharge it through isolation. Extroverts are the exact opposite. So if you imagine being forced to interact with other people non-stop for seven days, with no chance to have any alone time, and that’s what this person was putting themselves through.
This metaphor also handily explains the difference between “introvert” and “antisocial.” I love being around my friends, in the same way that some people love swimming. But just like swimming it’s very tiring. Even Olympic swimmers can’t swim all the time. So it’s not that I don’t like you, it’s just that I’m exhausted and if I keep going I’ll drown.
Yes. I’m kind of an “extroverted introvert”. I like being around people I know and my brain considers just being in the same room with someone to be “socializing”, even if we aren’t really interacting. I have no problem with you bringing up random topics or whatever, but if you’re talking non-stop and expecting me to listen and respond then we’re gonna have problems.
People get surprised when I say that because I can be very loud and talkative, but the thing they don’t get is that A) my brain does not consider screaming random garbage in a toad voice while playing Mario Kart to be socialization, and B) I tend to be talkative in bursts, but if you’re not around me a lot then you probably won’t notice that.
I need breaks, and a break can be as simple as taking a nap on the couch while you play a game on the TV; or watching YouTube on my phone while you’re reading a book. I still need breaks though.
Is that really hard for an extrovert to be 7 days alone?
A really good way I’ve heard it put is that introverts expend emotional energy on social interaction, and recharge it through isolation. Extroverts are the exact opposite. So if you imagine being forced to interact with other people non-stop for seven days, with no chance to have any alone time, and that’s what this person was putting themselves through.
This metaphor also handily explains the difference between “introvert” and “antisocial.” I love being around my friends, in the same way that some people love swimming. But just like swimming it’s very tiring. Even Olympic swimmers can’t swim all the time. So it’s not that I don’t like you, it’s just that I’m exhausted and if I keep going I’ll drown.
(Asocial not Antisocial - Anti-social is purposeful action of hostility towards people. Asocial is the purposeful avoidance of social interactions.)
I remember the first week of the pandemic extroverts were crying all over social media about how hard it was.
Meanwhile my lifestyle didn’t change at all.
Is it really that hard for an introvert to interact with someone constantly for 7 days straight?
Fuck I don’t even want to interact with someone constantly for 7 hours straight.
Does staring off into space while someone talks at me count as “interaction”?
Well I’m not an extrovert and I have no idea if it’s really the same for them to be alone as constantly interacting with people is for introverts.
Yes. I’m kind of an “extroverted introvert”. I like being around people I know and my brain considers just being in the same room with someone to be “socializing”, even if we aren’t really interacting. I have no problem with you bringing up random topics or whatever, but if you’re talking non-stop and expecting me to listen and respond then we’re gonna have problems.
People get surprised when I say that because I can be very loud and talkative, but the thing they don’t get is that A) my brain does not consider screaming random garbage in a toad voice while playing Mario Kart to be socialization, and B) I tend to be talkative in bursts, but if you’re not around me a lot then you probably won’t notice that.
I need breaks, and a break can be as simple as taking a nap on the couch while you play a game on the TV; or watching YouTube on my phone while you’re reading a book. I still need breaks though.
Yes. People are exhausting – particularly extroverts, who often won’t let us do introvert things to recharge.
My dad freaks out after about an hour if he doesn’t have someone around or on the phone. So… yes!
Extrovert here!
Yes.