On Being an Introvert

Adam McHugh's blog on introversion is always an enjoyable read as was his book. His post yesterday was especially thoughtful. In part he states, From a neurological point of view, introverts have more brain activity and brain blood flow than extroverts, and we have less tolerance for the dopamine that is released from social interactions and activity. So in many cases it actually may be more pleasurable - in terms of the good feelings released in the brain - for us to be alone or at home than it is for us to be at a party or a church activity. In other words, we are more motivated to be alone than to be in a crowd. It's not that we don't like people or are anti-social or standoffish, it's that it actually feels better for us to be alone sometimes. Reading a book on a Friday night may feel better than a night out with friends, especially when we have spent the week in a socially charged atmosphere at work. You see, it's not that we don't like people or that we're naval-gazers, we just don't get our energy from being around others. Rather, we recharge our internal batteries by being alone and pursuing whatever our sometimes overly active brains would have for us to cogitate upon. Read the rest of Adam's thoughtful post here and think about all of your introverted friends. His last paragraph is particularly discerning. Let me know what you think.