I am an introvert, but I have a need to be somewhat social too. I have anxiety over public speaking, talking to crushes, dancing, basically any situation where I am judged on my appearance and speech.

Right now I am seeking out more social situations, but when I had school, I just wanted to go home mostly every day.

All of the above, but I prefer accepting it rather than dealing with it - if dealing with it means there is something wrong with me because I don't fit some arbitrary definition of normal. We're all ok how we are, I just work on enjoying and accepting how things are as much as I can.

I should add its not always easy, but neither is being around the wrong people.

I can have conversations, no bother, but getting out of my comfort zone makes me feel really awkward.

However, last night's Karaoke Meetup went well. :)

I am introverted, and enjoy lots of time alone, especially after working all week. My loneliness does come from lack of people, but I am kind of picky when it comes to friends. You have to have the right connection. I don't have that with many people. I don't want to have friends just to do things with, if I don't fully enjoy their company. It's difficult at this age to make friends. The best friendships for me, were the ones from childhood, which unfortunately I no longer have contact with those people.

As mom used to say: "bashful."

I have social anxiety disorder. Had it from childhood. Never had many friends. Have been very lonely a lot of my life. Meeting my husband helped. But eventually, I started feeling lonely a lot even married. But its my fault. I'm not good at talking, having conversations. Besides, I like talking about tv shows, what is going on someones life, small things. Guess I nead a girlfriend. But being extremely shy makes it so hard.

Barbara

I'm not introverted. I love to talk, only nowadays there's no one to listen.
Thats loneliness.

I do not think I am extroverted...but I am controlled by externals in my life...like money and looks and things going on around you if your my friend....

I am not truly introverted...and I have some long term friends from junior high school....but my past was abusing drugs and alcohol to be friends....i trie to fit in and found that as long as I had drugs and alcohol I had friends...but I gave up drugs because they made me crazy as bat shit....and finally decided to give up drinking after a drinking friend tried to have sex with me and I am not gay....or don't want gay sex....maybe I am bit bisexual....

anyway I am doing things now to get new people into my world thru meetup...I did and do AA but it hasn't proven the success in social life that some people have but it has changed my life entirely to more positive life than ever before....I like my life now...even being lonely I can still like my alone time but need people as much as always...

I forgot to answer this myself. I have always been shy because of social anxiety. I am also introverted but maybe that is a result of said social anxiety. I have a hard time accepting it because I wish I was extroverted and a social butterfly. My social anxiety has led to a life of isolation and intense loneliness and severe depression.

I really relate to what you said, SweetPetite.

Thank you Blue. I don't believe you will ever be extroverted or a social butterfly, because that is not your personality. But I do wish for you to get over your social anxiety so that your life will not be so lonely and isolated. You are young. Please find a way out of it. It's a waste of a life to live like that. I have definitely gotten better as I got older. But that is only because my life circumstances PUSHED me out into the world. I am still not happy in my own skin but I try my best to play the part.

Sometimes. And sometimes I'm an extrovert. It depends on the situation, what I'm trying to get from people, whether I even need anything from anybody.

Add me to your list. I was diagnosed with Agoraphobia; Social Phobia; and anxiety disorders in 1987 (a lifetime ago). In 2005; I was diagnosed with Complex PTSD, and Major Depression, recurrent. I just can not seem to force myself to get out. I face major fear; and worthlessness. I must have always been introverted; as my first grade teacher wrote that I was painfully shy; and rarely spoke.

I believe I am somewhere in the middle. All my tests come out as extroverted, meaning I derive my energy from being around people, but for me, it has to be the right people before that side of me will come out. I have to feel confident and safe, and that is not always the case. I am not shy by any means, I can easily meet people, but I too am looking for that deeper connection which is hard to find, I also find most people are not emotionally intelligent enough to reciprocate, and I am very particular and protective of my time. You can be introverted and not shy, or extroverted and shy - the definition is where you get your energy from and it's often misunderstood. I meet a lot of people and have a lot of social activity in my life, I work full time in a busy sales environment dealing with people constantly, and most every weekend there is something going on - I often decline invites due to my schedule already being full, but yes, I still deal with loneliness, because the ultimate goal for me is more true and real connections, mainly coming from lack of family connections - and that causes loneliness. There is a also part of me that often feels I just don't fit into societal standards, I am often proud of that too, standing out and being unique, but it also makes me lonely, never really fitting in. So for various reasons us extroverts suffer from it too.

I always thought I was just shy or had low self esteem. My 20 y/o daughter accepts her intravertedness so I guess that's what I am. I consider myself a loner but at times become very lonely and don't have any friends. I have a 40 year class reunion coming up this summer and am so torn about it. More than likely I will not go. They weren't friends with me then, why bother now. Good discussion Blue.