AIBU to think lockdown suits introverted people?

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Its quite suited me, I'm pretty introverted. I like company, one or two people but i feel lost in a big gathering. I don't like parties or forced get togethers. I live my own company. I've got friends but no family to meet up with.

Lockdown hasn't been a million miles away to my usual life.

Don't know if I'm a weirdo or fairly typical?

Ive 'enjoyed' lockdown, in that I haven't had to socialise, however, I have really missed our extended family, in particular my mum.
I'm actually dreading social invites now.

Yanbu. I'm fed up being stuck with the kids so much but it hasn't been that bad.

At @agelikewine - fantastic, well said!

I was saying to someone yesterday that if it wasn’t for my children, I would have found lockdown ok.

My biggest problems with lockdown has been NEVER having time to myself and the damage that has been done to my children.

If I didn’t have children then very little in my life would have really changed.

I’ve enjoyed the reduced social expectations. But having the dc constantly talking to me and wanting to play with me, because there is no where to go and no one to see, is very wearing. My sn dc has had very little support and has needed me much more and my nt dc has too. I haven’t had time alone in over a year.

I can’t visit my df in hospital or properly support my dm. The local pub sells take away drink and our estate has become a defacto beer garden with people urinating and defacating in the bushes so it’s no longer a safe play area for the local dc. Going for a walk in the evenings means running the gauntlet of rowdy drunks.

I’ve never enjoyed social occasions but standing on the pavement as a hearse goes by and watching funerals on a weblink has been deeply painful. I’ve lost too many people this year.

I’m an absolute introvert but it has been an appalling year. I’ve huge sympathy for my extrovert friends but it isn’t helpful to assume that all the introverts are enjoying this.

I always thought of myself as in introvert but I'm not so sure now.

I live on my own. I have an adult child.

Generally I feel okay WFH and pottering about. At the moment I have one friend who I talk to over the phone or text, but I've never been to her house or her to mine.

So going to work gave me a bit of a social life, even if some of the time I didn't want to go in.

Now a lot of the time I sway from being totally fine with lockdown to wishing I was dead. Strange huh.

Naturally, I have name changed for this!

I'm an introvert and like my own company but you can have too much of a good thing. If I'm on my own too much I start to get overly anxious in social situations so I do need to push myself to be around people.

It doesn't really help that although I'm in work, the building has been closed to the general public so I'm not interacting with people there either.

I saw a couple of friends at the weekend (socially distanced in their garden) and it took me a little while to 'warm up' and remember how to have a conversation. So, in short, although I haven't found the isolation 'hard' it's still been damaging in it's own way.

I know once my fitness classes start up and I get back into the routine of seeing people, I'll be much better mentally than I am now.

Yes definitely

DH and I are fairly introverted, both happy with a quiet life at home - it hasn't overly bothered us being restricted.

DS2 is very introverted, finds the company of other people hard work and much happier in the comfort of home. Lockdown has suited him down to the ground

I’m a strange mix. I’m an introvert but I want to be included and feel hurt if I’m not. BUT if I am invited to something I’ll feel anxious about going. It’s like I don’t want to do social things but at the same time, I don’t want anybody else to do things without me!

So lockdown has suited me because it allowed me to avoid social situations but I could also feel comfortable in the knowledge that nobody else was out having fun without me.

Our neighbours are incredibly sociable and in normal times have different people round each weekend. We rarely have anyone round and I’m so conscious of our lack of friends. I guess I’m envious of extroverts but I know I’m introverted and always have been.

Like I said, a strange mix!

YANBU. My more introverted friends have enjoyed lockdown, and are nervous of things opening up again.

I am an extrovert and have missed my friends so much, I can't WAIT to get back to work/life and see them!

@LyndaSnellsSniff

I’m a strange mix. I’m an introvert but I want to be included and feel hurt if I’m not. BUT if I am invited to something I’ll feel anxious about going. It’s like I don’t want to do social things but at the same time, I don’t want anybody else to do things without me!

So lockdown has suited me because it allowed me to avoid social situations but I could also feel comfortable in the knowledge that nobody else was out having fun without me.

Our neighbours are incredibly sociable and in normal times have different people round each weekend. We rarely have anyone round and I’m so conscious of our lack of friends. I guess I’m envious of extroverts but I know I’m introverted and always have been.

Like I said, a strange mix!

I so understand!

I am introverted, but have found lockdown to be a huge struggle.

I’m introverted, but it turns out the small amount of adult human contact I had, I need.

Talking to adults at Uni.
Going to the gym on campus.
Being able to nip to friends houses for an hour.
Meeting up with multiple friends and our DC at weekends.

I have 4 close friends, I’ve barely seen 1 (pregnant and then newborn), haven’t seen 1 at all since last February (ECV), I’ve seen 1 every week or so (support bubble as I’m a lone parent) and the other when not in lockdown.

@AgeLikeWine

Well said! Take a bow, that woman!

I'm relieved I'm not alone.
I wasn't sure if anyone felt the same. I like meeting a friend now and then for a chat or lunch etc, in normal times. Bug nights out fill me with dread though I often end up enjoying it. Couldn't do it too much though.

I can imagine a houseful of home schooling kids and a partner wfh would have been hell.

Agree with @AgeLikeWine too

AgeLikeWine Thank you. Honestly I felt bad to say it but we just loved it. Dh and I are introverted however we are in a good group of friends/family who love to socialise often. It was pure bliss getting out of these things. We have skipped so many big occassions.

I am an introvert. Introvert doesn’t mean anti-social though - all it means in my case is that I’m comfy in my own company and that social situations drain me and I need to recharge... I enjoy social situations and seeing my friends!

Lockdown has not suited me at all. I miss my freedom, going out to places and travelling (all of which can be done alone). Plus there’s always someone at home when I need my ‘alone time’ to recharge! Lockdown is a fucking disaster for my introvert soul.

Same here.I never went to social events as I have anxiety and work unsociable hours.so although I never accepted invitations it was nice to feel normal in that no one could meet up.
The thing that surprised me is how much I have loved being away from the coal face.A former workaholic I thought I would crack just seeing dh and d's all day but no I love it and only felt lonely a couple of times.

It's a strange one as I am an extrovert but I have found that I have enjoyed being at home just with my family and having gatherings when allowed with a small number of people. I really dont want to go back to my busy hectic lifestyle juggling a million social engagements and having to plan so many things.

@therocinante

I am dreading the eventual return to 'what do you mean you're not excited about the 5 weddings, 2 birthday parties and 3 christenings we're invited to over the next 6 months??'.

I've loved having no expectations, socially - it's all well and good saying you find socialising exhausting, and thank god my closest friend is the same, but my wider friendship group expect me at these events (understandably!). And a wedding is my worst nightmare - an entire day of being 'on', loads of people I don't know, small talk a-go-go.

Wish there was a way to say "I'm so honoured you invited me to your wedding/child's christening/birthday night out but I would rather stick pins in my eyes not attend, let's get a brew one day the two of us" without it being rude and weird!

Oh yes. I wish I could say "That's very kind of you but no thank you" to so many things without people either getting offended or going on some kind of crusade to "bring me out of myself". I don't want bringing out of myself. I am happy with my life how it is. Or at least I would be if people would leave me alone! I wonder how much money I have wasted paying for things like work Christmas nights out that I never had any intention of turning up to but felt pressured into accepting when the organiser wouldn't take no for an answer. The regularity with which a member of my family was taken ill, childcare let me down or my car wouldn't start on those particular nights was amazing. Why couldn't I just say no and have it accepted?

Hmm it depends on your circumstances I think. Lots of times on here and in RL people have said they have liked not having to socialise with anyone, but they mean anyone outside their DH/DP and several DC, plus people they work with (even if it's online) - well that's very different to someone who lives completely alone and WFH. I imagine you'd have to be very introverted indeed to enjoy not seeing ANYONE you know (or if shielding, anyone at all!) for months on end.

Same with living in a big house and garden with teen DC who can entertain themselves= very different circumstances than small DC in a high flat.

I would consider myself an introvert but understand that as someone who enjoys other people's company but needs to recharge alone every so often to relax. Whereas extroverts recharge by interacting with people.

Even extroverts I know have enjoyed some parts of lockdown - more time spent with family and less at work, their favourite places being much quieter, etc.

So I don't think it's as simple as introverted = loving lockdown.

It's suited me - I have a wide social circle, active social life and an extended family. However, I've always been happy in my own company, have loads of activities that I do separate from my DH and am quite happy sitting with a book or film.
I am however looking forward to meals out again with friends.

YNBU. Both myself and best friend are introverts and neither of us struggled with lockdown other than not seeing each other for a visit.

I have hated it but am an extrovert. Some of my friends have loved it though - and they are much more introverted than me