This. This times a thousand.

[tahariel]

I re-found this article today when browsing my old bookmarks, and thought other people might find it interesting too: Caring for Your Introvert

I'm a self-confessed introvert at heart. I'm good at people (well... some of the time. I'm good with my kind of people, or patient-type-people who I don't really have to connect on a deep level with) but I have to admit that if I don't get enough time on my own I pretty much just want to kill every other human being within a two-mile radius. And not because I dislike the specific people - often they are people I like a great deal - but because right then I just hate everyone, and want them to go away.

People just talk about so much inane stuff all the time! I really have no idea how people find some of the minutia of daily life so fascinating as to talk about them all day. I know many of the things I'm interested in other people aren't, but at least you actually have to think about those. Who really wants to talk about food shopping or being pissed for hours on end?

On the internet, I am quite happy talking to people all day long sometimes, because it is very quiet in my room and I can turn them off if I want to.

It's why I get up so much earlier in the mornings than I need to - just to have some time to myself before I get people all day at work. And then I enjoy being by myself after work, at least for a little bit.

Don't get me wrong, I love people - in small doses.

Anyone else feel similarly? Or have I scared you off with my indiscriminate death-threats?

Comments

[wickednotevil.livejournal.com]

I think people can be lovely!...when you can go back to your room after ten minutes and leave them to talking about the X-Factor. Or their cousin, who's really nice, yeah, but a bit of a slapper, right, but people don't understand.

Urgh. After a long day at college where I have to interact with people who talk about EVERYTHING THAT COMES INTO THEIR HEADS (and force you to repeat things in a dumbed-down fashion so they understand your comments when you try and join in) I need to avoid others until I don't want to kill them.
But actually saying that makes me feel a bit like some sort creepy misanthropic cave-dweller...

[tahariel.livejournal.com]

But you're not! It's perfectly normal, it's just that most people like that kind of thing and so if you don't then you must be antisocial, which is not the case at all.

[freedomdarkness.livejournal.com]

I understand completely about just needing time alone and away from people. I find people tiring but I don't know whether it's because of being an introvert or the fact that all forms of social interaction makes me anxious.

I can be good infront of people and in large groups but it's taken years of just learning not to give a fuck but this only works with people I don't know.

[cassandra-minds.livejournal.com]

I can agree with that. Sometimes people just get annoying..but if they dont talk about the inane stuff, they may actually have to talk about something that matters and that scares people, so they blow stuff way out of proportion so they can avoid the big stuff. I guess its just the way the world works. Besides, everyone is scared of silence..

[tahariel.livejournal.com]

It doesn't even have to be important topics, I just wish people would talk about books or movies or something instead of their dog's gastrointestinal distress.

[loki-dip.livejournal.com]

I completely get it. I can be friendly but if I don't get an hour or so to myself a day then it is not fun to be with me. *g*

So yeah, I guess it's about learning how much time you need and making sure you get it!

[magic-at-mungos.livejournal.com]

Oh god yes. I need a lot of me space. I don't know whether it's because I work with the general public an need space to suppress MUST KILL NOW urges :D

[pobbit.livejournal.com]

I feel bad if I don't have people around me, but I do need a bit of time just on my own every day as well. I start to feel a little stressed if I have no privacy for 2 weeks at a time. Also, it very much depends on what the people are like. I can spend ages with people I can connect with but I get highly pissed off if I have to constantly simplify my sentences for someone whose native language is supposedly the same as my own.

[kathkin.livejournal.com]

So many people don't seem to understand what 'introverted' and 'extroverted' actually mean. I am an introvert, and if I don't get enough nights in to spend quality time with my laptop it's all ARGSHSGFHL and I end up tired out.
I do happen to be very shy a lot of the time as well. And I just don't get on properly with a lot of people. >_< But yeah.