Hi,

Do you feel that you are an introvert?

I think many of us live introverted lives by circumstances of our bipolar and such.

But maybe we otherwise would be extroverts.



Mari

Mari, As you know I don't have Bipolar Disorder (however I certainly am a highly sensitive person in many respects and have other conditions) but I am an introvert and the last thing I can imagine wanting to be is an extrovert. I'm quite happy being the introvert that I am. Just speaking for myself I can definitely say I wasn't made into an introvert by circumstances in my life. I was born that way although circumstances probably have affected the way that I view the world and the people in it and to a degree have made me more cautious about social interaction which never has come easily anyway.

Introverts unite:

We're here
we're uncomfortable
and we want to
go home!

Ha, I like that! I may use it myself sometime.

I know that I am a introvert. I've been that way ever since my mental health issues got worse when I was in High School.

At the time,I wanted to get away from everyone. BF

Mari,

I know a lot of introverts, and have hugged a few lately because I had not seen them in a long time. They do not like it, lol. Most hug back stiffly. Any many of my people will avoid hugs with strangers/new people.

I would not say I am an introvert, but I am not a huge hugger. I get pretty weirded out when someone I don't know tries to hug me (I will sometimes avoid) but I am ok between friends. And then there's people who just want to do it too damn often.

Hi,

My three siblings are extroverts. I really do not understand them.

They get their energy from being around other people whereas I get my energy from being alone.
I very often need to recharge with quiet time / solitude.

Mari

Waves,


I agree about the strangers hugging.
Geez. I even prefer that we do not shake hands.
Most of the time I feel awkward -- hello, leave your hands by your sides and leave me alone --- but I suppose I am weird.

I hate hugs.
I do what I can to avoid them -- I especially hate being hugged by someone with perfume/ cologne/ artificial scent on them.
(I am o.k. with regular normal sweat smells.)


Mari

I find a lot of interactions draining and absolutely need to recharge with quiet time alone, but there are times when they have a net positive effect on me, even if there is some discomfort. I am thinking of times when I worked alone, that I'd make up excuses to go talk to people to liven myself up. Also, on some really down days, I've been significantly cheered up by acts of kindness by random strangers.

I think one of the questions I had problems with on the Myer's Briggs (I missed two, both from the I/E scale), was something like the choice between spending a free evening at a party or reading a book and some in between options. Well funny but the in betweens didn't appeal, but both of those two did and about the same.

Waves, maybe you're an ambivert?