Someone who is not familiar with introversion just can’t get what this personality type’s need for solitude is all about. What’s so difficult about being friendly with neighbors or having a chitchat with a colleague? Even introverts’ extroverted family members don’t understand their struggle with such simple social situations. So some of the things introverts do to avoid any interaction with others make sense only to themselves.
Here are some crazy things every introvert has done at least once in their lifetime in order not to talk to people:
Imagine the following scenario: you have a day-off and are enjoying the comfort of your home. You made yourself a cup of aromatic tea, got your favorite biscuits and are reading an intriguing mystery book. Suddenly, you hear your doorbell ringing. What will an introvert do?
They will quietly approach the door, making sure their steps won’t be heard and will look into the peephole. And if it’s a stranger or someone they don’t want to see, they will pretend that no one is at home. It makes more sense than letting such an unexpected visit ruin your day of solitude and relaxation.
An introvert will never leave their house just like that. They will make sure no one is there to minimize their chances of an awkward conversation with a neighbor. So they will listen at the door, look into the peephole and check through the curtains. After all, it’s not a difficult task to do since it will save you from small talk with that nosy old lady living next to you, don’t you think?
Imagine that you are walking down the street and suddenly see your classmate or a colleague. You will probably greet them, say a couple of nice things and continue with your route.
But if an introvert is lucky enough to notice an acquaintance before they notice them, they will do everything for the sake of avoiding this uncomfortable encounter. Hiding, covering their face or even turning in the opposite direction. Isn’t it much easier to walk an extra couple of miles than to be trapped in an awkward chat with someone you don’t like? Well, it certainly is so for introverts.
Getting back home is a similar story: say that an introvert sees a talkative neighbor at the entrance to the building. In this case, they may have no choice but make a couple of circles around the house and get back when no one is there.
Well, this is one of the top crazy things that all introverts do. They use the bathroom as an ultimate refuge to take a break from people. Whether you are at school, at work or even at a birthday party, a bathroom is the only place where you won’t be disturbed. And it is the only place you can go without explaining yourself to others.
So when you feel like you’ve had too much of social contact, you get locked there for a few minutes. The comfort of being isolated from people immediately helps you recharge your batteries in the short term.
Sometimes it’s better to make up an excuse than to go to some birthday or family reunion and see people you don’t like. So you pretend to be ill or say that you are already going to the funeral of your granny’s rabbit. Introverts will use the full power of their creativity to make up the best excuses for not going to social gatherings.
For some introverts, especially socially anxious ones, just being in a crowded place is draining. For this reason, they try to go out at weird hours when it’s not too “peopley” outside. This may be early in the morning or late at night.
Introverts use the same trick and go for a walk when the weather is bad and everyone else stays at home. After all, this is the only way to enjoy your favorite park which is usually full of people and noises. What can be better than a quiet walk on a rainy day?
These may sound like really crazy things to do, yet, they make perfect sense to us introverts.
Introverts are incredibly inventive when it comes to avoiding uncomfortable social interaction. They are capable of developing a whole plan in order not to go somewhere where they will have to talk.
Say that you are going to cook some sophisticated dish and find that an important ingredient is missing. But it’s late and you can find this ingredient only in the local 24 hours mini-market. The problem is that the cashier is super friendly and always asks something. Guess what will an introvert do? They will probably figure out the most creative and clever way to replace this ingredient with a different one!
Be sure that an introvert will always find a solution that will involve the least social contact possible. Sometimes it’s really impressive how much creativity and imagination they can use in order not talk to strangers.
When you live somewhere, you inevitably get to know your local cafés and stores. After all, everyone goes for shopping and drinks coffee, and introverts are no exception.
Imagine that you’ve found a great place with the yummiest coffee ever. You go there once, you go there twice and at some point, the barman remembers you and the way you drink your coffee. So he smiles at you and asks you, “What’s up?” For most people, this will be a great bonus to a high-quality coffee they can buy there.
But introverts’ way of thinking is different, as you have seen from the other crazy things above. So you have probably already guessed. They will feel awkward about such unexpected friendliness and will never go to that café again.
The same is true about those small shops where a salesperson is trying to help you just too much. An introvert will always prefer to take their time to shop without being bombarded with questions and suggestions.
These are just some of the crazy things introverts do to avoid social interaction. Most of them will probably remain a mystery to the extroverted part of the population. Yet, they sound completely logical to us introverts and are just our weapon against the unnecessary communication which drains us. We may seem weird and aloof to the people we are not close to, but our dear ones love us the way we are – even though they can’t always understand us.
Are you an introvert? Are you guilty of the above crazy things or do you have your own which are not featured here? Please share your introvert quirks with us in the comments below.
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I'm not introvert but most of the qualities of introvert are being in me... Like all of above
When I go to the store for groceries I wear sunglasses and headphones so if someone talks to me I can just ignore them without looking like a jerk. Like "nope, I didn't hear you, I'm just going to keep walking." Lol
Misbah, Most people are like you. We all have aside that we present o the world and our friends and acquaintances and a side that we keep hidden.
I'm as introvert and yes I'm guilty of that.
One characteristics that is not mentioned here is that an introvert would never like to defend themselves in an argument. They would rather fail an argument then arguing back because as you said they want the least social contact and winning an arguement might mean explaining a lot of things to the other person which they don't want. So again it's the craziest thing of all about us introverts
hey fatima, exactly what you say. I am an introvet. every time I argue I choose to lose, not because I am stupid but because I do not feel comfortable doing it. I am more comfortable doing everything myself.
I do all that is listed in this article. sometimes when an acquaintance meets me on the street and talks, I speak to myself "go away, leave me alone".