Places to Chat
Introverts and Extroverts
Chatterbox: Down to Earth
Introverts and Extroverts
Introverts and Extroverts
(Side note: Sorry if I seem a bit formal - it's my first post in a while and for some reason I wanted it to be perfect.)
I've been fascinated by this topic lately so I thought I'd share a bit about it.
An introvert is someone who gains their energy by being alone, whereas an extrovert is someone who gains their energy from being around other people. It isn't the same as shy or outgoing; it's possible to have a shy extrovert and an outgoing introvert.
According to a study in which people were given lemon juice and the introverts reacted more, producing more saliva than the extroverts. From this they concluded that introverts are more sensitive and that's what causes them to become overstimulated in some social situations. On the other hand, extroverts crave the stimulation of a crowded room.
So, are you an introvert or an extrovert, and what foibles has it caused you? Or do you think it's a productive discussion at all?
submitted by Brown Bear
(February 28, 2017 - 8:33 pm)
(February 28, 2017 - 8:33 pm)
Ooh, cool! I'm an ambivert, but I'm a little more extroverted!
(February 28, 2017 - 10:03 pm)
Cool, September! I should have included that in the post. The first time I typed it out it got deleted and in the second version I left out some things.
I'm an introvert, for the record.
(March 1, 2017 - 6:29 pm)
Hm...I don't know. Maybe somewhere in the middle. Interesting.
(March 1, 2017 - 3:42 pm)
Introvert at heart, but I'm more outgoing on here for some reason.
(March 1, 2017 - 6:12 pm)
Same.
(March 13, 2017 - 5:31 pm)
I am very much an extrovert, and most of my family and friends are as well. My mother, however, is very introverted. She can deal being around a few people at a time, and certain people don't tire her at all, but being in a big crowd really drains her. She enjoys her job (she's an archivest) because she's basically alone in a basement going through old documents, and that makes her happy. She loves animals and our family.
I am an extrovert (like, the most extrovertiest extrovert ever) but I'm incredibly shy around people I don't know or that I don't know much about. I am also quiet in most of my classes, except for classes where I really love my teacher (English, History, Science, Gym). Even around many of my classmates I'm nearly silent. However, when I'm around my friends, you can never shut me up. I guess it really depends on the situationas to whether or not I'm shy. Sometimes, I'm silent one day and talkative the next. It changes.
(March 1, 2017 - 6:44 pm)
Hum...I'm pretty sure I'm probably one of the only Extroverts here, I think I may actually be a bit of both, but I'm more of extroverted then introverted. Sometimes I dont want to talk to people, but thats probably because I'm really tired, and sometimes words feal forced, and thats probably me being extreamly exaghsted. Geeze, someone needs to tell me to get more sleep! Oh, wait, thats not possible unless I sleep on the bus and somone changes my STUPID GETTING-UP AT 6 IN THE MORNING TO CATCH MY STUPID BUS THAT'S ALWAYS 5 MINUTES EARLY! Seriously though, a mile run at 6 in the morning does not feel too good. XD
But really, sometimes I'm more extroverted then introverted, other times im more introverted. It may be a play on altitude and stress, so really I'm probably just a shy and stressed out Extrovert. XD
(March 1, 2017 - 7:15 pm)
You and me both Claaws, you and me both
(March 2, 2017 - 6:39 am)
I'm an introvert, and unbelievably shy in real life. I hardly ever talk to anyone I don't know for fear of seeming awkward or weird. I wish I had the courage to make more friends and try new things, but I just don't. It extends beyond social situations for me and makes it really hard to break out of my comfort zone and engage in new experiences and activities. The only reason I seem a little more outgoing on the CB is because I can review what I'm saying and doing before I actually say or do it. In some situations, I let my temper get ahead of me or otherwise just say things I regret, but usually I have the opportunity to revise what I'm going to say to seem as emphatic as possible and optimally convey the point or subject matter of the post. IRL it usually just comes out as an awkward garble of vaguely human-sounding speech.
Huh boy, this got really long all of a sudden. No one likes reading vents anyway, so I don't know why I bothered. See ya!
(March 2, 2017 - 7:38 am)
Based off of what I've read here, I feel like I might be an ambivert.
I definitely gain energy from being around other people.
But, I gain energy from being alone as well.
(March 2, 2017 - 8:42 am)
I'm an introvert. Definetely. I cannot, cannot, stand being around lots of people. I get cranky, annoying and sapped of energy. A crowded room? Forget it. This has caused me problems. I couldn't have fun at the march on Washington.
Sigh.
(March 2, 2017 - 7:06 pm)
I'm an ambivert, but definitely closer to introvert. I don't talk much around people I don't know very well, so they assume I don't want to make friends. Then I get really lonely, because I don't have very many friends. OK, I'll stop talking now.
My captcha says takk. I guess she disagrees.
(March 3, 2017 - 11:16 am)
I'm an extrovert in a family of introverts. How am I an extrovert?
1. While the rest of my family that's old enough to enjoy actual music likes rock/heavy metal music, I like pop. (Much to the dismay of my dad. Especially when he found out that I like some of Justin Bieber's songs.)
2. I begged my mom and dad to let me go to 5th grade because I was so lonely (I had only 1 friend at the time) Of course, then I got the flu from a kid that sat right next to me and I freaked out and never wanted to go to school again...my mistake.
3. I would see my friends every single day if I could. Currently, I only have 3, and none of them know each other, so I can't have parties. Sad. But back to the topic! Sometimes I won't see any of my friends for weeks at a time. It can get very lonely.
4. I am kind of shy, but that doesn't mean I'm an introvert. I'm not shy with people I know, or in places I've been in before.
5. I like solitary things such as reading, writing, and art, but when I'm not doing those things, I long for company.
(March 4, 2017 - 2:09 pm)
Nighthawk: It makes perfect sense that, as an introvert, you would be more outgoing on an internet website then in a physical-social situation. I'm the same way. I'm an introvert. And I love people. It's just that being around them for a long amount of time wears me out.
Being an introvert just means that you draw your energy from within. So I often withdraw to focus in on myself and assess situations, come to decisions, calm dows, etc. But my inner state, that I draw my energy from, is directly affected by the people around me. So I need to be around the people I love, so that my inner state is healthy and stable enough to support me. In a way, this mode of introversion seems rather selfish to me. Extroverts are constantly, unconsciously demanding energy from those introverts around them, but I, as an introvert, am basically feeding off of the emotions of everyone, without allowing them my energy in return. If that makes any sense whatever.
Leafpool: Not being shy in certain circumstances doesn't really dictate whether you're extro-or-introverted. I'd try taking the 16 personality test online-- it's perfectly free and remarkably accurate. I'd skip the Romance page, as it can be inappropriate for some ages, but the rest of it is supremely helpful to everyone. Until you're about 13, the test doesn't place you very well-- your personality needs to settle.
(March 4, 2017 - 3:48 pm)
Esthelle, if you don't mind sharing, what MBTI type are you? I'm curious, because I deffinetly identify with a lot of the things you mentioned. I'm an INFJ-T, and deffinetly an introvert. Being around people tires me out, and I hate large crowds. I'm also rather shy. If any of you are interested in finding out more about introversion, i would really recoment the book Quiet by Susan Cain. She brings up some excellent points that made me learn a lot more about myself, as an introvert.
(March 4, 2017 - 9:44 pm)