Table of Contents hide

1.3 Can You Be Social And Introverted At The Same Time?

1.6 Is Being An Introvert Social Anxiety?

Social Introvert

Social introvert. Before we dive into this topic, let us understand who an introvert is. An introvert according to the Oxford dictionary is a shy, reticent person. Being introverted means that you prefer to focus on your thoughts and inner self rather than what happens around you. Introverts mostly prefer to spend time with a small group of friends rather than a large crowd.

An introvert mostly likes or prefers calm environments, and solitude mostly and does his best to limit or avoid social engagements. They are seen as quiet, reserved and thoughtful not seeking or drawing attention to themselves. With this knowledge, let us look at who a social introvert is as we dive deeper into this article.

A social introvert is someone who prefers to spend time alone. They often do their best to ensure that they get the amount of time they want to be by themselves and if they have friends or socialise, it will mostly be with close friends. Being a social introvert means that a person enjoys their own company and may feel drained if they spend too much time with other people.

The decision to be a social introvert is entirely based on genetics and not due to anxiety or shyness. It is a personality trait and not a mental health disorder, it just simply means that a person draws their energy from within themselves rather than from other people.

Being a social introvert is often mistaken for being asocial or a loner who lacks the skills to be social and this is not correct. Being asocial means that a person avoids social interactions. Asocials are often hostile, rejecting and lacking the capacity to interact socially. A social introvert on the other hand focuses on his internal feelings rather than his surroundings.

Introverts are generally considered unfriendly, but in reality, being an introvert does not affect how friendly a person is and as a social introvert, a person mostly has only a handful of friends. They usually have very deep friendships with just a handful of people they have trusted over time and may not be open to talking with everyone.

Contrary to the belief that it is hard to get to know a social introvert because they mostly seem unfriendly, they are actually friendly people but mostly open up to people they feel they can trust or people they seem interested in and this conclusion is mostly because they prefer to be in very small groups rather than large crowds.

A person considered to be a social introvert often feels like they give a great deal of themselves and their energy to function in social settings. Many times, after being in social gatherings, they may feel the need to spend some time by themselves as they feel the need for a refill. They mostly enjoy the time they spend by themselves more than those with others.

Despite the preference for their own company, a person who is considered to be a social introvert will consider the time spent with people they love or close-knit friends as highly enjoyable and they are usually wanting for more. In a decent amount of time, social introverts look forward to spending time with people they love.

You can find out if you are a social introvert in the following ways;

You always come up with excuses why you cannot be in a social gathering or you accept social invitations and end up not showing up for them
Time alone is much more valuable and well spent for you than time with others but you hate being lonely
You feel more comfortable being in the company of people you already know and dread a large crowd setting
You do your best to avoid drawing attention to yourself
You socialise mostly because of the fear of missing out but still prefer intimate settings.

I am sure by now you can tell whether or not you are a social introvert. It is also important to note that, this does not mean you are a weird person it is just genetics at work and there are many social people that like to befriend introverted people as they are considered to be great conversationalists because of their thoughtful side.

Can A Social Person Be Introvert?

Can a social person be introverted? When people hear the word introvert what immediately comes to mind is a person that hates people, is unfriendly and hates socialising. Being an introvert is many things but the above. Contrary to regular opinion or belief, introverts actually thrive on socialising just like every other person.

So you may ask, can a social person be introverted? Introverts are not anti-social on the contrary, they are social people but they are majorly socially selective and this makes people think they are asocial. An introvert loves to be around people, but just a selected handful of people and are mostly easy to spot in gatherings as they are usually the quiet ones.

As a social person who feels like an introvert or has introvert traits, you may ask, “can a social person be introverted?” because you may think and mostly based on what people think, that you cannot be social and introverted at the same time. The truth is that you can be social and still be an introvert because introverts are also social people.

So many introverts who are social tend to ask, can a social person be introverted because they believe that the two words cannot or should not exist in the same sentence due to the myths about introverts. Even though introverts tend to spend a lot of their time alone they are still social people, although they are selectively social.

Many introverts are often mistaken for extroverts when they are in the company of people they know and this can make their friends ask, “can a social person be introverted?” because of the general belief that they are otherwise. Many introverts tend to have great socialising skills which can make people mistake them for extroverts.

There are many myths about introverts which people have come up with because of their socialising patterns. Many people believe that introverts are simply shy people that have anxiety being around people which makes them avoid social gatherings when in reality, an introvert simply loves their own company and may have an introvert hangover after being with people.

An introvert hangover is more like a social burnout introverts feel after being in social gatherings or spending too much time with people. It is the feeling of being drained, tired or overwhelmed due to the amount of time spent socialising or being in the presence of other people.

It can range from just having social fatigue, and mental and physical exhaustion to biting, crying, and even a full-blown emotional meltdown that can take them a few days of being alone to recover from. Introverts do not choose to be introverted, they are simply born that way and have to live with people constantly misjudging or misunderstanding their personality.

Let us look at some of the myths about introverts that you may or may not have heard which will give you an idea of how people view introverts;

Introverts are very unhappy
Introverts hate people and socialising because they lack people skills
Introverts are shy people
Introverts are rude
Introverts are loners
Introverts have no emotions
Introverts are weird
Introverts chose to be that way
Introverts have low self-esteem
Introverts cannot be leaders

These are some of the common myths regarding the personality of introverts that people need to know are not true. Introverts are great people who just find their inner world much more fun and enticing than the world around them. They find their fulfilment from deep within themselves rather than from their surroundings.

What Are The 4 Types Of Introverts?

What are the 4 types of introverts? Genetics play a key in deciding whether or not a person will be an introvert or an extrovert. Introverts have a deep connection with themselves and enjoy their own company so much that after being in the company of people, they need some time alone to get refilled. There are four types of introverts and we will look at them shortly.

Contrary to the belief that introverts are simply introverts and the same, there are different types. So quickly, what are the 4 types of introverts? There 4 types of introverts each one having its own strengths and they are; social, anxious, thinking and restrained introverts. Now let us look at each of them in this article.

Social Introvert

These are the first type of introverts we will look at when you ask what are the 4 types of introverts. A person is considered to be socially introverted when you prefer solitude or tiny gatherings of people you know when you have to socialise. They are not necessarily shy people, they just prefer to be in the background.

Being a social introvert does not mean that a person hates people or socialising. Social introverts are usually open to occasional gatherings or small groups of friends and close family members. Many people often think that they avoid social gatherings because of anxiety but this is not the case because it is entirely their choice and preferences.

Some common signs that you are socially introverted are;

You feel energised from being alone
You prefer small intimate gatherings with familiar faces
You accept invitations to social gatherings but end up not showing up
You prefer to be in the background of things

Anxious Introvert

Another type when looking at what are the 4 types of introverts is the anxious introvert. This type of introvert doesn’t avoid socialising only because they like being alone, they avoid it also because they feel shy or awkward around people. They tend to be more quiet, on the edge or nervous for fear that an event may end up being catastrophic.

An anxious introvert may give off the impression that they are rude or avoidant, but the truth is that they have a genuine fear or anxiety and their reactions are just a defense mechanism or a way to protect themselves. Many anxious introverts have social anxiety or a type of anxiety disorder which may be born from the fear of being socially awkward.

Signs of an anxious introvert include;

You avoid social gatherings at all cost
You mostly feel nervous and on edge around people or when you think about socialising
You are highly avoidant
You are considered to be rude because you avoid socialising

Thinking Introvert

What are the 4 types of introverts? Thinking introvert is one of them. Thinking introverts are considered to be daydreamers as they spend most of their time alone having creative imaginations. They are cognitive by nature and highly introspective and creative people. They often don’t need to be alone to recharge.

Thinking introverts are often mistaken as aloof as they have the tendency to zone out of conversations with people who can’t hold them down. They would not quickly give responses to questions as they usually take time to process and think before answering. They often use their time alone to self-reflect and explore ideas internally. They are genius-type introverts.

These are some common signs that you may be a thinking introvert;

You prefer activities like researching, studying, investigating and reading as they create a mental haven for thinking
You often say “let me think about it” when you are asked a question
You are more self-observing than other introverts
You are very self-aware

Restrained Introvert

This introvert type typically has their guard up around people until they get to know them more. They are also called inhibited introverts because they are generally more reserved. Because of their approach to life, they tend to be more grounded and practical. They generally think before they act and they take time before making a decision and taking action.

According to Dr Manly, restrained introverts often add the element of common sense to discussions. Since they have a high level of reserve, it offers a balance to the often nature of true extroverts. They are mostly quiet and dutiful people that other people tend to rely on because of their steadfast and rock-solid nature.

Here are some common signs to know whether you are a restrained introvert;

You can easily detach yourself from your emotions
You prefer predictable activities
You don’t let people in until you know them well enough
You are more methodical in your approach to life
You are grounded and practical

Can You Be Social And Introverted At The Same Time?

Can you be social and introverted at the same time? Many introverts are able to identify with more than one introvert type. There are a good number of people who are introverts and still social and this can be quite confusing for their loved ones and even the introverts themselves, but rest assured we will give more insight into this in this part of the article.

Can you be social and introverted at the same time? We know what being an introvert is, and the opposite is called an extrovert which is a person who is more social, and outgoing and enjoys spending time with people. Now some people may not fit in either of the mentioned category, which can make them ask this question.

Can you be social and introverted at the same time? A lot of people have this question because they just find that they simply don’t fit in as introverts or extroverts and this category of people is called Ambiverts. Being the middle line, refer to people who have both introverted and extroverted tendencies.

So can you be social and introverted at the same time? The answer is yes. You are considered to be an ambivert. Ambiverts have both introvert and extrovert traits and some uniqueness of their own as well. People tend to believe that you have to either be an introvert or an extrovert but that is a wrong notion as it is highly possible to be a bit of both.

Can you be social and introverted at the same time? Many people can be considered as ambiverts especially because they have a good amount of the traits of an extrovert and an introvert. Research shows that two-thirds of people in the world are ambiverts. Let us look at some of the signs that show you are an ambivert.

You enjoy socialising but you still need time to be alone
You can function properly alone or in a group no matter the number of people
You like attention but you would still prefer to observe things quietly
You enjoy having conversations but you get bored by small talks
You are sometimes reserved when you don’t know people well and other times you let go
Too much time alone bores you and too much time with people drains you
You are good with conversations but also a great listener
You are considered quiet in some settings and social in others
You can have conversations with quiet people or talkers
You can be your best whether in social gatherings or by yourself

Ambiverts are considered unique and amazing because of their ability to naturally create a balance between the two extreme personalities. They also speak as well as they listen which makes it easy for them to build trust in people. Their empathetic nature also draws people to them.

Is It Rare To Be An Introvert?

Is it rare to be an introvert? Being considered an introvert can make you wonder if there are more people like you in the world or if it is just you probably due to the fact that those around you may be extroverts or ambiverts and you feel like the odd man out. Research shows that introverts make up 25% to 40% of the world’s population.

Being around people who are extroverts can make you ask, “is it rare to be an introvert?” because you may feel alone. Introverts are not rare, they are probably not well known because of their generally quiet nature. Since introverts avoid attention as much as possible, you may feel that they are rare when in reality they are not.

Is it rare to be an introvert? The feeling of being the odd one out may make an introvert struggle to fit in because they do not want to be left out and also because they and the people around them do not know that they are introverts. Knowing how to identify an introvert will make you see that they are actually more common than you think.

Is it rare to be an introvert? There are many scientists, inventors, programmers, artists and more that are introverted people and despite their lack of desire for the spotlight, they actually make the world an amazing place to live in because they are mostly responsible for the forward direction the world is taking.

Is it rare to be an introvert? Introverts are fairly common with some people arguing that they make up the largest population of people on earth but are not known because they always love to be behind the scenes. A lot of people argue that the most intelligent people in the world today are all introverts but the truth of this is yet to be proven.

The constant need to fit in especially when there aren’t many introverts like you around may make a person wish they could stop being an introvert. However, it is important to note that the brains of the two personalities work differently and rather than try to fit in, embrace your personality and the people around you that love you.

Introversion is not rare, in fact, it is more common than you think. There are people that may work with you who are introverted but because they do well in the circle of friends you may mistake them for being extroverted. For some introverts, you may need to take a closer look to know that they are actually introverts.

Which MBTI Are Social Introverts?

Which MBTI are social introverts? Before we dive into this part of the article, let us throw some light on what the MBTI is all about. MBTI stands for Myer Briggs Type Indicator which is a psychological test used to discover a person’s personality type, preferences and strengths. It is one of the most widely used psychological tools in the world today.

Which MBTI are social introverts? Today, this tool is used in different aspects of daily life. Some companies use this tool to know how best to support their staff. According to MBTI, there are 16 personality traits and the tool can help users identify their unique personality traits and help them understand traits like likes, dislikes, preferences and more.

Which MBTI are social introverts? The MBTI is a tool that was not created to tell which personality is better than the other but instead was designed to help people learn about themselves and understand themselves betters. The tool is a questionnaire that by answering, tells you more about yourself.

According to the MBTI, there are 16 personality traits, so which MBTI are social introverts? Social introverts fall into the category called INTPs which means Introverted, iNtuitive, Thinking and Perceiving, describes a person who is energised by spending time alone and is known to have a richer world within themselves.

Talking about which MBTI are social introverts, the INTP fits more than others. People with INTP traits are known to be quiet and introverted, drawing energy from within themselves and loving their own company. Due to their intuitive and thinking nature, they tend to have original ideas and divergent perspectives that others can learn from.

INTPs are considered analytical people who enjoy spending time alone as they are able to think about how things work and come up with solutions to real-world problems. They do not have a large social circle and mostly have just a handful of people they can call friends or trust and they are mostly focused on their inner thoughts than those around them.

The INTP personality type is also known as the logician because their thoughts and actions are mostly based on logic and their group of friends are usually small and consists of people who share similar beliefs, perspectives and schools of thought. They are known to think out of the box and usually have a logical and objective stand on issues.

Is Being An Introvert Social Anxiety?

College Student Pausing from Busy Schedule

Is being an introvert social anxiety? Being an introvert does not necessarily mean you have social anxiety and the words are not the same. Being an introvert has to do with how you socialise, while social anxiety is considered a mental health condition in which a person constantly has an intense fear of being watched and judged by others.

Is being an introvert social anxiety? Although they are two different things, an introvert can actually have them. In other words, there are introverts who also have social anxiety and that type of introvert is called the anxiety introvert. Social anxiety has to do with the fear of having social interactions and the anxiety introvert faces that problem.

Is being an introvert social anxiety? Many people think that all introverts have social anxiety which is the reason behind their love for solitude, but in the real sense, not all introverts have social anxiety. When social anxiety and introversion occur together, it may make it difficult to tell if the person is actually introverted or they have an anxiety disorder.

Is being an introvert social anxiety? Both introverts and extroverts can have social anxiety and not all introverts experience social anxiety. Being introverted talks more about finding solace within oneself and people who are introverts are born that way while social anxiety is a mental condition that may occur from experiences the person may have had.

Is being an introvert social anxiety? A person with social anxiety has the fear of being seen because they do not want to be judged or an intense fear of people focusing on them is present. People with social anxiety are afraid of how they will perform socially which forms the basis of why they have fears about socialising.

The word introvert was formed from the Latin word “introvetere” which means “turning inwards” and this explains what being an introvert is mainly about. People who are introverts find that that is their way of life and social anxiety has the tendency to make their lives more complicated.

Social anxiety may require treatment of some kind but there is no treatment for being an introvert because it was formed from genetics. Being an introvert has its strengths such as the ability to think creatively and analytically and come up with solutions that change the world by solving the problems that are affecting it.

Social anxiety is characterised by a deep intense fear of being social or socialising because there is an unfound fear that people are looking at them and judging everything they do. There is also the fear that they will fail if they try to engage in socialising because they do not know how to be social or how to act in a social setting.

On the other hand, an introvert has a richer world within which makes them withdraw into it because time spent by themselves is fulfilling time. However, anxiety introverts may not enjoy this feeling that other introverts have and they have a high tendency of having social anxiety or another anxiety disorder.

Social Introvert Conclusion

Social introvert conclusion. Being an introvert has its own benefits and you should not concern yourself with fitting in as your strength lies in your uniqueness. A lot of introverts suffer a lot in the bid to fit into the norm probably because the people around them see them as weird or because of the myths and misconception people have about introverts.

Further reading

Treat your inbox