Social interaction can fuel some people, especially extroverts. To introverts, the same level of social interaction can be draining instead. While introverts can appreciate socializing, they invest a lot of energy trying to navigate socially demanding environments, leading to social exhaustion.
Introverts tend to draw energy from going inwards and being on our own whereas as extroverts tend to draw energy from things that are external to their mind. That is why overly stimulating environments can be energy draining for introverts, leaving us feeling tired, lacking in energy and even stressed.
You can get an introvert drained in a couple of hours and they can feel fatigued for even longer. Introvert exhaustion can last anything between a few hours to a couple of days. The determining factor is how fast they can realize their fatigue and deal with it.
To most people, loneliness is not a word that meshes with introversion. Everyone knows that introverts value their alone time almost more than anything else. As Susan Cain wrote in Quiet, “Solitude matters, and for some people, it's the air they breathe.”
Give yourself permission to be your authentic self
The reality is, the most draining thing you can do is not give yourself permission to just be you. The key ingredient for introverts to not feel drained in social situations is therefore, authenticity. If you're feeling tired, that's okay! Own your tiredness.
Or in other words, how we recharge our brains. Introverts (or those of us with introverted tendencies) tend to recharge by spending time alone. They lose energy from being around people for long periods of time, particularly large crowds. Extroverts, on the other hand, gain energy from other people.
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.
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.
Introverts struggle with the fast pace of many organizations and offices without walls can be rough for introverts who prefer to go inward to do their best thinking. If you're an introvert, you struggle with finding quiet time to gather your thoughts, particularly at brainstorming meetings.
Introverts are not the type to wear their hearts on their sleeves. Instead, we often have our guard up, and it can take a lot of one-on-one time for us to finally let down those walls. This can make dating difficult, especially when the other person wants to know more than we're willing to share.
However, your answer to that question doesn't determine the end-all be-all of emotional intelligence, and your answer may not be one or the other. Extroverted introverts and introverted extroverts exist, and there are certainly introverts who have developed high emotional intelligence.
An introvert hangover, also called introvert burnout, occurs when an introvert has spent too much time interacting with others and they feel exhausted and drained. Many people don't realize that introverts can be very outgoing and enjoy social interactions.
Being an introvert is often considered weak. They aren't quite as good as the extroverts, who just seem to breeze through life. But that's not true, there is nothing wrong with being an introvert. The main problem is with society, which doesn't see it in the same way.
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.
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.
Introversion isn't totally genetic. It gets influenced by your environment at a young age, and our genes allow a certain amount of flexibility in response. This happens through “set points,” which are the upper and lower limits of how much extroversion your brain can handle.
Even though introverted people tend to prefer time alone, they can also experience feelings of loneliness.
Introverts thrive in professions that offer them plenty of space and independence. Most introverts perform better in workplaces with fewer external distractions. Good jobs for introverts include accounting, engineering, and technical writing.
In a new study, scientists found that the brains of introverts don't pay much attention to human faces, a reason why they prefer to remain alone while their socially outgoing counterparts love the company of others.
Studies have found that introverts get more easily distracted than their extroverted counterparts. Because of this, they might be annoyed when someone steps into their office for a quick chat. They also get annoyed by interruptions when they speak. Extroverts are often guilty of interrupting others while talking.
Overall findings show introverts are more vulnerable than extraverts to depression and decreased mental well-being. Introverts are more likely to be compliant and have lower self-esteem than extraverts, and also have less social support than extraverts, which can be detrimental when experiencing depression.
Social interaction can fuel some people, especially extroverts. To introverts, the same level of social interaction can be draining instead. While introverts can appreciate socializing, they invest a lot of energy trying to navigate socially demanding environments, leading to social exhaustion.
Introverts can become temporarily disillusioned by incidents that leave them feeling slighted, disrespected, overlooked, or mistreated. For a few hours they may become disillusioned not just with the person who caused their anger, but with humanity in general.