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Meet the introverts who are dreading a return to normal

anna.

but mostly it's the same
Meet the introverts who are dreading a return to normal

Social scientists correctly predicted that introverts were best suited to weather the stress of the past year. After months of lockdown, the question now is whether introverts can teach the rest of us something about moving forward.

When restrictions were imposed last year, “I had extrovert friends who were just losing their minds,” says Sólo. But introverts were finally getting the uninterrupted time they craved.

Not every introvert, of course — those suddenly spending 24/7 with family members or roommates were much more stressed. But most of Granneman’s audience said they loved being at home, freed from all the invitations, the meetings, the many outings with family and friends.


So how about you? Do you lean introvert or extrovert? (It's a sliding scale, not an either or, you can be some of both and even situationally an introvert or extrovert).

Myself, I lean introvert, and this sentence from the article speaks for me:

Introverts missed seeing their close friends but savored the ability to go for hours or even days without speaking to another person.

Are you ready to go back out into the pre-quarantine world? Or are you already mourning the impending loss of the solitude you didn't have to make any excuses for?
 

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
Meet the introverts who are dreading a return to normal

Social scientists correctly predicted that introverts were best suited to weather the stress of the past year. After months of lockdown, the question now is whether introverts can teach the rest of us something about moving forward.

When restrictions were imposed last year, “I had extrovert friends who were just losing their minds,” says Sólo. But introverts were finally getting the uninterrupted time they craved.

Not every introvert, of course — those suddenly spending 24/7 with family members or roommates were much more stressed. But most of Granneman’s audience said they loved being at home, freed from all the invitations, the meetings, the many outings with family and friends.


So how about you? Do you lean introvert or extrovert? (It's a sliding scale, not an either or, you can be some of both and even situationally an introvert or extrovert).

Myself, I lean introvert, and this sentence from the article speaks for me:

Introverts missed seeing their close friends but savored the ability to go for hours or even days without speaking to another person.

Are you ready to go back out into the pre-quarantine world? Or are you already mourning the impending loss of the solitude you didn't have to make any excuses for?

Masks are the only thing that really affected me (well, inconvenienced me) in the pandemic. All my class work has always been online, everything's walking distance, and the amount of people I see and/or talk to while out I can count on my hands. I'm somewhat an extrovert in that I need to get out to be "free" but an introvert when it comes to talking with people. My energy level can't keep up with a full conversation. I don't think that will change if the pandemic is over.
 

Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber
I don't have to meet one. I am one of those introverts already wrestling with bouts of social anxieties and agoraphobia as things are starting to return to normal.
 

JustGeorge

Not As Much Fun As I Look
Staff member
Premium Member
I'm an extrovert, but I was already living like an introvert when the pandemic sprung upon us. It wasn't comfortable for me then, but I will say not being able to try(and fail) to socialize has released me from that burden. I'm not really interested in going back to the way things were in a sense that I try and fail... I am now comfortable staying home. I do have social impulses that aren't met, but I've learned to cope with that, too.
 

Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber
I'm an extrovert, but I was already living like an introvert when the pandemic sprung upon us. It wasn't comfortable for me then, but I will say not being able to try(and fail) to socialize has released me from that burden. I'm not really interested in going back to the way things were in a sense that I try and fail... I am now comfortable staying home. I do have social impulses that aren't met, but I've learned to cope with that, too.
I've regressed so much that shopping has become extremely stressful, I'm verbally not communicating as well as I well, and I'm starting to feel very on edge around people when I shouldn't be. One of the worst ones has been was I finally just starting to get comfortable with people when they are nice to me, and not panic and freak out when they make pro-social gestures of good will, and when somebody offered to buy my groceries for me last week it threw me so far off my focus of "get in/get out" that he might as well have pulled a knife on me. Talking with people I was getting less rigid, more tone, and sounding more fluid. Now I'm back to a rigid pattern that is flat-lined on a spectogram.
I've enjoyed this time greatly, but so much of what I've worked so hard for has been erased.
 

Trailblazer

Veteran Member
Are you ready to go back out into the pre-quarantine world? Or are you already mourning the impending loss of the solitude you didn't have to make any excuses for?
I am an introvert extraordinaire but I am not dreading anything since I am not going back out. :D
I need no excuses for being me. :rolleyes: There will be no loss of solitude. :)
 

JustGeorge

Not As Much Fun As I Look
Staff member
Premium Member
I'm starting to feel very on edge around people when I shouldn't be. One of the worst ones has been was I finally just starting to get comfortable with people when they are nice to me, and not panic and freak out when they make pro-social gestures of good will,

I struggle with this one too, probably my whole life. It sucks. Sorry to hear its troubling you.
 

We Never Know

No Slack
Meet the introverts who are dreading a return to normal

Social scientists correctly predicted that introverts were best suited to weather the stress of the past year. After months of lockdown, the question now is whether introverts can teach the rest of us something about moving forward.

When restrictions were imposed last year, “I had extrovert friends who were just losing their minds,” says Sólo. But introverts were finally getting the uninterrupted time they craved.

Not every introvert, of course — those suddenly spending 24/7 with family members or roommates were much more stressed. But most of Granneman’s audience said they loved being at home, freed from all the invitations, the meetings, the many outings with family and friends.


So how about you? Do you lean introvert or extrovert? (It's a sliding scale, not an either or, you can be some of both and even situationally an introvert or extrovert).

Myself, I lean introvert, and this sentence from the article speaks for me:

Introverts missed seeing their close friends but savored the ability to go for hours or even days without speaking to another person.

Are you ready to go back out into the pre-quarantine world? Or are you already mourning the impending loss of the solitude you didn't have to make any excuses for?

I'm an ambivert. I'm fine either way. Neither open or lockdown bothers me.
 

Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber
I struggle with this one too, probably my whole life. It sucks. Sorry to hear its troubling you.
Driving rideshare really helped a lot socially. Even people being nice to me felt great. Offering to buy me drinks and snacks at a gas station, buy me dinner, drinks at a bar, tipped big, even given cannabis as a tip (I used to carry around a tip jar in my car). I was even starting to get comfortable with people touching me (my hair specifically is what 99.99999% of people were touching). And now I'm having to make myself go into stores, I'm weaving and dancing through people again so I can get out, and it's uncomfortable for someone to be within arm's reach.
 

JustGeorge

Not As Much Fun As I Look
Staff member
Premium Member
Driving rideshare really helped a lot socially. Even people being nice to me felt great. Offering to buy me drinks and snacks at a gas station, buy me dinner, drinks at a bar, tipped big, even given cannabis as a tip (I used to carry around a tip jar in my car). I was even starting to get comfortable with people touching me (my hair specifically is what 99.99999% of people were touching). And now I'm having to make myself go into stores, I'm weaving and dancing through people again so I can get out, and it's uncomfortable for someone to be within arm's reach.

Sorry you have to get used to all that again...

I have a hard time with people touching me, too, other than my husband and children. I actually sneak out of family events without saying good bye so no one will try to hug me. I'm not trying to be a jerk, its just really uncomfortable.
 

Quagmire

Imaginary talking monkey
Staff member
Premium Member
I miss some things about the beginning of the pandemic: deserted streets, empty parks, exceptionally clear and clean air because of the diminished traffic . . .

There was an almost post-apocalypse sense of peace about the world. :D

I'm an introvert, and I have to admit it was kind of nice to go about my normal routine, most of which doesn't include other people, and not feel like an antisocial weirdo about it.
 

Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber
I actually sneak out of family events without saying good bye so no one will try to hug me. I'm not trying to be a jerk, its just really uncomfortable.
I get that.
Anyone I meet wanting to celebrate and just hug people is going to be the most awful, horrible, evil person ever if we cross paths.
 

JustGeorge

Not As Much Fun As I Look
Staff member
Premium Member
I get that.
Anyone I meet wanting to celebrate and just hug people is going to be the most awful, horrible, evil person ever if we cross paths.

An overly vocal uncle I'm quite fond of used to give me crap about it until I said "The only reason anyone cares is because I'm a woman and women are supposed to like hugs. No one gives (my male cousin) crap about not wanting hugs." He left me alone after that, and respectfully gives me the same goodbye gesture he does with male family members now.
 

Trailblazer

Veteran Member
I have a hard time with people touching me, too, other than my husband and children. I actually sneak out of family events without saying good bye so no one will try to hug me. I'm not trying to be a jerk, its just really uncomfortable.
I don't want anyone touching me, not even my husband, but that is a story perhaps for another day. :rolleyes:
That's one thing about NOT working in the office, I don't have certain people coming around touching me or worse yet hugging me.
Baha'is are huggers but they best steer clear of me. :mad:
 
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