Introverts: How Do You Experience Introversion?

[Zaerne]

Interesting new ideas and subjects really interest me. Sometimes I feel a sudden urge to draw or write, but it just seems that I want to experience it all and I can’t get anything out. Insights, when I’m reading or watching something, is what I live for. I see someone die on television and think of death and it’s circumstances and sometimes I cry. It always makes me happy to watch little children play, and lately it was to my heart’s joy that I saw little girls in white dresses and veils and little boys in their suits, leave Church just after their First Communion.

I think I can tolerate a lot of external stimulation. Interesting conversations can usually get me very excited and talking so much that one would think I’m actually extroverted. When I do get tired, or more properly, when the conversation transitions into something less interesting I just sit back and listen to what they say and continue living in my head. Really, I can handle external stimulation as long as it gets along with my interests and ideas.

My internal world is very hard to explain. I want to talk about it so much, but I can only say so much. I talk to myself and form fake conversations with other people (really annoys me when I do that, I’m trying to stop now, the fake conversations part that is…I like talking to myself). My internal world I would think is what I focus on the external world taken in and idealized. Flowers comes out as the meaning of beauty, a book comes out as a whole new world, and an idea is played out in my imagination. My internal world is probably my whole world, I see the world through it, and, most of the time, I see the world through it.

I don’t know how much alone time I need because I usually get it and more than enough even if I don’t try. I have my own room and hardly anyone goes in. How much time along I need really depends on my mood. When I’m happy, I probably want to go outside or talk to someone (or listen to someone). When I’m in a bad mood, I pretty much ignore everybody because I need to think through every feeling and every action. This kind of comes out as a bad habit because people think I’m mad at them, when I’m really not.

I think what most people don’t know about introverts, for me at least, is that when I’m not responding much to what you say, you probably need to leave me alone. I can’t handle with my problems with other people saying some of their advice, even if they do mean well. I need someone to listen, not to correct or criticize or even praise. I just need someone to listen, because sometimes being introverted gets to introverts and we want to get it out, but extroverts just can’t help talking over us, and I tend to sulk more.

 

[Leysing]

What stimulates you?
Interesting information. Clever opinions. Deep, calm discussions. Nature. Music. Visual arts. Everything aesthetically beautiful.

How much external stimulation can you tolerate?
Depends on what the stimulation is like. I can listen to peaceful music endlessly and it provokes loads of thoughts and feelings without making me stressed. I can't, however, for example interact with loud and impulsive extroverts too long (There's nothing wrong with loud and impulsive extroverts, I'm fascinated by them. Sometimes they're just too much to my I...). A few hours a day is already too much.

What is your internal world like?
Weird, complicated, idealistic, surreal and very, very deep. Most of the time I practically dwell there. My internal world is Dali's Persistence of Memory with flowers and cute fluffy animals
(Duh, no. Dali's works are creepy.
But you got the idea, right?)

How much alone time do you need and how often do you need it?
I need very much time alone (several hours), and I need it absolutely daily. Otherwise I'll turn into a very vicious person
I need quite a lot of interaction as well. If I am just alone, my thoughts will turn too dark and weird. The cute fluffy animals of my internal world grow fangs and claws and the flowers turn into Venus Flytraps.

What comes along with being an introvert that most people don't realize?
If I say "Go away" or "I want to be alone" that doesn't mean I'm mad at you.
If I am alone, I don't necessarily need your company.
If I want to be alone, nothing is probably wrong with me.
If I want to be alone, I'm usually not sad or depressed.
I am definitely not antisocial.

 

[wedekit]

What comes along with being an introvert that most people don't realize?
If I say "Go away" or "I want to be alone" that doesn't mean I'm mad at you.
If I am alone, I don't necessarily need your company.
If I want to be alone, nothing is probably wrong with me.
If I want to be alone, I'm usually not sad or depressed.
I am definitely not antisocial.

Yes. This all applies to me too. I think the second one is especially important. If I am alone I'm probably concentrating or thinking, which is hard to do when people keep walking up to me and engaging in small talk. It's one of the toughest challenges I face living in campus housing. Even being in a study room doesn't stop people from walking in and talking to me.

I think this is another cause of a lot of roommate conflicts in the Residence Hall. Introverted residents with extraverted roommates have essentially nowhere to be alone or study for long. The library is open a lot and has lots of study spaces, but it's not always convenient or open. Plus I don't see why I should have to go to the library to get some peace and quiet somewhere. Sometimes I even have to go to the parking garage and sit in my car to study or get some quiet time in to read.

Oh well, it's just something we all learn to deal with I guess.

 

[mortabunt]

I'm surprised nobody made this one based on the extroverted one.

When any introverts out there can tear themselves away from the books they're currently reading, please take a moment to explain how you experience introversion.

What stimulates you? How much external stimulation can you tolerate? What is your internal world like? How much alone time do you need and how often do you need it? What comes along with being an introvert that most people don't realize?

Thank you for your participation. You may return to your book reading.

I am stimulated by absolute solitude, where I pretty much lose absolute awareness of the world except for my thoughts. I need as much time alone as I can get, and I don't know how often I need it. I often go weeks to months without it. My internal world is a perfect liquid universe full of clear and exact thoughts. Most people don't realise that being an introvert is acceptable, and that the world is pretty hostile to people who are out of the ordinary.

Thank you for including me in research. That is enough reward.

 

[Lethal Sage]

mortabunt, are you narcisistic or is it just everybody?

 

[raz]

I never really thought of my introversion as something special. I held such a high regard for memories, though, which explains my Si dominance. Fond memories stimulate me. When I recreate memories in my head, I feel really great. I replay so much of what happens in my head automatically.

Like I said in vent one time, half of what goes on in my head is a replay of something from the past, and the other half is me having a conversation with myself. Like, for instance, if I had a conversation with someone, I'll replay nearly every sentence over and over in my head, dissecting each part, looking for hidden meanings in a detail that I missed. Usually, I do that to a point where I feel semi-depressed because it makes me consider things that don't seem realistic.

The part of the time where I'm talking to myself, it's more like I'm emulating a conversation with a specific person. It's like I'm talking to them about a problem, and I put this fake character in my head, that's asking me questions about my problem, then I answer the questions, and it's like, POOF, insight! It's fun, sortof.

My mind just wanders off dissecting details of things that happened. It's like, an event happened, and then afterward, it's put under a microscope by Si. My iPod is really important to me. It holds so much regarding my personal interests, such as movies, music and tv shows I'm interested in. I think of it as like a miniature version of my life. I always think, someone could learn a massive amount about me just by going through my iPod. Nearly every song is attached to a memory. I think that's part of why I love listening to the music so much. Each one feeds Si in its own way, and listening to my iPod is a great way for me to recharge.

 

[Condor]

What stimulates you?

Task completion. I'm not a workaholic, nor do I try to do everyone else's job, but checking off items of the mental list of things I think are important is a driving force.

How much external stimulation can you tolerate?

Never really quantified this, but I will seek external inputs when necessary (admittedly it's not often) , and then simply disassociate myself from the stimulus.

What's your internal world like?

Very much black and white. Things to do and things that have been done.

How much alone time do you need and how often do you need it?

It isn't so much as a "need" to be alone as a preference. I can be around others, acknowledge their presence, and yet be perfectly happy alone in a crowd. If someone says "How are you?" I'll respond "fine" and move on. They might be taken aback that I don't reciprocate with an inquiry as to their status, but it really is of no consequence to me. They'll find someone else to engage in their small talk session. So a quantity of "alone time" isn't so much the desire as the preference is.

What comes along with being an introvert that most people don't realize?

That what they do or don't realize is based on their perceptions - and when they project their own perceptions onto how another human being should act then they're usually going to be disappointed.

 

[Chimerical]

I sneak off to the bathroom a lot when I'm in public for too long to cool down.
If too many people are talking at once and I'm upset about something I'll sometimes zone out and all the noise mixes and sound jumbled and blurred and I feel really out of it and want to be alone, but usually this is triggered by me feeling lonely about something or another.

When I'm at home I like to sit and imagine things like different worlds and so forth and events. I'm planning and mapping out my dreams when I do this. By the end of the day I'll dream about something I decided to dream about.

I spend hours listing to a song on repeat while continuously focusing on a set emotion and memory to program association of the song with the emotions and memories so I'll have a trigger to make me feel certain ways.

I imagine all the good times I've had in life when I'm feeling sad.

 

[mortabunt]

mortabunt, are you narcisistic or is it just everybody?

I'm just being blunt. Look at my other posts; I am not being superfluous, just plain and simple.

 

[placebo]

What stimulates you? The internet. lol. Interesting ideas, images, stories. Music. People (more like, the idea of them, then actually talking to them).

How much external stimulation can you tolerate? Depends how I'm feeling, and what kind of stimulation. If I happen to find it annoying, irritating, etc. I can tolerate very very little. It'll be like seconds and I'll feel like I need to find a way out. Other times I don't mind. If I'm not being particularly occupied by something in my head that I want to think about deeply, I may even crave it.

What is your internal world like? It's really real. It's almost more important to me than the external world. It feels like me and nothing else. It's the thing that sees the external world me and feels all the discrepencies and shortcomings of the thing I am outside vs the thing I am inside.

How much alone time do you need and how often do you need it?
I get a lot of alone time in general, so I don't know how much I need. I get enough and once in a while, more than I need. But I do need it.

What comes along with being an introvert that most people don't realize? I don't know. lol. Maybe it's something I haven't realised.

 

[Orangey]

What stimulates you?

Conversations with a couple of close friends. Observing my surroundings and other people. Music (probably above all!). The visual arts. Reflection. Ideas, though not ALL ideas, just the one's that interest me at a particular moment...not all ideas are created equal. Interesting patterns that I observe. These are probably what most frequently occupy my thoughts during the day.

How much external stimulation can you tolerate?

I like external stimulation if I have complete control over the degree of exposure. When I'm at the behest of others, or when the stimulation is forced, then I have an extremely low tolerance. For instance, when I'm in school and I don't like the class or the people in it, I will be almost dying to get home where I can finally think freely. To the point where I am literally cringing to myself in frustration that the time is passing so slowly. I also don't generally like loud environments unless its some sort of concert that I volunteered to attend.

What is your internal world like?

When completely undisturbed by external influences (even music, which I use as an external tool to stimulate or amplify my thoughts and emotions) my "inner world" is like an expanse that holds multiple pieces of information in one area at once. I then shift through each area in peaceful reflection (not analysis). If I take this type of reflection far enough, it really does start to become visual, and I begin to lose track of the external world. I need isolated environments to get that far, though.

How much alone time do you need and how often do you need it?

I really enjoy socializing if it's with the right people. Introduce anyone else, however, and it becomes far less fun or enjoyable for me. That said, even when I'm with good friends, I still need at least four or five hours of solid alone time if I want to prevent myself from getting cranky and restless.

What comes along with being an introvert that most people don't realize?

That choosing to stay in on a Friday or Saturday night is NOT a sign of alienation, low self-esteem, or even lack of friends. Oh, and that being ignored and forgotten in group settings (including in class, by your teachers) is basically the way it turns out for you most of the time.

 

[nanook]

NiFe talking

the whole world is a lie. no surface can be relied on. actual causal nature must be observed, before it can be trusted. people don't lie so much, they just don't understand anything including their own understanding, let alone their own self. they act differently from how they talk. they talk differently from how they think. they think differently from how they believe. they believe differently from how they feel. they feel differently from how they experience. stick with known entities, hide behind their underlying automated network of interaction, which hides below their false declarations, by appearing to be another standardized unconscious member, create an alliance of interaction with their true subconscious nature, create a meaningless pretense on the surface, so they can think that they could comprehend what really connects you with them, or at least notice, that something connects you. keep away from strange entities, until you had enough opportunity to look through them and predict their true cause. don't show them any personal signs, that they would believe to understand, unless you can calculate how they will understand it, because they will understand it wrong, but it might still be to your advantage, a convergence of understandings. don't show anyone, that you can see what they are. don't identify with any of their make-believed world, because this will make you blind to what is happening below it, so you will loose all orientation. but pretend to be identified. take the pill into your mouth, under your tongue. and take a risk, someday. surf the wave.

 

[NewEra]

What stimulates you? How much external stimulation can you tolerate? What is your internal world like? How much alone time do you need and how often do you need it? What comes along with being an introvert that most people don't realize?

What stimulates you?
Music, doing work, etc. Basically doing the same things I could do when I am with other people. Only when I'm alone, I would be more energized and efficient.

What is your internal world like?
Quite complex actually. I know myself best, and no one really knows me extremely well.

How much alone time do you need and how often do you need it?
I need quite a bit of alone time after I am with people. I guess this basically measures how introverted you are. For example, if I've been around people (not just 2 or 3 people) for 3 hours, I would need around 4 hours of re-charging. If I get more, I would be glad. If I get less, I would not be so glad. I would need the time alone after I've surpassed my comfortable energy level.

What comes along with being an introvert that most people don't realize?
I guess it's just that many important things in life involve doing things with other people a lot. That's where extroverts have an advantage. I for one need rest when I'm with other people for an extended period. However I can be by myself for such a long time and sometimes I wouldn't even realize it. In other words, I think that life would actually be easier for a person if he/she is extroverted.

 

[aguanile]

What stimulates you? Music more than anything. Beauty. Dancing and movement. Theater. Comedy. Road Trips and dinners with close friends.

How much external stimulation can you tolerate? Depends on the source. From close friends....endless. From acquaintances, hardly any. Nearly every conversation feels like an interruption from them. And I just realized that it feels like an interruption from my thinking. I am always so totally engrossed in my thoughts that people taking up any space with speaking (unless it's warranted) feels like a barrage.


What is your internal world like? It's paradoxical. It's fast and slow and loud and quiet...but most of all, it's always going. It's always in motion. So much so, that I don't realize that that when I am alone. I like to ruminate....It's an emotional preservation station. Outside, I may look like nothing is going on...but inside is all fireworks and confetti. It's pretty amazing....which leads me to the next question.

How much alone time do you need and how often do you need it?
I don't actually need that much alone time. I prefer being with friends when I leave work, for instance. But then again, I am as quiet as a mouse during the day. I am in recharge mode....minimal words....minimal communication. But by the time the night comes, I am ready to get going.

What comes along with being an introvert that most people don't realize? We often have profound ideas that you would never realize because you have to press us to communicate them.

I think that Extroverts (not the insightful ones on this site of course) often feel like Introverts don't have anything to say....or at least anything interesting to say, because we don't voice our thoughts as readily as they do.

But that couldn't be further from the truth.

 

[raz]

I think that Extroverts (not the insightful ones on this site of course) often feel like Introverts don't have anything to say....or at least anything interesting to say, because we don't voice our thoughts as readily as they do.

But that couldn't be further from the truth.

I have my best ideas and thoughts when I'm truly alone. It's sad that when I'm with someone and those thoughts could really help, 90% of them are nowhere to be found.

 

[aguanile]

I have my best ideas and thoughts when I'm truly alone. It's sad that when I'm with someone and those thoughts could really help, 90% of them are nowhere to be found.

Raz, I hear you one hundred percent.

It's as if, when I need to express myself with people, I am stunted. My mind goes blank. And if I happen to be able to say something, by the time it comes out, it's a shadow of the original thought I had and is finished with "you know what I mean???" Because that's all I desperately want...to make sure that I am understood.

But Bless the Lord for the writing. I can go back. I can edit. I can rearrange my thoughts to truly convey what I mean.

 

[raz]

Raz, I hear you one hundred percent.

It's as if, when I need to express myself with people, I am stunted. My mind goes blank. And if I happen to be able to say something, by the time it comes out, it's a shadow of the original thought I had and is finished with "you know what I mean???" Because that's all I desperately want...to make sure that I am understood.

But Bless the Lord for the writing. I can go back. I can edit. I can rearrange my thoughts to truly convey what I mean.

LOL, yeah, right. This girl at work is trying to get into religious discussions with me. She comes at me an hour before we get off and starts asking me some intense questions. My answers really end up being more Te spur of the moment based. I hated that. I was just thinking, "Fuck you, coming at me with these questions hours after I've been here and I'm feeling sorely drained." And you know what happens? Even 1 minute after she leaves, I suddenly had 5 questions for her and a much better response to one of her questions. I hate that.

 

[OrangeAppled]

What stimulates you?
Ideas, music, books, photos. My own thoughts & imagination.
Conversation that is more intellectual in nature, such as discussing concepts/ideas or theories. Conversation is tricky, because about 90% of it is more draining than stimulating. After I get the info I need and express myself, I can get detached quickly also.
I like some hustle & bustle, but in small doses.

How much external stimulation can you tolerate?
I'm not sure what you mean by external. The external stimulation I "tolerate" is other people. I find social things draining. After a few hours of it I need alone time.

What is your internal world like?
It is complex, layered, full of characters & sound and images. It's like a film. It's random sometimes....thoughts and ideas will just pop up.
I think in pictures a lot, or refer to a quote from a song/book to put my own feelings in an expressible form.
I also review past things & imagine future events a lot. I have a hard time being in the present. I will almost enjoy an experience more when I re-live it later in my head. In the moment, there is just too much going on and I almost have to disconnect to take it in.

How much alone time do you need and how often do you need it?
I need several hours alone a day. At the end of the day, I need to "unwind" alone, or if I am out with people, then the next morning I need to be alone.
If I spend an entire day or more without any human contact though, I do get depressed. I will naturally be inclined to further isolate myself and withdraw when I feel disconnected from people, but it's counterproductive of course.

What comes along with being an introvert that most people don't realize?
Several things:
- I still have a very deep need to be connected with people. I do need relationships & enjoy people. "I am human and I need to be loved, just like everybody else does"
- I have a lot going on under the surface. I may seem bland to people I don't know well. Once I open up, people can forget I am shy (or introverted rather). I can have a lot to say and even be funny at times.

 

[nanook]

last post, i did not respect all the points, so:

What stimulates you?

• blowing my face with a hair dryer. (can have a lucid dream at the same time)

How much external stimulation can you tolerate?

• one hour hair dryer if i do it everyday, then then dry air makes my throat grow mutated tissue.
• also: please only one vampire attack during a single night. and why does he need to cut me with knifes if he has teeth?

What is your internal world like?

• clusterfuck

How much alone time do you need and how often do you need it?

• ten years (so far)
• once a life (so far)

What comes along with being an introvert that most people don't realize?

• you can actually forget language!
  
• also: "If you bring forward that which lives within you, that which lives within you will save you. If you do not bring forward that which lives within you, that which lives within you, will destroy you." Thomas, 170 - take it literally. see vampires.