Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

I've always been an introvert but getting more introverted the older I get!

13 replies

Hikinghike · 09/09/2023 17:53

I'm late 40s and finding I now need more and more time alone. I get drained when around people for too long and need to retreat with my book. I find small talk so exhausting! I'm single but have a good circle of friends who I enjoy spending time with - in small doses!

Can anyone else relate to this?

OP posts:
ItSoundsLikeADrag · 09/09/2023 18:03

Yep!
I’m peopled out by work. I want to come home, shut the world out and recover before having to do it all again.

blackrabbitwhiterabbit · 09/09/2023 18:06

Hell, yes. Now I just never want to socialise and would rather lock myself away with a good book. It's getting worse as I get older, too. Not that it's a bad thing! We can't all be (& don't want to be) extroverts. Quiet people are the best ones. 😜

Newbeginningsandhappy · 09/09/2023 18:06

Yes, I work Monday to Friday and spend most of Friday evening and Saturday recovering.

CornishTiger · 09/09/2023 18:21

I’ve always been the out going social talkative one - or at least that’s how I’m seen.

As I’ve got older I’ve needed to be more and more introverted.

FannyBawz · 09/09/2023 18:23

I’m like this and I was always such an extrovert! Sometimes I think it’s age and sometimes….. my kids are massive introverts and e become appreciative of a calm way of living 😫

Figment1982 · 09/09/2023 18:25

Absolutely. I’ve always been introverted and then went self employed in 2016 so work from home all day on my own. And then the pandemic of course made this worse. Part of me loves it but when i have been in social situations recently (which is rare as I decline so many) I really struggle, and I’m not sure it’s been good for me. Think I need to start baby steps to build up again!

Oblomov23 · 09/09/2023 18:26

Many of my friends say the same post covid. I don't feel this at all, if anything I want slightly more, and it feels like most people I know want less.

SallyWD · 09/09/2023 18:28

Hikinghike · 09/09/2023 17:53

I'm late 40s and finding I now need more and more time alone. I get drained when around people for too long and need to retreat with my book. I find small talk so exhausting! I'm single but have a good circle of friends who I enjoy spending time with - in small doses!

Can anyone else relate to this?

God yes! And I'm the same age as you. I've always been introverted but was a sociable introvert. I've just come back from a 3 week holiday with all my in laws. I get on with them brilliantly but having no time alone for 3 weeks almost killed me. Been exhausted ever since.

Els1e · 09/09/2023 18:29

Yep, definitely. Need recovery time away from people.

Original poster
Hikinghike · 09/09/2023 19:30

I've recently been on a group holiday for a week... have been hibernating ever since!

OP posts:
Crossroadsh · 09/09/2023 19:31

Yep. Since working full time and post pandemic I realised that I didn’t have to fill my spare time up with more people, I can just use my weekends to recharge.

Original poster
Hikinghike · 10/09/2023 19:29

Something else I'm starting to do is only attend events/parties etc that I really want to go to, not because I feel I should or that people won't be happy with me if I don't

OP posts:
Tonight1 · 10/09/2023 19:30

Pretty natural

New posts on this thread. Refresh page