Do you consider yourself an introvert, or an extrovert?

Lost Girl said:

I highly doubt there are any extroverts here.

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I am ambiverted - a combination of both. The OP thinks she is natutally extroverted, and she is probably right if she thinks that about herself. Social phobia is an anxiety disorder, introversion/extroversion are personality types. There are extroverts with social phobia, and introverts without it. SA can mimic introversion.

Lavinialuna said:

I did find this, if it helps anyone.
I am naturally an extrovert who has adopted introverted ways because of life trauma. Introversion was not me origionally.
What is an Extrovert?

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This too

What is an Introvert?

Opaline said:

I am ambiverted - a combination of both. The OP thinks she is natutally extroverted, and she is probably right if she thinks that about herself. Social phobia is an anxiety disorder, introversion/extroversion are personality types. There are extroverts with social phobia, and introverts without it. SA can mimic introversion.

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Thanks for understanding what I meant. I was starting to feel like I was irritating everyone and was contemplating deleting the post (sort of makes me feel stupid.:sad: )

I would say ambivert. It all depends which one I'm more of by the situation, the people I'm around, just things like that. So, overall, both.

I'm definitely an introvert... since I was very young, I have never enjoyed spending time with a lot of people at once and for most of my life only had about 1 friend at a time.

i guess im a bit of both. i enjoy being around people as well as being alone.

:greeting: I feel I need to say hi cos its been so long since I waded in on anything round here.

NathanielWingatePeaslee said:

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This is a good little chart Nate


op, I think it depends who I am in the company of. If I ilke my company or feel comfortable, extrovert. If not, superintrovert.

Regardless of company though, I do need lots of time every day away from people and I do prefer going places on my own. If I don't get time alone I am minus fun to be around.

I think if people around me were surveyed on this (the surveyer would obviously have nothing better to do haha) the variety of answers would be very extreme.

I think I'm naturally an introvert, but I think that my social anxiety causes me to be more introverted then normal.

Lavinialuna said:

I did find this, if it helps anyone.
I am naturally an extrovert who has adopted introverted ways because of life trauma. Introversion was not me origionally.[/url]

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I thank that I understand, Do you desire to be more social and enjoy socializing with people, but feel like you can't because of your anxiety? Do you wish that you could participate in social activity without having anxiety?

I'm curious what it is that makes people here believe they are extroverted or ambi?
I'm not an expert by any means, and there's every chance I'm wrong in my doubts, but I don't see how its possible to be both extro and have sa.

I've heard people believe themselves to be extroverted in MBTI forums specifically because they think, "oh I'm the loudest one in my group of friends" or "I'm not afraid to stand up for myself to others" or, "I'm not shy at all" etc, all of which can still well and truly still fall under introversion. I'm genuinely curious, and OP, of course, don't delete thread, discussion is good.

Lost Girl said:

I'm curious what it is that makes people here believe they are extroverted or ambi?

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I know a lot of people who use humour to deflect their anxiety which often ironically makes them a focal point in a group. facepalm lol.

I think beat/opaline/...I can't remember what name you're currently using B :idontknow: lol sorry. But she made a very very good point somewhere else in the thread about the distinction between social anxiety and personality. well worth the going back and reading.

^^The definitions of extravert/introverts is that extravert get energy from being around other people whereas introverts usually find it drains energy and get their energy from being alone. Introverts can still like being around people but may feel the need to limit how long they do so. Social anxiety is the fear of being judged badly in social situations, so it is possible for extraverts to experience SA. Maybe being an extravert means you're less likely to suffer SA as you generally enjoy soc.i.alising, and introverts get it more because they get tired, want to go home, stop functioning as a social creature and have a bad time

joule said:

I know a lot of people who use humour to deflect their anxiety which often ironically makes them a focal point in a group. facepalm lol.

I think beat/opaline/...I can't remember what name you're currently using B :idontknow: lol sorry. But she made a very very good point somewhere else in the thread about the distinction between social anxiety and personality. well worth the going back and reading.

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Is this what you're referring to?

"Just a guess but some of the people answering "introvert" might be extroverted with social anxiety (as the OP said about herself). Introversion is a personality type and introverts are not necessarily anxious. I know introverts who socialize just fine but need alone time, etc. SA can't cause introversion, only the illusion of such, which, in some cases, could be hiding a person's true socialization mode (extroversion or ambiversion).

I think I'm an anxious ambivert, since I have a few traits from both types when I'm comfortable but anxiety makes me appear introverted."


If so, I'm not convinced. A few people have taken me for an extrovert at social events, a "social butterfly" even, I'm looking forward to attending a party tomorrow actually. Looking back over my teens, for the most part, I was very outspoken at times, in some classes, even the class clown, and probably would have believed myself to be an extrovert at the time if I had even heard of those expressions, the same goes for college, but I'm not, I'm an introvert. Absolutely. Socializing, while it can be fun at the time, drains my energy. Im not sure that people have misconceptions of what introversion is? It's true that not all introverts are socially anxious, but I don't know that the reverse is true...

Perhaps I am getting too wrapped up in my own experience, but I truly cannot see how one can be extroverted with social anxiety disorder... But then, I suppose, I am coming from the angle of a personal theory I've developed over the past couple of years that social anxiety is nothing more than extreme introversion, magnified by the shame or feeling that one isn't "normal". Just a theory, perhaps I should hush it.

kihira said:

^^The definitions of extravert/introverts is that extravert get energy from being around other people whereas introverts usually find it drains energy and get their energy from being alone. Introverts can still like being around people but may feel the need to limit how long they do so. Social anxiety is the fear of being judged badly in social situations, so it is possible for extraverts to experience SA. Maybe being an extravert means you're less likely to suffer SA as you generally enjoy soc.i.alising, and introverts get it more because they get tired, want to go home, stop functioning as a social creature and have a bad time

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Social anxiety certainly isn't just a fear of being judged badly in social situations, for me it is the fear of people and the very act of so******ing altogether. The very idea of having to say "hello, I'm good thanks" to a cashier can cripple me when my SA is bad.

Like you say, extroversion is when social interaction energizes a person - how in the how could one also be terrified of social interaction?

I'm off to google if extroversion + social anxiety can indeed go hand in hand. Ill be back with results *prepares to eat words, totes realises this is a strong possibility* ZOoooooom!

Lost Girl said:

Social anxiety certainly isn't just a fear of being judged badly in social situations, for me it is the fear of people and the very act of so******ing altogether. The very idea of having to say "hello, I'm good thanks" to a cashier can cripple me when my SA is bad.

Like you say, extroversion is when social interaction energizes a person - how in the how could one also be terrified of social interaction?

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The very heart of social anxiety is the fear of judgment by others, what other people think about us, it all goes back to this

edit: and found this http://tinyurl.com/k85sawr

Well, the only examples I've come across of extroversion +SA is in forum posts where there's every chance that the poster has mistyped themselves as an extrovert. As for other sites, I clicked on a couple of links where Social anxiety was said to have been a link between a low score on the extroversion scale (ie, introversion) and high neuroticism. If anyone else comes across something that says otherwise, I'm happy to read it. For now, I'm off to bed.

kihira said:

The very heart of social anxiety is the fear of judgment by others, what other people think about us, it all goes back to this

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I think you hit the nail on the head with that one.

I think i was the one who started the debate about whether you can be an extrovert with SA.

Anyway. I am definitely an introvert since I find social environments very draining and have to psyche myself up beforehand and have a bit of a rest afterwards. I am getting better as I get older though.

Please don't take this as an insult/inflammatory. I just don't know how else to word it and don't have time to edit right now. I think people here who are calling themselves an extrovert/ambiwhatever are really dependent introverts... Kind of a codependency, like you need a crutch (certain people around) in order to feel extroverted... which really isn't extroverted.

Lost Girl said:

Is this what you're referring to?

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opaline said:

"Just a guess but some of the people answering "introvert" might be extroverted with social anxiety (as the OP said about herself). Introversion is a personality type and introverts are not necessarily anxious. I know introverts who socialize just fine but need alone time, etc. SA can't cause introversion, only the illusion of such, which, in some cases, could be hiding a person's true socialization mode (extroversion or ambiversion).
.

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Yup, totally agree.

I don't think social anxiety effects anyone's personality, it might effect how others perceive you but it doesn't change who you are.

I notice that people who are naturally introverted and suffer from social anxiety tend to be relieved when people give them space. Whereas those who are naturally extroverted and suffer from social anxiety often talk about feeling frustrated and left out (in the context of being alone all the time). If you're an extrovert with social anxiety it's gotta be tough, I feel for you guys.

planetweirdo said:

I think I'm naturally an introvert, but I think that my social anxiety causes me to be more introverted then normal.



I thank that I understand, Do you desire to be more social and enjoy socializing with people, but feel like you can't because of your anxiety? Do you wish that you could participate in social activity without having anxiety?

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Before I sank into my social anxiety I was very social and had a large group of friends. We used to all camp together and it wore me out, by day 2 I was always in tears because I was so overwhelmed. Over time I retreated even more, not participating, and then eventually stopped talking to almost everyone. I don't know why it happened. So yes, I have been the one who always makes the funny jokes, I speak before I think, I can be loud- but I do get overstimulated and need to get away after awhile. So it is possible I am still introverted? I really don't know, but it's interesting. If anyone has a good reliable quiz those of us who are unsure could take it and post the results

Joule, thanks for the encouragement to keep the post!