# What happens to an introvert who never spends time alone?



## Coldspot

I wouldn't last a week, probably less. Second day, I'd definitely go out for a walk ALONE just to be able to balance myself out. Soon after, I'd probably end up sneaking out and living like a bum. I cannot stand anyone trying to be around me all the time, I don't even like family calling me twice every 2-3 weeks.


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## QrivaN

Assuming that there is no way to get away from the situation, within most likely a week or so, I'd get extremely stressed. When I get stressed, one of two things happens. 
1) I turn into the poster child of "bad" INTJs. I get incredibly sarcastic, pessimistic, rude, etc., and all because you didn't let me have ten minutes to myself.
2) I completely invert my personality. Sounds weird, right? I become out-going, VERY emotional (on the outside), and lazy to the point that I get uncomfortable with myself. I do this to confuse the person and hide whatever it is that they liked about me. You're gonna treat me like that? How do you like it when I do it to you?! Everyone needs privacy every now and then.


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## Drewbie

I can say from experience, I went a period of 8 months without any alone time, that I experience a complete psychotic break; I have delusions, hallucinations, become extremely depressed and violent, the whole shebang.

It is so completely draining, it's like going months without sleep.


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## WeetBixKid

I spent a month travelling with a good friend of mine. I'd guess him to be an ESTP.

By the end of the first week I just felt really, really exhausted, and had bad concentration problems. I also felt kind of disconnected from people and the world around me. Without time to re-charge, someone can be talking to me, saying anything and all I'll want to do is tell them to shut the fuck up and leave me alone. But you can't do that ... so you're conflicted, and the result is a horrible tug of war inside your head ... the result for me was a bunch of weird forced smiles through gritted teeth, possibly at innapropriate times as they go on about whatever. I also start to really, really resent who is talking to me.

The only thing that made me feel better was actually letting of my emotions and being a complete dick (which I did my best not to do, but it came out here and there) or drinking. I had an awesome time once we worked out each others needs a bit better, but between day 4 - 7 it was horrible. I can't imagine it being measured in years.


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## Planisphere

If you're actually an introvert, then actually be an introvert. The only time I'm really pushy about spending time with a so-called 'introvert' is when their 'alone time' involves others. If they go crazy within a week of simply not being in contact with their friends, then they're far more extroverted than even me. It usually takes me four or five months before I break down from lack of social contact, even with friends. But I usually get over my breakdowns and end up finding a lot of enjoyment in isolation - especially when the only people around you are asshats to begin with.

So if you're really an introvert and will actually spend time by yourself to recharge, then I would be more than happy to give you that time to yourself. Just keep your actions consistent with your words. If you keep pushing me away while letting others in, I'm going to eventually disappear and move on with my life. Otherwise, I'll respect your need for quiet and relaxation, because I need it badly myself sometimes; therefore, I'll sympathize probably more than others.

I think the introverts that have posted have basically presented true answers, so I can't really add anything more. But if the introvert in question is a female, you'll know they're tired of you when they PMS five times a month.


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## SocioApathetic

I think the more important question is, "what should _you _do when in the company of an introvert who has not had his or her alone time in a long while?"

Answer:


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## Id_

Yes! Right, death explosions, carnage, homer disappearing into bushes? All of that I feel in mah bones as the reality of what would happen here! There are some pretty interesting responses here, it seems everyone has a survival instinct, however, most of which revolve around indirectly resolving the issue rather than confrontation. I wonder why? It can more easily preserve harmony, as I know introverts are likely to figure out problems if they arise, so why create more problems.

lol @Kyrielle: kill them and eat them?!!? I might need to keep your contact information handy for future reference if i ever find myself in such a situation.

What's the probability of you turning into one of those chaps that becomes emotionally depleted and loses their sense of self worth, becoming dependent on the people keeping you from your alone time? I imagine it's a type of destruction no one would ever want to go through... I mean could you come out of that being any wiser?

Have any of you had to force yourself into enduring a situation like the one we've been talking about here? How did you persevere? Would you rather just quit and walk away? Talk to me.


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## Kyrielle

Id_ said:


> lol @_Kyrielle_: kill them and eat them?!!? I might need to keep your contact information handy for future reference if i ever find myself in such a situation.


Great! I've always wondered what people taste like. 



> What's the probability of you turning into one of those chaps that becomes emotionally depleted and loses their sense of self worth, becoming dependent on the people keeping you from your alone time? I imagine it's a type of destruction no one would ever want to go through... I mean could you come out of that being any wiser?


It's actually relatively high if I want to stop being a jackass for a minute and answer seriously. I have been known to have a bit of a codependent streak in me, so it's entirely probable that I would forsake my own happiness if that made him happy (and then try to use their happiness as a basis for my own happiness). The probability for this happening increases the further I am pushed into an unhealthy state of mind.

Hence my first answer in suggesting that I would dump that person quickly. I know I would succumb to some unhealthy thinking practices very, very quickly with the intensity of that person's attention and lack of space to try to re-balance myself.



> Have any of you had to force yourself into enduring a situation like the one we've been talking about here? How did you persevere? Would you rather just quit and walk away? Talk to me.


I haven't. I have had the opposite happen, where all attention was withdrawn from me and I was treated as if I didn't exist. Keep in mind, I was also living with this person. It tends to have a similar effect in that you suddenly, irrationally, and desperately want to do everything in your power to make them happy so they'll notice you. I found myself almost willing to do anything to get them to acknowledge my existence again.

Of course, I couldn't just quit and walk away. That was an immediate family member, so I can't exactly estrange myself from them without estranging myself from everyone else.

I think if it were the opposite situation, I might end up feeling desperate to do everything in my power to make them happy in hopes that they would be satisfied and go bother someone else. Of course, like the situation in which attention is withdrawn, it doesn't work that way. That's flawed thinking. Me making them happy in either situation is not what they want.


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## Northwind

Introversion is a physical thing, basically. If an introvert doesn't get (or take) some peace and quiet from time to time, they will overload their body (and mind).

For instance:

"[In addition to differences in brain pathways accessed,] extroverts have a low sensitivity to dopamine—often known as one of the “feel good” neurotransmitters—yet they require large amounts of it. Adrenaline is needed to make more dopamine in the brain; so the more active the extrovert is, the more adrenaline is released and the more dopamine is produced. Dopamine is correlated with movement, attention, alert states, and learning. 
Introverts, however, are highly sensitive to dopamine. If their bodies produce too much of it, they feel over-stimulated. An introvert’s dominant pathway uses acetylcholine, which plays a large part in our sleep and dream states. This difference in neurotransmitter sensitivity and production goes so far as to favor which basic parts of our systems are activated: Whereas extroverts are linked to the dopamine/adrenaline, energy-spending, flight-or-fight sympathetic nervous system, introverts are associated with the acetylcholine, energy-conserving, parasympathetic nervous system that relaxes and calms the body. In _The Introvert Advantage_, Laney has included a fascinating set of diagrams that map the pathways used in the introverted brain vs. the extroverted brain."

Source: What Does It Mean to Be an Introvert?

The trick is to balance your activities in such a way that you avoid overloads of your nervous system.


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## nakkinaama

An extrovert


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## Icebreaker

I need time alone to recharge or it start affecting my performance.


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## Kyandigaru

"What happens to an introvert who never spends time alone?"

do watch the news? Have you seen the crime rate today? If so, that is what happens!


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## sly

Question: 
What happens to an introvert who never spends time alone?

Answer:
The introvert will spend all of his time with other (hopefully living) (human?) entities.


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## Bat

I lived in a barracks. Believe me, I found ways to get time to myself. Places to go, people to (not) see, if you catch my drift.

Of course, I can be by myself in a crowd as long as people are leaving me alone.


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## Plaxico

SocioApathetic said:


> I think the more important question is, "what should _you _do when in the company of an introvert who has not had his or her alone time in a long while?"
> 
> Answer:


I absolutely LOVE your post. From my avatar you can tell why.


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## LunacyxFringe

If I don't have time to recharge/think things out by myself I get really hostile and anxious.


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## exxyea

LittleT said:


> I probably would go insane, become housebound and emotionally abusive to the person to drive them away


Wow, you've just explained to me why this close introverted friend of mine became so hostile. We always hung out together, but eventually near the time we had to part, she just got so tired of me that she got so mean and critical of me. She even became emotionally abusive that at the end of our time together, I was avoiding her. I thought she just didn't like me, but I guess she really was just sick of spending too much time with me.


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## Lacryma

I'm actually in a similar situation with a family member and since he's home all the time now and extremely invasive I become pretty aggressive and irritated. Obviously it's not something I enjoy so I try to spend the least possible amount of time at home. If my room wasn't being renovated though, I'd probably lock myself in there or something (and put earplugs) xD. There's no way any introvert could endure it for years without escaping the person at times.


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## bubbleboy

Substitute "A Dream Deferred" with "an introvert that doesn't get enough time to themselves"

A Dreamed Deferred
by Langston Hughes

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up 
like a raisin in the sun? 
Or fester like a sore-- 
And then run? 
Does it stink like rotten meat? 
Or crust and sugar over-- 
like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags 
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?


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## petite libellule

SocioApathetic said:


> I think the more important question is, "what should _you _do when in the company of an introvert who has not had his or her alone time in a long while?"
> 
> Answer:



Hahahah!!!! OH MY GOD!!! THIS WAS FABULOUS!!! :laughing: *wipes laughter tear*


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## ninjahitsawall

acidicwithpanic said:


> I did the whole "reinvent myself for college" phase and tried to be more extroverted to appear less boring, but I became so emotionally drained.


I did this too. I think it backfired, because now I've become more withdrawn to the point I wonder if it's unhealthy.

Plus even when I was trying to appear less boring, people thought I was boring. lol. 

I am afraid rather than becoming more extroverted, I was just being more impulsive and making an ass of myself.  Part of the reason I'm more withdrawn now is I seem to believe if I act "in the moment" socially I'm just going to end up looking like a socially incompetent ass. I'v really lost trust in myself (Se?) there.


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## Alpha_Orionis

I think that the introvert would run out of energy, being unable to recharge.
That would lead to laziness, and if the other person is bossy then it would lead to fighting. I highly doubt that kind of relationship would last for 2 years.


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## salt

this thread reminds me of my friend, hes a very people introvert but tend to not talk a lot in groups maybe cuz the amount of people presented is heavy for him, but he still talks a lot and always wants to be with people, although hes still fine being alone, comparing to other actual extroverts who get overwhelmed when theyre alone for too long


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## Kerik_S

At that point, I'd resent both myself and the other person.

I'd have to resent myself, because if I hadn't said anything by 2 to 4 years, I'd have to take some blame in that


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## Yamato

Id_ said:


> What kind of things would an introvert feel if they were not able to spend time by themselves? Lets say 2-4 years in a relationship with someone who's really curious, bossy and talkative. And you live in a small apartment, leaving you with no privacy or time to yourself. They want to know about everything in detail, what your phone convos are about, what you think about, what you did throughout the day etc.
> 
> Would an introvert feel stress to the same degree as an extrovert spending all of their time alone?


Well imk a introvented istp , and i would deffenetly feel the heat if i found myself in such sytuation .
I probly would uase my work to escape , think of going extra early to work , and working overtime .
Also i probly would hangout in bars allot in my free time to escape prison .

Im sure annyone who read my response can see and understand the result , the relationship of wat kind it might be would end .
And this would highly likely happen on a bad note .


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## Cheveyo




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## VinnieBob

this [points to avatar]


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## Mammon

"What happens to somebody who's _always_ alone"

Insanity.

"What happens to somebody who's _never_ alone"

Insanity.

/thread


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## ScottyV

Vented


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## ScottyV

Vented. People dont give me any space.


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## ScottyV

Vented lol


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## ScottyV

Same


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## ScottyV

Just needed to vent.


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## Gossip Goat

They die D:


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## Amelia

Something like that would probably give me some serious anxiety and mental health issues. Just reading that original post made me cringe.


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## starscream430

They'll probably become depressed...and then slowly go insane .


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