I'm An Introvert? How To Tell If You Are One

Have you ever encountered the word ‘introvert’?

Have you ever heard someone tell you that you have an introverted feeling or that you are introverted?

You might be someone who equates introversion to shy characteristics. But, introverts aren’t just that. They actually have various characteristics.

Introversion the known opposite of Extroversion or Extraversion. Despite it thought as opposites, introvert and extrovert characteristics can both manifest in an individual. Both terms are part of a continuum.

Introversion is a personality trait that is often misunderstood as having shy characteristics but not all introverts are shy. While there's some with shy characteristics, others come off as quiet because of how they internalize.

You ask yourself ‘Why am I so quiet?’ and then question if you have low self-esteem. But, your shy characteristics might not be because of that. Educating yourself about your personality traits can help you understand yourself. Here are some signs to know if you’re an introvert:

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A Crowd Feels Lonely While Few Close Friends Are Company

You get exhausted or drained after spending some time with a crowd. Interaction with others drains you. It eventually makes you retreat — to a quiet space or to a place where you can unwind or breathe.

Introverts recharge through spending time with themselves to introspect and reflect. Studies show that introverted people usually have higher blood flow to their frontal lobe. The frontal lobe is your brain's realm where you process, feel, and introspect things.

Of course, that doesn’t mean introverts are asocial or curse social interactions. Introverts enjoy time with others but they prefer the company of a numbered few. Someone who's introverted also prefer fun and insightful conversation.

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Solitude Is Your Best Friend

Introverts are researched to react differently to the neurotransmitter, dopamine, than extroverts. Dopamine is a reward-and-pleasure-seeking chemical secreted by the brain. Extroverts during social interaction get stimulated; this increases dopamine which boosts their energy.

While extroverts during social interactions feel excited and stimulated, introverts feel the gradual emotional deterioration.

Gradual emotional deterioration is when you first feel energized and then you eventually feel exhausted by the amount of effort you have to make to maintain such interaction. Extroverts get energized by the interaction itself. Introverts spend energy to maintain the interaction.

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You Process Things A Lot

Introverts do a lot of self-introspection. By simply thinking about and evaluating things in your mind, you get to learn more and absorb the world around you.

In silence, you get to understand the world. You feel that it doesn’t take verbal interaction to communicate. Of course, silence may come off as a shy characteristic to others but introverts recharge through having a moment with yourself.

Taking in information, observing others’ actions, and having a moment to self-reflect is your way of keeping in touch with reality.

As human beings, no man is an island and communication is important. As introverts, you live in two worlds: the world of those around you and the inner world within you which will always be your home.

Introversion isn't a weakness. It is not something you should see as a shy characteristic nor a problematic trait. Introversion is a personality trait. It is a portion that defines who you are.

Life as an introvert is normal and wonderful. It's up to you how you want to express it to others and how you energize to move forward in life.

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