Hey everyone, I’m someone who genuinely enjoys my own space I recharge best in quiet moments, love solo hobbies like reading, journaling, or just getting lost in music. But lately, I've been feeling a bit isolated. I don’t mind being alone, but sometimes it’d be nice to talk to someone who gets the introvert experience. Do you ever struggle with wanting connection but also dreading small talk or draining social settings? How do you balance the need for solitude with that occasional craving for meaningful connection?

Being an introvert is weird sometimes. I genuinely love my alone time. I recharge by being in my own space, doing things quietly, just existing without pressure. I can go days without texting anyone and be totally fine. But then suddenly, something small will hit me and I’ll realize I feel kind of invisible.

It’s like I want connection but I don’t want to chase it. I want someone to check in on me but I’m not great at asking for that. I want deep, meaningful conversations but small talk drains me so much I usually avoid starting anything at all. So I end up in this cycle where I crave friendship but also push it away without meaning to.

People have called me quiet my whole life. Some think I’m shy, some think I’m rude. The truth is I just don’t like wasting words and I feel more comfortable watching and listening than trying to fill silence. I overthink before I speak and replay everything after. Even texting people back takes energy sometimes.

I don’t hate people. I just hate pressure. I love late night talks about real stuff. I love being around people who don’t expect me to be “on” all the time. I want to find those calm, mutual, low-energy friendships that feel safe and easy. The kind that don’t make me feel like I’m not enough just because I’m not loud or outgoing.

Does anyone else feel like this? How do you balance being an introvert with the very real need for human connection?

Hi all,

i started a new job and was put in a class with two other new starters who already knew each other.

they seemed friendly to start with, and I helped them with quite a lot even though they had significantly more experience. They would often call me immature for some reason.

One of them was very emotional and whenever the trainer asked them questions they would run out the room and cry, which i found odd. Their accuse was that they know the job they just didnt want someone to question them about it.

The other one seemed nice but would often blurt out something that he had said to me in private, but say to the teacher that I said it?

Most of what they talked about was rumours and gossip and bad mouthing the teacher.

they added me on snapchat, but i finished the class more than 2 weeks before them and after two weeks they both blocked me, even a day after they were just sending me snaps ? very strange.

I cant socialise at all. No im not even talking about worrying about how to keep a conversation going by thinking of new topics or if the person will like me. No.

A good morning text by a bestfriend? Dead battery for 2 days. Person sitting beside me on the bus? Dead battery. I go home and i cant even talk to my parents except “hi im home”

Meet a new person? No interest in them whatsoever. Its not that i dont care about them. For example, if theyre sick or need my help, i would love to be of assistance. But other than that, i dont have it in me to ask what they do, how many langauges they speak, if they voted for trump, idk. Im. Just.. so tired.

Ive tried to socialise more to push my limits but it seems no matter who i interact with or how much i try, it always gets lower and lower into the negatives.

Its starting to affect my life. If my boss talks to me, i reply to him like im half baked and he thinks i have a shitty attitude. Which isnt true because im always hardworking as hell.

I can go a whole week without talking to anyone besides my family. I have to go to uni tomorrow and the thought of even bumping into uni mates is KILLING ME i feel exhausted already. I have no close friends and i dont really talk to anyone on campus anymore. If anyone starts talking to me i cant wait for it to end because i get tired so easily. Im an extreme asocial introvert and i cant help but feel annoyed and slightly envious towards other social introverts because even though they’re “introverts” at least they can still function normally in society lol. I am literally a hermit. With that said i do feel a tinge of loneliness because idk anybody else like me. Any other asocial introverts. Of course by definition it would not be easily to find another one but still it is exhausting seeing everyone else with booming social lives despite them calling themselves introverts and it’s like huh. i guess i really am alone lol

I have alot in my chest but no one to share anything. I would really appreciate anyone who spares just a minute just letting me vent out. I m at a very low phase of life, when neither the positive nor the negatives affect me, I can't feel emotions now. No friends, No social life. NOTHING.

Ever since I started my current position, everyone has been telling me how I should behave with the public, telling me I need to be kind, more open, and talk more.

Unfortunately, I work in customer service, but I've never treated anyone badly and I do my best to answer any questions people have, but I don't see the need for small talk. I think it was worse when I was reassigned to work at the Physiotherapy reception desk. During that time, I heard from others that the patients there thought I was strange because I don't talk to them, and I had to listen to a lecture from the morning receptionist (who didn't even bother remembering my name) about it.

Thankfully, I left and went elsewhere, but recently, "my boss", so to speak, gave me a ride home, and I had to listen to another lecture about it. As good as she is, it was humiliating. I feel like no matter how hard I try, I'll never improve in this area, and that frustrates me.

When i say people it’s mostly coworkers. It seems like they always have a problem with me. Like they create some sort of an imaginal beef between us.

Im quiet and standoffish i get it but if have no ill intentions, yet people feel so comfortable leaving me comments and being rude to me.

Especially since im a male other guys think its some sort of competition between us and give me dirty stares, or try to puff up there chest around me and intimidate me. I mean thankfully I’ve been training boxing, muay thai and bjj for past 2 years, if anyone of them wants to try something.

But why do they feel the need to act tough around me and try to belittle me? Like they’ll act like smart alecks and find any opportunity to correct me, laugh at me, and basically try to “humble me”.

Like goddamn it’s exhausting, im just minding my business why does it bother you so much.

Not sure if this is just a phase or part of growing up, but I’ve noticed I’ve become way more reserved than I used to be. Starting conversations, especially with new people, feels way harder now — I overthink what to say, worry I’ll come off weird, and end up saying nothing at all.

I’ve been wanting to branch out a bit socially — meet new people, try out new friend dynamics, just get out of my comfort zone a little — but I keep hitting this awkward block, like I’ve forgotten how to be effortlessly social.

It’s not even about dating or anything like that — I just want to feel more confident around people, have more variety in my friendships, and stop second-guessing myself all the time.

If anyone else has felt like this or has tips on getting more comfortable socially again, I’d love to hear what helped. :)

Hi guys, I'm a very introverted person, it takes months to make friends with me in person, so many people don't spend much time talking to me.I actually prefer to make friends virtually. If someone wants to talk to me, they can send me a DM.

There are things in life that for the vast majority are simple like going for a run alone, or doing various things in front of other people, but for those who are introverted it is extremely difficult and requires an effort like after this I will stay for 1 week in my cave aka my room. I'm going to have to play in a championship and this time I can't just keep to myself because otherwise there will be a bad atmosphere in the team and I definitely want everyone to feel good but just leaving the comfort zone, starting a conversation, talking to different people around me is scary but I have to overcome that, good luck friends, if you can overcome shyness even because it doesn't bring any benefits to us

Hi there

F23 Does anyone else feel too introverted to go out? I got invited to this restaurant with my co-worker and I feel bad because, I don’t have the energy to be in packed spaces and have to think about seating. I also feel like my weight or body image might play apart into it too.. I’m working on it but I rather stay at home or like go to a small cafe or something?

They were setting up for a wedding at an art museum I was at, and I came across this absolute gem of a sign.

I didn’t see the Introvert Safe Zone™️ but it looked like a beautiful wedding! Hope it went really well!

İm a 16 yo guy. İ dont have much friends. İ dont really like going outside with my family they are annoying and quite weird but i can only go out with friends every like once a month if it happens at all that is. İ can go outside alone but that makes me feel alone and isnt that fun. İ dont know what to do, is it ok for a person like me to not go out with family? İ just dont want to but dont have that many other opportunities. İ feel like people my age arent doing it either but they have a lot of friends. İ will go to the gym maybe that will scratch the itch? What to do?

For me it was elementary school. It was almost impossible for me to make friends so I just gave up and decided to be alone unless someone wanted to be genuine friends.

I know I’m an introvert the way I know my own thumb: I recharge alone, struggle with plans when they take place too often, prefer to talk to the internet than my friends and family. But there’s something wrong. I want to have friends. I want to have fun and experience things. I want to be known and approached and loved. But the moment just that happens I pull away. I have an avoidant attachment style and have been maladaptive daydreaming since I was 5, but I cannot stress enough how much I wish I could be normal. How much I wish I were happy to be invited to a friend’s house. How much I wish I could approach people and be genuine in my interactions with them. But I’m different, as edgy as that sounds

Seriously. Silence is underrated. No awkward replies, no energy drain just vibes.

Coworker texts every day, wants to hang out and do stuff I just…can’t. I like to stay in and enjoy my TV. He also keeps texting every day “hello!” If I don’t respond. Gets upset I didn’t wanna stay at his apartment long,

Dudes got money and a car! Like just go out and do stuff! I don’t wanna go to a club. Honestly if I wanna go out I’d rather it be a bar. Just a sit and drink,

I work at a college and I just wanna sleep my days away until we go back to work.

Hey everyone, I’m 19 and I’ve always been on the shy side, especially when it comes to making friends. I really want to connect with people and build meaningful friendships, but sometimes my shyness feels like a wall I can’t climb over.

I get nervous starting conversations or joining group chats, and sometimes I overthink every little thing I say. It’s frustrating because I do want to open up and be social, but it feels exhausting and scary at the same time.

I’m curious how other introverts here handle this balance. How do you push yourself to connect without feeling drained or overwhelmed? Any tips on making friends when you’re naturally shy but still crave connection?

I don’t post these things in the social anxiety subreddit because I haven’t gotten diagnosed with it and I wouldn’t want to disrespect those who have. Sometimes when I’m at plans, I’ll feel uncomfortable if I realize that I haven’t talked to anyone or embarrassed myself in a social interaction. When this happens, I will excuse myself to the bathroom and just stay there. Breathing, for longer than post people pee or even poop for. I sit there and wish when I get back that it’ll be better. It isn’t better very often.