Introverts rely on alone time to recharge their social batteries, self-reflect, and process the experiences they have with others. Without proper amounts of alone time, introverts can begin to experience irritability, fatigue, poor sleep, and trouble concentrating.
Lack of alone time opens the door for the effects of long-term stress to chip away at your health. Anxiety and depression can take hold. As your mental health declines, your physical health can follow, with stress linked to everything from heart disease to skin disorders.
For introverts, being alone is like food, sleep, or any other type of replenishment — you can't go too long without it. There's no doubt about it: Introverts love alone time. And it's not just about relishing an evening alone — introverts need regular solitude to function.
How much alone time does an introvert need? The average amount of alone time needed by an introvert to experience a high sense of well-being is 5-6 hours daily. 68 percent of people( including extroverts) report having gotten (on average) only 3 hours of rest the previous day.
If an introvert can't recharge, their productivity suffers, too, leading to missed deadlines, poor-quality work, and even ghosting their boss or coworkers. An overstimulated introvert cannot function at full capacity. Everything in their life will suffer — from relationships to mood to job performance.
Introverts are looked down upon for lack of good 'communication skills'. Right from an early age, introverts have to compete very hard with peers, who seem to have no problem in public or interpersonal speaking. What seems to be effortless for peers is actually the most difficult task for an introverted child.
An introvert hangover includes social fatigue, mental and physical exhaustion, and burnout felt by introverts after they have spent too much time socializing with others. This feeling occurs because introverts are drained by interactions with others and need time alone to recharge.
The key thing to remember is that after a long day of social activity, an introvert will probably want to retreat to a quiet place to think, reflect, and recharge. If having a few hours to be alone sounds like your idea of a good time, you just might be an introvert.
Introverts can be perfectly happy on their own, or terribly lonely in a crowd. A lot of the time, introverts need solitude and quiet to recharge themselves. This can make it harder for them to create and maintain social connections, and there can be a point where “alone” becomes “lonely”.
For an introvert, maintaining a friendship is like exercising. It never quite loses that feeling of “work,” but as long as one doesn't put it off too long, it doesn't have to be a chore, either. And just like a good exercise regimen, maintaining a friendship doesn't have to consume your life.
Introverts usually prefer being alone, and that includes when crying, too.
Being alone gives us time to think and do tasks without needing to worry about others' needs. Introverts love to spend time alone to recharge and think. They are authentic and know what they want most of the time. They are not without friends; they just like to have more time alone than other people do.
When introverts don't get enough alone time, it's easy for them to become overstimulated. Research estimates that social interactions extending over 3 hours can lead to post-socializing fatigue for some people. Social exhaustion doesn't happen overnight.
Our specific needs for connection can seem excessive, and may result in feeling disconnected from those around us. In other words, loneliness is a sad, painful state, but healthy solitude recharges an introvert. Nevertheless, introverts can still get lonely, even though they enjoy spending time alone.
Many people find it difficult to be alone. This can be due to past trauma or abandonment fears, low self-esteem, or just not being used to spending time with themselves. The good news is that, like learning any other skill, time and practice can make spending time alone much easier.
Some people, it turns out, really are less susceptible to loneliness while alone . Or, more specifically, some people have already been living the conclusion of a recent study: that spending time with other people isn't the only way to feel a sense of belonging.
While introverts are generally likely to report lower levels of happiness than extroverts, this does not mean that introverts are unhappy. Ultimately, it's important to note the happiness benefits of both introverted and extroverted behavior, no matter where you fall on the spectrum.
Angry Introverts are in a sensitive state, and they can easily become overstimulated by too much social contact. Interestingly, Introverts won't usually respond to their anger by leaving altogether.
And just because they love silence doesn't mean it needs to be awkward. The silence doesn't mean the introvert has become disinterested in your presence or the time with you. In fact, they may just be enjoying the time with you, even in silence. There's no need to feel awkward about it.
One of the main reasons that introverts have a hard time making friends is that they are often seen as shy. People may not approach them because they seem uninterested or aloof. Introverts themselves may feel uncomfortable approaching a random stranger. They may feel awkward or out of place in large groups.
Independence. Unique and fiercely independent, introverts are more inclined to let their own inner resources guide them than follow the crowd. We do our best work — and are our happiest — when we have the freedom to explore ideas, spend time alone, and be self-directed and independent.
Introverts can experience a bit of anxiety when they need to speak in social situations. Introducing themselves, talking to a stranger or public speaking are mentally draining for them. These are the examples of a definitely stressful situation out of their comfort zone.
Perhaps the toughest part of being an introvert is not so much talking about yourself, but rather wishing you were better at talking about yourself.
Signs that you may be experiencing introvert burnout include physical exhaustion, irritability, anxiety, and loss of expressiveness; however, you could experience a range of other symptoms to varying degrees.
While it's true that both types of personality can experience problems with their mental health, it's widely accepted and proven that introverts are more susceptible to depression than many other personality types.