Are you an INTROVERT?

Humans are a very diverse species, they differ from each other in many ways such as race, language,  ethnicity,  religion, socioeconomic status, personality, gender, sexual orientation, etc. Personality is an important aspect of human diversity. There are also many types of personality based on a person's characteristics, behaviours, and unique set of traits.

Introversion, introvert, extraversion, and extrovert are the most well-known terms of personality traits which were introduced by Carl Gustav Jung,  Swiss psychiatrist, and psychoanalyst, in his theories of personalities. According to Jung(1921), introversion is a personality type characterised by a focus on internal thoughts and feelings, and extraversion, on the contrary, is a personality type characterised by a focus on external stimuli and the surrounding environment. In this blog, I am specifically going to talk about introversion,  as I am an introvert.

So what is introversion?

Introversion is characterised by a tendency to focus on one's inner thoughts, feelings, and experiences, and to feel energised by solitude and quiet environments. For example, the battery of introverted people drains quickly in a social gathering. Author Marti Olsen Laney, a psychotherapist, wrote that introverts have a longer neural pathway for processing stimuli in her book 'The Introvert Advantage' which means it is more complicated for introverted people to process the interactions they have. While extroverted people prefer going to big social gatherings, introverted people prefer doing things - reading books, drawing,  watching movies - alone to recharge their social battery.

Introversion and extraversion are the opposite ends of a wide range spectrum. We can determine where one falls in this spectrum by noticing where one gets and puts out energy and most importantly one can fall anywhere on this spectrum. There are many signs which can help one to identify one's personality. Moreover, many online tests can help one to know about their personality. For instance, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI): This model identifies 16 personality types based on four dichotomies: extraversion vs. introversion, sensing vs. intuition, thinking vs. feeling, and judging vs. perceiving. The 16 types are represented by four-letter codes, such as ISTJ, ENFP, etc. This test will give some questions to the participants,  then it will detect the personality of the participants based on the data it collects through answers.

Introverted people do not have communication skills, do they?

There are lots of misconceptions about Introverts, one of them is that introverts can not communicate well because of their shyness. Shyness is typically caused by anxiety and insecurities, and it is a mild form of social anxiety that involves a fear of being judged negatively by others. Whereas Introverts are not generally bound by fear and anxiety. If Introverts choose not to speak, it's because they prefer not to rather than because they are afraid. Usually,  introverts like hanging out on their own or with a small intimate group.

Sign of introverted people:

• They may prefer written communication, such as text over phone calls or face-to-face interactions.

• They tend to avoid being the centre of attention 

• They are a good listener 

• They get tired and overwhelmed in a social gathering easily 

• They prefer enjoying time alone 

• They tend to creative 

• They find their thoughts stimulating enough, and for this reason, they overthink a lot

Unfortunately,  there are lots of stigma around introverts in this world which values the traits of extrovert people more. In my opinion, both personalities have their fair share of disadvantages and advantages. We should embrace and celebrate the aspects of our personalities which can lead to a greater sense of self-acceptance and self-confidence. To conclude,  by appreciating and acknowledging the strengths,  perspectives, and preferences of different personalities,  we can create a more inclusive and understanding world for all.