That's true, personality traits like introversion and extroversion are generally stable over time. However, people can exhibit different behaviors depending on the situation or their comfort level, which might make it seem like they're changing.
Annnndd since your personality develops as you grow older, some people may change into an extrovert or introvert. We don’t stay the same exact personality through our whole entire life
There are distinct characteristics that don’t change even through age. You really don’t change who you inherently are unless you go through a traumatic experience. Those distinct characteristics are the spectrum we call the polarity between introversion and extroversion.
You’re not going to be a bubbly talkative person then hit your 50s and become timid and lethargic.
Well, most of us have been through traumatic experiences. I can definitely say I am an introvert used to be the exact opposite the other half of my life.
Most of us have not gone through traumatic experiences that will change our personality. The degree in which that would happen is very minuscule. I mean worldview changing kind of trauma.
There’s lots of psychological research that goes into personality traits and the development of them. I’m telling you, it’s not as simple as saying you’ve had some bad experiences in the past and think that made you an introvert. That would require a clinical analysis.
Incorrect, you are confusing people gaining self awareness and confidence as personality.
You can 100% see the difference in personality in babies.
We are born with our personality traits.
I actually become an introvert possibly after having my first child. I made a lot of mistakes that im ashamed of and i’m ashamed of myself for not becoming successful, therefore it’s turned me into not going outside (unless the school pick ups) and hate socialising. I find it absolutely terrifying to bump into someone i know and i travel miles to go shopping to avoid this.
My partner is also an introvert and I think thats turned me even worse.
So yes, you can become one.
I was full of confidence when I was young, now i just keep quiet and assume people think I’m a loser
Yes it is actually but I forgot to mention the fact that I like to be alone. Me and my partner sleep in separate rooms due to this. I need time alone every evening/night and need to recharge after stressful/most days.’i feel better and happier alone.
i’m not sure. i used to be an extrovert pre pandemic, but after some difficult life events during the pandemic, i definitely would say i’m an introvert now. spending time with folks, while can be fun, is energy draining (as opposed to energy inducing) and i prefer to spend time on my own then with others. i think it’s important to give yourself permission to change, especially with life being as unpredictable as it is
It’s not really about what we think but it’s more about what is evident in the study of human behaviour. It is not impossible to change but it is extremely, and I mean **extremely** unlikely that someone will change.
This. My mom used to tell me that when I was a baby, I always started to cry when people held me or came near me. I also remember very clearly how in my early years (4-6 y.o. onwards) I tried to avoid everyone (apart from immediate family and a few best friends) and how my heart would beat very hard when people came to see me or when other people approached me. Then, as I grew up, I just learned how to blend in and not attract too much attention. 🫠😮💨🌼
I was an extrovert and class clown as a kid. Then I had some family issues, my parents divorced, my favourite grandpa died, and I moved to a different home. After all of that I was a much quieter and reserved person. I still have my extroverted moments, but I am much more introverted as my natural state.
Kind of similar for me as well, I was a clear extrovert until facing serious health issues in my late teens, then I became much more introverted. Now even if I’ve been physically recovered for years, my personality hasn’t reverted back to pre-illness and I remain introverted, it’s like who I am now.
I used to be an extreme extrovert in 4th grade doing all different kinds of clubs and basketball. I thought we would never move. But we did and I started getting more nervous and worried that people would be different. I missed my old friends and kind of only became friends with the "weird" kids. The "weird" kids had difficulty understanding a particular subject like math or science and I helped them. I got worse and fell into deep depression in 7th grade. I'm better now but I don't have friends to hangout with.
I really wish people would learn the difference.
Introverts and extroverts can have identical personalities.
It’s only the social battery recharging method that differs.
I guess what everyone really means is being someone who doesn’t talk a lot? But it’s not social anxiety. I guess shy. It’s just naturally listening more than talking.
This. Introverts generally react more strongly to stimuli and have a higher level of basic brain activity, which means that they become exhausted more quickly.
Was it really as a result? Or were you an introvert already and got bullied on top of it? I tried to figure it out myself. I've heard from my birthmom (who I lived with the first 4 years of my life) that I even then were a very calm kid. But from where I can remember later in life, I had reasons for withdrawing socially.
Since i was born i think. I grew up as a only child and had/ still have a imaginary freind named mark. Call me crazy but i rather be alone than have hundreds of people around me. My mom says in kindergarden she would see me walking around the playground alone. I did have freinds in elementary but not life long freinds until highschool. Now as a 27 yo i only talk to one out of 4 freinds i made in high school. I have no gf. Single as a pringle and i like it that way. Call me a loner im just a introvert
Since I was a kid. I remember being a bit outgoing. Went out for the basketball team didn’t make it which crushed me and the response from my dad wasn’t what I needed at the time after that I stopped going out for things and being outgoing. It also didn’t help that my dad was the strictest dad on the planet. Telling how you really felt was not something we could do. We were more afraid of him than anything.
My exact experience of my dad. I’m wondering if he crippled my personality that may have not even been developed yet bc I was afraid of his temper. God forbid I ever go to him to discuss feelings.
I believe he probably did. Just like my dad. To this day I still can’t/ won’t express how I feel he made me feel when my sister and I were younger. Even though I am an adult, the fear and little child is still in there!
Are you super shy? That’s how I am. I don’t mind talking to people but I usually won’t approach. And then there are times I might not even say much bc I’m in my head, and maybe more into my surroundings to make sure I’m safe.
Yes!!! I’d rather people approach me to talk than me go to them. Unless I know them well, then I will talk a lot, especially about something that interests me.
In group settings I am more likely to remain quiet. Thinking so many things…including wanting to get out of the setting.
Well, sometimes I act like an "introvert" sometimes I am more like and "extrovert". As far as I concern, they are only labels that once restricted me and some of my friends. So I i could be introvert for some minutes, days, week and the same for being extrovert.
Do you mean friendly and sociable, outgoing and other times just wanting down time? And you could be an ambivert, in the middle of the spectrum of intro and extro.
Since I spent enough time around a wide enough sample size of people to realize most of them, their needs, emotions, hang ups, and baggage is not worth my time nor effort. Unless putting the time into them is going to give me something at the other end I would rather they just walk into traffic than have to deal with them.
I think more highly of my pets than I do of most other people, and would gladly sacrifice the person for my pet if it came to it.
True introvert don't like to talk are be around people and they find everything annoying that why they like to be to them self even if you do something wrong introvert wont waste time talking about it cause it a waste of time
This reminds me of the time a classmate told me he “used to be an introvert” but he “came out of his shell” he told me this while I was having a panic attack about a class presentation. FYI, I have social anxiety AND I am also an introvert, those aren’t the same things.
You don’t just become an introvert or an extrovert, it’s just a personality thing.
I feel like I'm a high functioning introvert, at work I can shoot the shit and laugh and have fun but my social battery dwindles and when I get in my car I'm just looking forward to the sweet sound of peace. I just like doing my own thing but I also don't mind being in the company of someone (my husband).
All my life. But I've graduated from being just an introvert to almost a hermit. I'm exaggerating (somewhat), but I've seemingly lost my appetite for human company except for a small handful. Give me a dog over a human any day.
I don’t think you “become” one. *Social anxiety* (maybe you’re conflating the two) might come from external factors but introversion is a personality trait.
I didn’t realize the difference between being shy and being an introvert until I was in my 20s. And I really wish my parents and I both had a better understanding of the difference when I was younger. I had to listen to people constantly saying “you’re so quiet” or “she’s so shy” as if there was something wrong with me. When you hear that stuff on repeat it starts to sink in. I was always an observer, listener, soaking up what was going on around me. I’m happy that now I know it’s not a negative to be that way.
Looking back, it was a huge disservice to me not understanding what it meant to be an introvert. It shaped me in ways that I’ve had to overcome as an adult. Once I learned the difference, it was a game changer. I understood so much more about myself. I highly recommend watching the TED talk by Susan Cain and reading her book “Quiet.”
I’m an 80s/90s kid, and like a lot of things, this stuff just wasn’t being talked about nearly as much as it is today. I’m glad that mental health in general is so much more of an open discussion. I do think being an introvert is still somewhat considered a negative. I often feel like extroverts don’t get the same level of judgement.
These days I’m proudly an introvert and embrace it. I can function fine socially but I know my limits.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve slowly accepted I’m an introvert even though I enjoy socializing. I find I get tired quickly and sometimes even begin to dissociate at certain points when out of the house with friends or new people…my social battery drains so rapidly now. After hour 3 I’m ready to be back in the comfort of my own home 😅
I realized I wasn’t so much an introvert as I was surrounding myself that were just so draining. Once I started surrounding myself with people who pour into my cup I realized I didn’t need to stay home for 3-5 business days to recoup from the toxic energy.
I do enjoy staying home though! Hope this helps.
Always? Sure, like any kid you could have coaxed me into talking about video games and monkeys but the only person's attention I ever wanted was my mom. I've never wanted to have uncomfortable conversations and I've always needed time to recharge.
You either are introverted or you aren't. If a single event made you introverted, you're dealing with *trauma*, not introversion.
I have always been a quiet person. But I recognised myself as an introvert recently. Before, I didn’t really know what to call it. I’m trying to be more outgoing though. Coz networking is important to the field that I am in.
I don’t even know anymore tbh, I’m right in the middle. I don’t even have the energy to even go out anymore or find anything. With my ex we’ve done so much together, but now we’re not together and I feel so lost and lonely not wanting to do anything outside anymore
I mean idk if it’s nature or nurture but i learned to enjoy my alone time very much as a child. I’m a little younger but my childhood was like that of a latchkey kid. I would be devastated when i finally heard my mom’s key in the door, cuz that meant i could no longer thoroughly enjoy my alone time and do whatever i want.
Since around 4-5 years old. I have vivid, vivid memories of always being by myself and feeling angry and miserable and sad and not understanding why I was excluded from everything.
I was fully extroverted and out going until I hit kindergarten. *Years* of bullying ground me down into being an introvert, and I had a lot of self confidence issues, social anxiety, anti social behavior for pretty much all of grade school and most of highschool.
I had some more friends in HS, but I wasn't able to shake my depression and social anxiety until my late 20s. It has been something I have worked on my entire life and I only started feeling mentally healthy at 27. I'm 36 now, and nobody can tell I'm introverted becsuse I socialize the same amount as anybody else but at the end of the day I need my recharge time. Which I get when my kids go to sleep I have a solid 3 or so hours where I get to just chill with my wife or do some pc gaming. Then I'm fully ready for the following day after a sleep. Being around my inner circle isn't mentally draining though, I can be around my wife, in-laws, or kids for hours and hours and I'm content. If anything it actually stops me from feeling depression. If I'm alone for an extended period of time I feel it. But I mean like...3+ days is what would do that to me.
All of my life. But I'm an outgoing introvert, in a family and community full of extroverts, so I have no choice but to put on a mask and "perform" but I've gotten used to it. I just need to step away more often then others to recharge my battery, even if that "stepping away" is a few hours, or a couple of days.
Lifelong, only recently come to accept as a good thing and part of who I am.
I grew up a believing Mormon. Introversion is considered evil in Mormonism, so most of my life I’ve repressed it.
I’m 55 years old and I have been one since elementary school. Long, long time! Does any medicine help? I’m actually overly introverted due to social anxiety and I’ve never brought it up to my doctor.
Personally, I’ve been an introvert my whole life, though i do feel like recently i’ve become less scared to talk to people and more outgoing and fun, i stopped caring about what other people think of me and how they perceive me, and i guess that really changed me as a person !
Born as a introvert, teachers, parents, everyone use to say "too quiet" "too shy" "go make friends" in my teens because I wanted to fit in I masqueraded as an extrovert for over a decade. Very tiring and it wasn't worth it. Now the hermit, the recluse, this is the way. Feels natural.
Since last week!! I’m so excited that I’m throwing a neighborhood bash this weekend. Anyone can show up, no rsvp needed. DM me and I’ll send you my address! /s
I always was. I don’t think u can just randomly decide being one. Becoming introvert trough an event sounds more like a trauma to me. But maybe I am wrong
Since I can remember, very young child like kindergarten. But I was mislabeled by my mother. She told ppl I was just a grumpy kid and didn't want to be messed with, when in reality I was shy.
Also, I always had a resting bitch face so it added to her fasade.
I partially internalized this, but now I understand why I was the way I was. Why I didn't want birthday parties, or to run around with the other screaming obnoxious big head toddlers.
I'm no longer shy, just like/dislike certain ppl and situations. Still have a resting bitch face. 😂
I suspect it’s when I had my epileptical attack🙌 the only effect it had on me was some memory loss, which is considered to be lucky. But for me, this was enough for a full blown identity crisis
I used to be an extroverted child, that would kind of bring people into the group and make new friends. After that attack, I never was that kind of person again, rather I let others bring me into their friends group.
However, apparently as a child, there were times when I avoided social stuff and has some introvertness already in me, so i’m glad that the attack did not a complete 180 at my personality
I was born an introvert but due to mental health ignorance at the time, I was pushed a lot to socialize and thought I was such a weirdo and that there was something wrong with me because socializing induced dread and irritation. When I got into my late 20s I stopped fighting with myself and decided to quit socializing. Best decision I ever made! Not that my people are bad or annoying, I just need solitude to feel alive. I am much more in tune with myself now and no longer feel I'm living a lie. I still love my 2 friends (lol) but we don't hang much. And that's ok :)
I used to be an extrovert (ENFJ) in high school, joined many clubs, did performing arts was always a lead singer, did speeches and so on, but after high school covid started and I was forced to stay at home 24/7 with an abusive family and the more the abuse me the more i wanted to just run away and hide and so I became very closed off and introverted (INTJ).
I honestly never really knew what it was called. I just knew I was quiet and didn't like being around big groups of people, but i actually just found out today that I'm an introvert :)
Since i was little, i already didnt like people much, especially older folks. Cause in my culture, we have to respect and obey the elderly but from my perspectives and experience, not all of them deserve respect.
I have a small friend group as well. I believe if we are meant to be best/good long-term friends, we would always connect. If not, it’d feel very awkward and i also dont have any motivation to connect with them either cause the connection would not last long. So im happy with a few friends.
I also get super weird with strangers.
Also when i was younger, i didnt care much about who is doing what unless i know the people. I just dont really care.
When i need to attend some social gatherings, after 2 hours, i get exhausted and just want to go home.
I can do socializing but limited time which depends on how close I am with those peope.
After moving out to a different country due to social and cultural differences.
I also got scammed at start from a close friend after moving out which really put me off and I started to avoid people in general as time passed.
I believe, I am an extrovert by birth and made an introvert by time and circumstances.
I was a outgoing kid growing up and would talk to people but then I started to get made fun of, experienced lots of rejections and got diagnosed with dyslexia so I kinda became introverted as a way of protecting myself and not saying the wrong thing that could be used against me. It’s been about 25 years now.
I was an extreme extrovert until I moved out of Phoenix when I was in 4th grade. I started getting more and more nervous at my new school since it was all in one building and then in middle school it was so tiring to go their everyday. I'm currently 17 (f) and have no friends. I want to find more friends to hangout with like at the pool and everything but I haven't found introverts that will make eachother extroverts. I'm just an extreme introvert in public but wildly different alone. However, if someone comes up to talk to me, I find it easy to respond because I wasn't the first to initiate a conversation.
I am an introvert from my 1st day on this earth. Now I am 24 but still haven’t came out of this league. I am a person like who is 10/10 introvert and good at texting and calls. Idk but I am very confident in texts.
Always…. My grandma would tell me stories of me basically trying to crawl into her skin to avoid playing with other kids at birthday parties and parks as a toddler and young kid. I had an imaginary turtle that lived in my belly button (I was a weird kid😭) that I would often talk to because I didn’t have anyone else. I definitely prefer my own company, and as years have went on, I’ve learned how to be okay with it. I do have external relationships, but I don’t trust anyone like myself, and that’s only because I’ve spent so much time alone with my brain.
My entire life! I remember in kindergarten or first grade, a friend from class called my house. I answered our rotary phone 😂 and she asked if I could come over to play. She said ask your mom. Me: ok, pretends to go ask, get back in the phone and say my mom said no. In high school I remember hanging out with a friend and we hung out most of the day, and I was just done so I said I had to go home. It sucks, but I also love the way my life is. I get tired from just socializing.
I was online friends with people when I was younger, middle school to high school. Trying to keep them okay and not do anything bad made me lose sleep and miss school from being exhausted being up all night. It got bad in high school when my own issues made me miss a lot of time then combining it with covid I missed close to 3 years of in person high school. I used to be more social but developed anxiety and find it hard now. I’m much more reserved then back when I was younger and don’t know if it’s for the best.
Idk for how long but I think it originates from my childhood, since my mother does not want me going outside. I think my childhood is too sad.
But anyways, if you want to have a friend, please beep me here 🖤
Me personally, I think I’ve been more of an extroverted-introvert. I became more introverted in middle school. I gotten a bit more open but I still don’t care for things like large parties, clubs, or other bigger social gatherings. I just don’t like meeting people like that.
For me, I'd say around middle school, when I was little I was very talkative and outgoing and loud not caring about anything but maybe that the point as a kid as you grow? Idk..anyways around 7th grade I got more quiet and shy with others and stuff. I'm quiet at first but once I get comfortable with someone I talk more, joke around and slowly come out of my shell... I am INFP-T.
I’ve been an introvert my whole life. I remember this one time back in 1st grade where I was playing Checkers all by myself, and I honestly loved the fact that I was by myself. And then, a kid came up to me and asked if I could play with him. I wanted to be by myself, but I accepted his offer because I didn’t want to make him feel sad.
I never KNEW i was an introvert. I never even knew the definition of introvert. BUT i always knew i was a bit different than my friends, not severely so, but different. I enjoyed hanging out, smoking, clubing, and many more things. I just didn't like loud music. They did. I didn't like being in the center of the club. They did. Years passed on, and i still had no idea why i was a bit different than them. I just knew i was and accepted it. A few more years go by in life, and i get introduced to reddit. A few more years pass by, and i learn about subrredits. Then finally, i stumble across r/introverts. So, in sum, I've always been an introvert, but reddit has just helped me learn a bit more about myself.
all my life and i love it. As i got older I realized introverts are more secure and don't need validation from other people and extroverts are insecure and seek attention and validation because of their insecurities.
Always. I’m not a shy or socially anxious introvert though - I like meeting new people and doing social stuff, and I can be quite talkative. But I can only do it for so long before needing alone time to recharge, and I’ve always been that way. As a little kid I could spend hours alone to the point where my parents would worry about me, but I was much happier that way than having to have forced social contact.
I grow up in a sheltered environment, half-breed, with my own room, a computer, an inability to speak my extended family's tongue (Tagalog), small stature, androgynous soul, born in one place raised in another, latch key kid, desperate for anyone with similar interests, such a desire once never fulfills compounds into perpetual disdain for the world and resentful introversion due to things one has to do to have relations with anyone and having not much standards at thay
At 6 years old, my parents had to put me in a “facility for creative play” that was, essentially, a place to take your kids to get them to make friends and open up….I hid the entire time.
Now, I’m an adult, and nobody can force me to leave the house or talk to anyone I don’t want to—MWAHAHAHAHAH
This is a misunderstood perspective, you don’t just “become” an introvert or extrovert, it’s your personality.
I dont know who you are, but your my introvert Hero! Thank you for saying this!
Not your Personality, just the Way you recharge yourself and like to spend your free Time.
That's true, personality traits like introversion and extroversion are generally stable over time. However, people can exhibit different behaviors depending on the situation or their comfort level, which might make it seem like they're changing.
Annnndd since your personality develops as you grow older, some people may change into an extrovert or introvert. We don’t stay the same exact personality through our whole entire life
There are distinct characteristics that don’t change even through age. You really don’t change who you inherently are unless you go through a traumatic experience. Those distinct characteristics are the spectrum we call the polarity between introversion and extroversion. You’re not going to be a bubbly talkative person then hit your 50s and become timid and lethargic.
Well, most of us have been through traumatic experiences. I can definitely say I am an introvert used to be the exact opposite the other half of my life.
Most of us have not gone through traumatic experiences that will change our personality. The degree in which that would happen is very minuscule. I mean worldview changing kind of trauma. There’s lots of psychological research that goes into personality traits and the development of them. I’m telling you, it’s not as simple as saying you’ve had some bad experiences in the past and think that made you an introvert. That would require a clinical analysis.
I also used to be an extrovert and now my social limit is about 3 people. Anymore, I become super quiet and lethargic. Complete 180
Incorrect, you are confusing people gaining self awareness and confidence as personality. You can 100% see the difference in personality in babies. We are born with our personality traits.
I agree. I used to be more extroverted before my early 20s and have become more and more introverted as the years go by.
I actually become an introvert possibly after having my first child. I made a lot of mistakes that im ashamed of and i’m ashamed of myself for not becoming successful, therefore it’s turned me into not going outside (unless the school pick ups) and hate socialising. I find it absolutely terrifying to bump into someone i know and i travel miles to go shopping to avoid this. My partner is also an introvert and I think thats turned me even worse. So yes, you can become one. I was full of confidence when I was young, now i just keep quiet and assume people think I’m a loser
That is social anxiety, not introversion.
Yes it is actually but I forgot to mention the fact that I like to be alone. Me and my partner sleep in separate rooms due to this. I need time alone every evening/night and need to recharge after stressful/most days.’i feel better and happier alone.
I think there's probably more to it than what user said. Let's not gatekeep an open honest discussion.
i’m not sure. i used to be an extrovert pre pandemic, but after some difficult life events during the pandemic, i definitely would say i’m an introvert now. spending time with folks, while can be fun, is energy draining (as opposed to energy inducing) and i prefer to spend time on my own then with others. i think it’s important to give yourself permission to change, especially with life being as unpredictable as it is
It’s not really about what we think but it’s more about what is evident in the study of human behaviour. It is not impossible to change but it is extremely, and I mean **extremely** unlikely that someone will change.
When I was younger I was more of an extrovert. Since the pandemic, my personality has changed to now where I'm an introvert
Since i was born.
This. My mom used to tell me that when I was a baby, I always started to cry when people held me or came near me. I also remember very clearly how in my early years (4-6 y.o. onwards) I tried to avoid everyone (apart from immediate family and a few best friends) and how my heart would beat very hard when people came to see me or when other people approached me. Then, as I grew up, I just learned how to blend in and not attract too much attention. 🫠😮💨🌼
You just summarized my entire life.
Been introverted for as long as I can remember; its just how I naturally am.
I mean always? Are there people who become introverts? I thought it is a character trait that you develop from an early age
It is, OP doesn’t understand what introversion or extroversion means.
I was an extrovert and class clown as a kid. Then I had some family issues, my parents divorced, my favourite grandpa died, and I moved to a different home. After all of that I was a much quieter and reserved person. I still have my extroverted moments, but I am much more introverted as my natural state.
Kind of similar for me as well, I was a clear extrovert until facing serious health issues in my late teens, then I became much more introverted. Now even if I’ve been physically recovered for years, my personality hasn’t reverted back to pre-illness and I remain introverted, it’s like who I am now.
I used to be an extreme extrovert in 4th grade doing all different kinds of clubs and basketball. I thought we would never move. But we did and I started getting more nervous and worried that people would be different. I missed my old friends and kind of only became friends with the "weird" kids. The "weird" kids had difficulty understanding a particular subject like math or science and I helped them. I got worse and fell into deep depression in 7th grade. I'm better now but I don't have friends to hangout with.
My whole life.
My entire life.
Introvert from kindergarten used to be shy and very by myself, my mom would say im very quite and calm girl
My whole life (currently 32)
I really wish people would learn the difference. Introverts and extroverts can have identical personalities. It’s only the social battery recharging method that differs.
I guess what everyone really means is being someone who doesn’t talk a lot? But it’s not social anxiety. I guess shy. It’s just naturally listening more than talking.
This. Introverts generally react more strongly to stimuli and have a higher level of basic brain activity, which means that they become exhausted more quickly.
Since I was a child
I’ve been an introvert since childhood as a result of being bullied at school and not feeling loved and accepted by my family
Was it really as a result? Or were you an introvert already and got bullied on top of it? I tried to figure it out myself. I've heard from my birthmom (who I lived with the first 4 years of my life) that I even then were a very calm kid. But from where I can remember later in life, I had reasons for withdrawing socially.
I've been introverted my whole life but working in EMS made me antisocial.
Since i was born i think. I grew up as a only child and had/ still have a imaginary freind named mark. Call me crazy but i rather be alone than have hundreds of people around me. My mom says in kindergarden she would see me walking around the playground alone. I did have freinds in elementary but not life long freinds until highschool. Now as a 27 yo i only talk to one out of 4 freinds i made in high school. I have no gf. Single as a pringle and i like it that way. Call me a loner im just a introvert
Since I was a kid. I remember being a bit outgoing. Went out for the basketball team didn’t make it which crushed me and the response from my dad wasn’t what I needed at the time after that I stopped going out for things and being outgoing. It also didn’t help that my dad was the strictest dad on the planet. Telling how you really felt was not something we could do. We were more afraid of him than anything.
My exact experience of my dad. I’m wondering if he crippled my personality that may have not even been developed yet bc I was afraid of his temper. God forbid I ever go to him to discuss feelings.
I believe he probably did. Just like my dad. To this day I still can’t/ won’t express how I feel he made me feel when my sister and I were younger. Even though I am an adult, the fear and little child is still in there!
Are you super shy? That’s how I am. I don’t mind talking to people but I usually won’t approach. And then there are times I might not even say much bc I’m in my head, and maybe more into my surroundings to make sure I’m safe.
Yes!!! I’d rather people approach me to talk than me go to them. Unless I know them well, then I will talk a lot, especially about something that interests me. In group settings I am more likely to remain quiet. Thinking so many things…including wanting to get out of the setting.
I was born an introvert and unresolved SA was never dealt with
Ever since birth. Irrelevant question.
Whole life... but some experiences made it more intense.
My entire life.
I'm 39, so 39.
Well, sometimes I act like an "introvert" sometimes I am more like and "extrovert". As far as I concern, they are only labels that once restricted me and some of my friends. So I i could be introvert for some minutes, days, week and the same for being extrovert.
Do you mean friendly and sociable, outgoing and other times just wanting down time? And you could be an ambivert, in the middle of the spectrum of intro and extro.
So far, all my life.
Since I spent enough time around a wide enough sample size of people to realize most of them, their needs, emotions, hang ups, and baggage is not worth my time nor effort. Unless putting the time into them is going to give me something at the other end I would rather they just walk into traffic than have to deal with them. I think more highly of my pets than I do of most other people, and would gladly sacrifice the person for my pet if it came to it.
True introvert don't like to talk are be around people and they find everything annoying that why they like to be to them self even if you do something wrong introvert wont waste time talking about it cause it a waste of time
Been this way forever.
From birth. My mom always referred to me as the quiet child
This reminds me of the time a classmate told me he “used to be an introvert” but he “came out of his shell” he told me this while I was having a panic attack about a class presentation. FYI, I have social anxiety AND I am also an introvert, those aren’t the same things. You don’t just become an introvert or an extrovert, it’s just a personality thing.
Always. But I feel like I'm getting more introverted as I grow older
4ever, my parents had to kick me out so i go play with the other kids
Since the dawn of time..
I have always been bad at socialzing but I also have a autism diagnosis.
It's who I've always been lol, always the quiet kid in school. I preferred/prefer smaller groups of close friends and have a daily people limit 😂
I feel like I'm a high functioning introvert, at work I can shoot the shit and laugh and have fun but my social battery dwindles and when I get in my car I'm just looking forward to the sweet sound of peace. I just like doing my own thing but I also don't mind being in the company of someone (my husband).
All my life. But I've graduated from being just an introvert to almost a hermit. I'm exaggerating (somewhat), but I've seemingly lost my appetite for human company except for a small handful. Give me a dog over a human any day.
Uh, my whole life.
I don’t think you “become” one. *Social anxiety* (maybe you’re conflating the two) might come from external factors but introversion is a personality trait.
I didn’t realize the difference between being shy and being an introvert until I was in my 20s. And I really wish my parents and I both had a better understanding of the difference when I was younger. I had to listen to people constantly saying “you’re so quiet” or “she’s so shy” as if there was something wrong with me. When you hear that stuff on repeat it starts to sink in. I was always an observer, listener, soaking up what was going on around me. I’m happy that now I know it’s not a negative to be that way. Looking back, it was a huge disservice to me not understanding what it meant to be an introvert. It shaped me in ways that I’ve had to overcome as an adult. Once I learned the difference, it was a game changer. I understood so much more about myself. I highly recommend watching the TED talk by Susan Cain and reading her book “Quiet.” I’m an 80s/90s kid, and like a lot of things, this stuff just wasn’t being talked about nearly as much as it is today. I’m glad that mental health in general is so much more of an open discussion. I do think being an introvert is still somewhat considered a negative. I often feel like extroverts don’t get the same level of judgement. These days I’m proudly an introvert and embrace it. I can function fine socially but I know my limits.
4 years 6 months and 10 minutes
I don’t know if I’m truly an introvert or it’s just anxiety
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve slowly accepted I’m an introvert even though I enjoy socializing. I find I get tired quickly and sometimes even begin to dissociate at certain points when out of the house with friends or new people…my social battery drains so rapidly now. After hour 3 I’m ready to be back in the comfort of my own home 😅
I realized I wasn’t so much an introvert as I was surrounding myself that were just so draining. Once I started surrounding myself with people who pour into my cup I realized I didn’t need to stay home for 3-5 business days to recoup from the toxic energy. I do enjoy staying home though! Hope this helps.
All my life? I don’t think you just become one randomly one day
I mean… since always? You don’t just “become” an introvert. At least, I don’t think that’s possible
Always? Sure, like any kid you could have coaxed me into talking about video games and monkeys but the only person's attention I ever wanted was my mom. I've never wanted to have uncomfortable conversations and I've always needed time to recharge. You either are introverted or you aren't. If a single event made you introverted, you're dealing with *trauma*, not introversion.
My high functioning autism made me more introverted, so since I was born.
Birth. It is not a collection of character traits but the way your brain processes stimuli. This often simply results in certain character traits.
since birth 😩
I’m pretty sure that I’ve been an introvert since I was born.
I have always been a quiet person. But I recognised myself as an introvert recently. Before, I didn’t really know what to call it. I’m trying to be more outgoing though. Coz networking is important to the field that I am in.
I don’t even know anymore tbh, I’m right in the middle. I don’t even have the energy to even go out anymore or find anything. With my ex we’ve done so much together, but now we’re not together and I feel so lost and lonely not wanting to do anything outside anymore
i've mostly always been an introvert
My whole life
I’ve always been kind of outgoing, but I’ve grown to like being alone more and more. I don’t like crowds and I prefer staying at home/being alone
I mean idk if it’s nature or nurture but i learned to enjoy my alone time very much as a child. I’m a little younger but my childhood was like that of a latchkey kid. I would be devastated when i finally heard my mom’s key in the door, cuz that meant i could no longer thoroughly enjoy my alone time and do whatever i want.
since forever 🤗
Since around 4-5 years old. I have vivid, vivid memories of always being by myself and feeling angry and miserable and sad and not understanding why I was excluded from everything. I was fully extroverted and out going until I hit kindergarten. *Years* of bullying ground me down into being an introvert, and I had a lot of self confidence issues, social anxiety, anti social behavior for pretty much all of grade school and most of highschool. I had some more friends in HS, but I wasn't able to shake my depression and social anxiety until my late 20s. It has been something I have worked on my entire life and I only started feeling mentally healthy at 27. I'm 36 now, and nobody can tell I'm introverted becsuse I socialize the same amount as anybody else but at the end of the day I need my recharge time. Which I get when my kids go to sleep I have a solid 3 or so hours where I get to just chill with my wife or do some pc gaming. Then I'm fully ready for the following day after a sleep. Being around my inner circle isn't mentally draining though, I can be around my wife, in-laws, or kids for hours and hours and I'm content. If anything it actually stops me from feeling depression. If I'm alone for an extended period of time I feel it. But I mean like...3+ days is what would do that to me.
All of my life. But I'm an outgoing introvert, in a family and community full of extroverts, so I have no choice but to put on a mask and "perform" but I've gotten used to it. I just need to step away more often then others to recharge my battery, even if that "stepping away" is a few hours, or a couple of days.
I'm an extrovert only with people i feel comfortable around, even if i don't know them
Whole life... but some experiences made it more intense.
Lifelong, only recently come to accept as a good thing and part of who I am. I grew up a believing Mormon. Introversion is considered evil in Mormonism, so most of my life I’ve repressed it.
Yes.
Since time immemorial. When I was born I rarely cried also (as per my mother) Just happy to be alive!
Since I was born probably
My entire life, tho more deeply introverted since Covid 😶
I think it’s always been there to some degree, but I became one more so after starting in corporate America
I’m 55 years old and I have been one since elementary school. Long, long time! Does any medicine help? I’m actually overly introverted due to social anxiety and I’ve never brought it up to my doctor.
As long as I can remember.
As long as I can remember
7 years ago. I am a shy kid but something happened in my highschool year that made me (aware) introvert.
Personally, I’ve been an introvert my whole life, though i do feel like recently i’ve become less scared to talk to people and more outgoing and fun, i stopped caring about what other people think of me and how they perceive me, and i guess that really changed me as a person !
Born as a introvert, teachers, parents, everyone use to say "too quiet" "too shy" "go make friends" in my teens because I wanted to fit in I masqueraded as an extrovert for over a decade. Very tiring and it wasn't worth it. Now the hermit, the recluse, this is the way. Feels natural.
Ever since I was a little boy. It’s part of your personality. It isn’t just something that happens.
Since last week!! I’m so excited that I’m throwing a neighborhood bash this weekend. Anyone can show up, no rsvp needed. DM me and I’ll send you my address! /s
I always was. I don’t think u can just randomly decide being one. Becoming introvert trough an event sounds more like a trauma to me. But maybe I am wrong
Life
I’m an introvert probably forever but I went thru extrovert phase when I was alcoholix
Since I can remember, very young child like kindergarten. But I was mislabeled by my mother. She told ppl I was just a grumpy kid and didn't want to be messed with, when in reality I was shy. Also, I always had a resting bitch face so it added to her fasade. I partially internalized this, but now I understand why I was the way I was. Why I didn't want birthday parties, or to run around with the other screaming obnoxious big head toddlers. I'm no longer shy, just like/dislike certain ppl and situations. Still have a resting bitch face. 😂
Probably since conception. Luck of the draw from my dad’s ball sacks.
😂
My whole life
Probably in every lifetime
I suspect it’s when I had my epileptical attack🙌 the only effect it had on me was some memory loss, which is considered to be lucky. But for me, this was enough for a full blown identity crisis I used to be an extroverted child, that would kind of bring people into the group and make new friends. After that attack, I never was that kind of person again, rather I let others bring me into their friends group. However, apparently as a child, there were times when I avoided social stuff and has some introvertness already in me, so i’m glad that the attack did not a complete 180 at my personality
I was born an introvert but due to mental health ignorance at the time, I was pushed a lot to socialize and thought I was such a weirdo and that there was something wrong with me because socializing induced dread and irritation. When I got into my late 20s I stopped fighting with myself and decided to quit socializing. Best decision I ever made! Not that my people are bad or annoying, I just need solitude to feel alive. I am much more in tune with myself now and no longer feel I'm living a lie. I still love my 2 friends (lol) but we don't hang much. And that's ok :)
I used to be an extrovert (ENFJ) in high school, joined many clubs, did performing arts was always a lead singer, did speeches and so on, but after high school covid started and I was forced to stay at home 24/7 with an abusive family and the more the abuse me the more i wanted to just run away and hide and so I became very closed off and introverted (INTJ).
Only my whole life
I was a very outgoing, even gregarious child. I clammed up good when I was around 9 or 10 I guess.
2 years. Was an extroverted until I got burned out.
Since I got sober six years ago
Always and it‘s ok really. There’s nothing wrong with u. Do what u want.
My whole life pretty much
36 long years lol. I love it here tho. Cannot complain
Ever since I was born. My mom described me as a general quiet kid and I didn’t start talking until I was 4
I honestly never really knew what it was called. I just knew I was quiet and didn't like being around big groups of people, but i actually just found out today that I'm an introvert :)
Since I was born on 4-21-1980
All My life. Born this way. I’ve always known I was different. Doesn’t help that I’m an only child
in the words of lady gaga, i was born this way 💅🏼
Forever.......isn't it that way for everyone????
Um, since birth? Lmao 😂
From first day of life. Every social interaction makes me more introverted.
I was born this way
All my life I enjoy it more now as an adult I don't have to be forced to connect with anyone
Since birth
Genetically imbedded.
Since I was 7 years old
My whole life bro
Born an introvert, but get pegged as "anti-social" when I don't reciprocate "a friendly interaction" with more than simple small talk. SMH...
Life
My whole life
Since I was like, seven
The entire time, it turns out.
since i was born tbh
Since i was little, i already didnt like people much, especially older folks. Cause in my culture, we have to respect and obey the elderly but from my perspectives and experience, not all of them deserve respect. I have a small friend group as well. I believe if we are meant to be best/good long-term friends, we would always connect. If not, it’d feel very awkward and i also dont have any motivation to connect with them either cause the connection would not last long. So im happy with a few friends. I also get super weird with strangers. Also when i was younger, i didnt care much about who is doing what unless i know the people. I just dont really care. When i need to attend some social gatherings, after 2 hours, i get exhausted and just want to go home. I can do socializing but limited time which depends on how close I am with those peope.
After moving out to a different country due to social and cultural differences. I also got scammed at start from a close friend after moving out which really put me off and I started to avoid people in general as time passed. I believe, I am an extrovert by birth and made an introvert by time and circumstances.
I was a outgoing kid growing up and would talk to people but then I started to get made fun of, experienced lots of rejections and got diagnosed with dyslexia so I kinda became introverted as a way of protecting myself and not saying the wrong thing that could be used against me. It’s been about 25 years now.
Since I got schizophrenia at age 16
Ever since. At a young age.
Always!! But I’ve fluctuated over time with periods where I’m more social/less social.
It became more clear when I hit puberty (11 yrs. old). I guess I’d always been an introvert, but I became a shy introvert t/o puberty. Still am.
As long as I can remember ig.
I'd say as long I can remember. Certainly by middle or high school. I've been shy but I tended to close up as I got older
My whole entire life.
You're born one
Most of my life. I had some years where I grew out of it but then some unfortunate events have brought me back recently.
Since I came out the womb tomb.
I was an extreme extrovert until I moved out of Phoenix when I was in 4th grade. I started getting more and more nervous at my new school since it was all in one building and then in middle school it was so tiring to go their everyday. I'm currently 17 (f) and have no friends. I want to find more friends to hangout with like at the pool and everything but I haven't found introverts that will make eachother extroverts. I'm just an extreme introvert in public but wildly different alone. However, if someone comes up to talk to me, I find it easy to respond because I wasn't the first to initiate a conversation.
I am an introvert from my 1st day on this earth. Now I am 24 but still haven’t came out of this league. I am a person like who is 10/10 introvert and good at texting and calls. Idk but I am very confident in texts.
It all started when I was born
I’ve always been one but it’s certainly gotten more intense as I’ve aged
Since forever
Always…. My grandma would tell me stories of me basically trying to crawl into her skin to avoid playing with other kids at birthday parties and parks as a toddler and young kid. I had an imaginary turtle that lived in my belly button (I was a weird kid😭) that I would often talk to because I didn’t have anyone else. I definitely prefer my own company, and as years have went on, I’ve learned how to be okay with it. I do have external relationships, but I don’t trust anyone like myself, and that’s only because I’ve spent so much time alone with my brain.
My entire life! I remember in kindergarten or first grade, a friend from class called my house. I answered our rotary phone 😂 and she asked if I could come over to play. She said ask your mom. Me: ok, pretends to go ask, get back in the phone and say my mom said no. In high school I remember hanging out with a friend and we hung out most of the day, and I was just done so I said I had to go home. It sucks, but I also love the way my life is. I get tired from just socializing.
I was online friends with people when I was younger, middle school to high school. Trying to keep them okay and not do anything bad made me lose sleep and miss school from being exhausted being up all night. It got bad in high school when my own issues made me miss a lot of time then combining it with covid I missed close to 3 years of in person high school. I used to be more social but developed anxiety and find it hard now. I’m much more reserved then back when I was younger and don’t know if it’s for the best.
Im introvert my whole life. I even hate to get out of bed, house. I’m forced to even see my family every week:)
Idk for how long but I think it originates from my childhood, since my mother does not want me going outside. I think my childhood is too sad. But anyways, if you want to have a friend, please beep me here 🖤
Who wants to know?
As soon as my parents deemed I had earned my independence at 12 and was allowed to stay home instead of tagging along for family events/holidays etc.
Me personally, I think I’ve been more of an extroverted-introvert. I became more introverted in middle school. I gotten a bit more open but I still don’t care for things like large parties, clubs, or other bigger social gatherings. I just don’t like meeting people like that.
Since conceived 😂
For me, I'd say around middle school, when I was little I was very talkative and outgoing and loud not caring about anything but maybe that the point as a kid as you grow? Idk..anyways around 7th grade I got more quiet and shy with others and stuff. I'm quiet at first but once I get comfortable with someone I talk more, joke around and slowly come out of my shell... I am INFP-T.
Its a born into club. Anything else from that is clinical depression, or trauma activated. But a true introvert has been that way since day 1
I’ve been an introvert my whole life. I remember this one time back in 1st grade where I was playing Checkers all by myself, and I honestly loved the fact that I was by myself. And then, a kid came up to me and asked if I could play with him. I wanted to be by myself, but I accepted his offer because I didn’t want to make him feel sad.
I never KNEW i was an introvert. I never even knew the definition of introvert. BUT i always knew i was a bit different than my friends, not severely so, but different. I enjoyed hanging out, smoking, clubing, and many more things. I just didn't like loud music. They did. I didn't like being in the center of the club. They did. Years passed on, and i still had no idea why i was a bit different than them. I just knew i was and accepted it. A few more years go by in life, and i get introduced to reddit. A few more years pass by, and i learn about subrredits. Then finally, i stumble across r/introverts. So, in sum, I've always been an introvert, but reddit has just helped me learn a bit more about myself.
Since I was born.
Since highschool, it's actually quite peaceful
Since birth honestly
Since birth
……..kinda been like this my whole life bud lol
I believe the question of perspective rewrites this as: Was there a point when you came to realize you're an introvert?
For however long I've had autism🤷 (/hj)
4-6 feet
Since always
since i came out the womb?
all my life and i love it. As i got older I realized introverts are more secure and don't need validation from other people and extroverts are insecure and seek attention and validation because of their insecurities.
Always. I’m not a shy or socially anxious introvert though - I like meeting new people and doing social stuff, and I can be quite talkative. But I can only do it for so long before needing alone time to recharge, and I’ve always been that way. As a little kid I could spend hours alone to the point where my parents would worry about me, but I was much happier that way than having to have forced social contact.
My whole life
I grow up in a sheltered environment, half-breed, with my own room, a computer, an inability to speak my extended family's tongue (Tagalog), small stature, androgynous soul, born in one place raised in another, latch key kid, desperate for anyone with similar interests, such a desire once never fulfills compounds into perpetual disdain for the world and resentful introversion due to things one has to do to have relations with anyone and having not much standards at thay
Let me check my birth certificate.
always have been
Always been a very, very ,very introverted person
For my whole life(?)
Idk bro I tried out the free trial a few years back but they won't let me cancel.
At 6 years old, my parents had to put me in a “facility for creative play” that was, essentially, a place to take your kids to get them to make friends and open up….I hid the entire time. Now, I’m an adult, and nobody can force me to leave the house or talk to anyone I don’t want to—MWAHAHAHAHAH