Introvert or depressed?

[LazyDaisy10]

I think I'm an introvert, my extremely extroverted mother thinks im depressed and that im encouraging my son to be the same as me.
I like being on my own or with my immediate family, I sometimes meet a friend for coffee but that's it. I dont like people visiting and hate surprise visits especially. I will visit family ifbi have to but usually plan in my head what time I'll be leaving.
If I go out for an evening i drive so I can leave when I want and I just like being alone really. I cant stand these zoom calls that my family have set up, I like reading, baking but would like some hobby ideas from fellow introverts. My mother thinks I'm depressed, need to get out, make friends etc. My son is 13, doesn't have close friends as school but seems happy enough. He doesn't want to meet up with them and never has,should I push him to do this or just let him stay at home? My mother thinks I'm encouraging this "weird behaviour" and now I'm starting to wonder if I am?

I have begun to think I’m an introvert too. Although before corona, I did use to go to a leisure club and did yoga and Pilates and groups like craft and chat and book group at the library, I’m not missing it all that much. I enjoy being creative and love knitting and crochet. I have taken part in group projects like a knit your town project and also knit for woolly hugs on mumsnet. At the beginning of the lockdown I was knitting squares as part of a knit along. I’ve made two ponchos for my dd and a crochet cushion. I go out everyday for a walk.

Nothing you have mentioned sounds like depression. As long as your son knows he is free to socialise and invite friends home then I wouldn’t push him.

I'm an introvert prone to bouts of depression. I can tell the difference.
I'm completely happy alone reading, listening to music, pottering and I like to odd coffee with a friend but when I'm depressed I don't feel joy in any of things I normally enjoy, I also lack energy.
If you're fine with how you are no on can tell you you're depressed.

I think you and your son are fine, as long as you are happy. I'd just let him be. I'm the same. I push myself to meet with people every now and then but I feel completely exhausted afterwards and just want "me" time.

I would say you are introverted, nothing wrong with that. I am too. I am the same as pp where as I will push myself to do social meet ups sometimes but invariably I do get exhausted from them so I've just learnt to pace myself with things and the older I get the more I feel comfortable about telling people that I am introverted. I used to see it as a negative trait (because that's what society pushes on us) but again, the older I get I see it in much more of a positive light.

If your son is happy doing what he's doing then I would say let him be and just take your lead from him. I don't think you being an introvert would make him one. I would say I am very introverted and love nothing more than my own company. My DD is the complete opposite!

Another introvert here

It absolutely is not the same thing as being depressed. My mental health actually suffers if I don't get enough alone time, I need lots of it regularly or I find my self getting stressed. Extroverts sometimes can't wrap their heads around this because it is so different from the way they think.

Depression is a different beast entirely, more of a grinding, relentless misery that makes you want to stay in bed all day...

Hobbies wise, I love knitting and crocheting, I'm current trying out sewing facemasks

I'm so pleased that there are other people like this!
I'm not very crafty but I'd love to learn how to knit or crochet is it difficult?
I push myself to meet up with people as well, not because i want to but because I think I should, I thought I was the only one who did that

Have a look at Bella Coco on youtube for crochet tutorials, OP. A friend taught me the basics of crochet but I’ve used those tutorials to improve. And many years ago I used a website called KnittingHelp.com to learn to knit.

I’m struggling with the question of depression or not myself at the moment. I’ve never been sure if introvert is the right description for me, I live alone and I struggle if I don’t get time to myself. But I also like to go out and do things much more than the two friends who are vocal about being introverts. I’m certainly struggling with all the zoom invites and things to do in lockdown and just want to read my book in leace.

Years ago people used to work 6 days a week and go to church on Sundays. One of the reasons a 2 day weekend was introduced was to boost the economy, as in people going out spending on their other day off. For about 100 years now we have been influenced into believing you go out and do things on a weekend and if you don’t then there is something wrong with you. But it’s all economy based. People staying at home don’t spend money (just look at what’s happened with lockdown!). Socialising stimulates spending, like meeting a friend out for coffee etc.

Point being, there is nothing wrong with you. It’s society’s perception of how we should behave that makes you feel you’re in the wrong, or in some weird minority. If you and your son are happy doing what you’re doing then forget what other people think. Our economy is built on people feeling they should be out doing stuff all the time, once you recognise that’s the reason, I think it’s quite easy to choose to opt out.

I've definitely found lockdown easier than most people seem to have. No un expected visits, no having to socialise (or make excuses not to)

I'm an introvert, and I'm as happy as Larry until some extrovert comes along and tells me there's something wrong with me because I'm not an extrovert like them.