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Severe Introversion/Extroversion

BlueGray

New member
Joined
Oct 7, 2009
Messages
474
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
5
I'm wondering how severe the need for alone time or socializing can be on people. Ever since I was young I get sick if I spend too much time in large groups of people. I get overly stimulated causing me to get migraines and become incredibly tired. The problem has lessened over time, but I still have it occur sometimes. I don't typically get like this if I have someplace I can be alone. Even being in the center of the entire group is fine if no one tries to get my attention.

I was curious if other introverts have such physical manifestations of introversion. Also, I'm curious if extroverts have similar problems with periods of no contact with other people. To me that seems even worse since there isn't the possibility of just tuning everything out.
 
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Phantonym

Guest
I start to feel that my brain is slowly and painfully turning into goo. At first I get easily irritable and start to snap at people and then it's like deep sea diving, getting deeper and deeper, trying to close everything around me off. It's like wearing earplugs, the sounds are muffled and I start to get a tension headache (forehead, beaming towards the temples), dull but consistent. Everything seems to lag and that goes for both mental and physical activity.
 

Tycho

New member
Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
65
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
4w5
At some point I start feeling stressed. My heartbeat rises, I feel a kind of chill and start being mentally detached from my surroundings. My mind drifts, carrying me far, far away from reality. Then I feel an urge to leave but that's not always possible. I become less alert, unable to respond to what happens around me with the correct portrayal of emotion, all conversation is forced.

It happens in particular when I feel burnt out; I'm either bored to death with listening to all the conversations and bad jokes, or feel like my presence can no longer add value, so I won't be appreciated; there is no possible gain for me anymore so I get into my 'retreat' instinct.
 

SilkRoad

Lay the coin on my tongue
Joined
May 26, 2009
Messages
3,932
MBTI Type
INFJ
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6w5
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
I start to feel that my brain is slowly and painfully turning into goo. At first I get easily irritable and start to snap at people and then it's like deep sea diving, getting deeper and deeper, trying to close everything around me off. It's like wearing earplugs, the sounds are muffled and I start to get a tension headache (forehead, beaming towards the temples), dull but consistent. Everything seems to lag and that goes for both mental and physical activity.

This is pretty accurate for me too. Then the best thing I can do is hurry home (hopefully without seeming rude), make a cup of tea and read for a while, or maybe watch some old episodes of Friends :D

I do have quite a high tolerance for being around people, and I really need some good solid regular interaction. But I almost always prefer one-on-one or smallish groups of good friends and good conversation. I get exhausted sooner or later in big parties where there are tons of people, all the conversation is very superficial and limited, and it might even be so loud that I have to shout to make myself heard and can barely hear what the other person is saying...
 

21%

You have a choice!
Joined
May 15, 2009
Messages
3,224
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
4w5
I don't really have physical symptoms from being around people too much, except for, perhaps, exhaustion. I just get very, very unhappy. I stop functioning mentally and I go on auto-pilot until I can go home.
 

Nigel Tufnel

New member
Joined
Nov 30, 2008
Messages
116
MBTI Type
ENTP
I'm the exact opposite. I like to stay out late, and hated when my girlfriend would want to stay home and watch a movie. I need to be out in the action, or else I feel understimulated.
 

Unkindloving

Lungs & Lips Locked
Joined
Dec 10, 2009
Messages
2,963
MBTI Type
ENFJ
Enneagram
4w5
I definitely have an issue when i'm not around people enough. I feel completely drained and don't know what to do with myself. It becomes difficult to put forth the effort when an opportunity to be around people arises, although i know i'll start feeling recharged the second i am around them.
When i am offered the chance to be around others, i very rarely pass it up. The people i am comfortable with are very addicting and refreshing to me, but it doesn't mean i don't need some periods of alone time. It merely means that i don't need long periods of time to myself.

I'd say that i would go crazy if didn't have any time to myself, but i would go even crazier if i only had time to myself, whereas introverts may go crazy if they have all of their time to themselves, but crazier if they didn't have any time to themselves.
 

edcoaching

New member
Joined
Jun 30, 2008
Messages
752
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
7
There's quite a bit of evidence that INTPs and ISTPs need less contact with other people than any other types. They're fully occupied observing the nuttiness of humanity...which is a good reason to type Sawyer on Lost as IS/NTP...
 

KDude

New member
Joined
Jan 26, 2010
Messages
8,243
I can function in social situations, but my introversion is more of a mood where I sometimes just feel better off on my own - not necessarily a feeling that I have to bolt, or regain my well being in a serious way. It's just a weighing of options - where introversion wins out.

Sometimes I wonder if I'm not even introverted though -- that maybe I just like change, and going where something new or where the stimulation is at. Sometimes my only alternative from escaping a particular crowd is just chillin' on my own - which would seem like introversion. But in many cases, I'd rather not do that. I'm the type of person who will barhop, or might meet someone at a party.. and then stop hopping around with them/her/him to another party.. leaving the people I know.

Sorry if this out of the scope of this thread. :)
 

miss fortune

not to be trusted
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Oct 4, 2007
Messages
20,589
Enneagram
827
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sp/so
without human interaction I start to feel a bit down and depressed and tired... I NEED to be around people to function, even though I feel like some sort of loser for saying that :doh:
 

human101

Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2009
Messages
510
MBTI Type
NiTe
Enneagram
1w9
Instinctual Variant
sx
I don't really have physical symptoms from being around people too much, except for, perhaps, exhaustion. I just get very, very unhappy. I stop functioning mentally and I go on auto-pilot until I can go home.


this
 

SilkRoad

Lay the coin on my tongue
Joined
May 26, 2009
Messages
3,932
MBTI Type
INFJ
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6w5
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
without human interaction I start to feel a bit down and depressed and tired... I NEED to be around people to function, even though I feel like some sort of loser for saying that :doh:

That doesn't make you a loser any more than needing a lot of alone time makes the typical introvert a loser. :)

That said, I think this is a particularly important area to achieve some balance in. We're humans, we should enjoy and appreciate other humans and learn how we can reach out to them and them to us. It worries me that some people seem to think that human interaction is totally unnecessary to them. But it also worries me when people seem to have no capacity at all for being on their own.
 

slowriot

He who laughs
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Dec 1, 2008
Messages
1,314
Enneagram
5w4
To the OP: Definately do understand what you say, may not be as extreme though. I always thought I was a really introverted person, until I met a man that was so much more introverted than me. I didnt know him personally but from the outside looking in I could definately see a much stronger need for alone time, a harder time to express him self, a want to not be in the spotlight, than I myself experience.

On the other hand Ive met people that have such a strong grip on what is going on around them and so focused on other people that it too can be really socially inhibiting. A person totally focused on extroversion can be as social inept as the person being focused on introversion.

To come back to the OP I would say that as much I personally think Im an introvert, which I clearly am (atleast to myself), I also do have a natural liking for being in contact with other people to some degree. As a forum like this is excellent to supply me. But in really stand out situations like at parties, Ive never been the type to go early, Im always there atleast until the end of the party. So as much as Im kind of misanthropic towards most people (more for the dislike of how the general public is) I do enjoy the company of people I truly feel comfortable being around. And could be around them for several hours.

Which is interesting to me when I consider my sister and myself. She is definately the expressive outgoing type, but over the years as we spend time together, my parents and I feel that she reaches a point where she has had enough of us after spending over a day with us. (my parents are introverts like me) And that is really interesting, plus we as introverts come to the conclusion its probably because she dont feel a connection with us, as we we feel when we like being around certain people. But this might be a very different and much more practical answer that we need to be looking for.

Edit: And yes I didnt read the last paragraph it seems, I do feel headaches coming. After a day at work I need some time alone, in total silence or sleep, eventhough my job is not the most outgoing job there is. I do have times where I feel overstimulated and react in a way where I retrieve.
 

Lacey

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Jan 3, 2009
Messages
392
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
6w5
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
I get headaches sometimes, but mostly I just get really tired and I have to withdraw/detach. Basically, I become a zombie. I want to eat peoples' brains but I've been pretty good at controlling myself so far.
 
Joined
Apr 23, 2009
Messages
1,992
MBTI Type
ENTJ
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8w9
I'm climbing the walls after 2 days alone.

I need not-alone time, to enjoy my alone time.
 

IZthe411

Carerra Lu
Joined
Jul 19, 2009
Messages
2,585
MBTI Type
INTJ
I'm climbing the walls after 2 days alone.

I need not-alone time, to enjoy my alone time.


Very good way to put it.
I really enjoy my alone time when I've worked for it!

Most likely, If I've exerted myself, Somebody has benefitted. We've laughed together, had a good discussion, or solved some kind of problem. At the least, we've drawn closer in some way.

But as that period of time comes to an end, I can't wait to get to my house. At that point, no internet, don't let that phone ring! and sometimes no other stimulation. Complete darkness. A nap.

My re-energizing process can take 20 minutes to 10 hours.

But I definitely need to interact with someone after that.

Take this past Thursday: It was supposed to be such a bad snow storm that I worked from home. It was a bust of a storm that day. In fact, it didn't get bad until Friday morning. And the roads were bad Friday morning, but I preferred sliding my way into the office than sitting in my house another day.
 
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