Getting to Know You: Are you an introvert?

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It can be exhausting living in a busy, boisterous world when your personality not only prefers but craves a little solitude.  Unfortunately, introverts may come off as being socially awkward, rude, aloof or shy to those who don't understand the personality type.

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"Introversion is a preference that has to do with where you direct your energy (inward) and how you recharge (usually by being alone)," states cartoon artist and self-professed introvert Aaron Caycedo-Kimura. "It's not something to be cured. It’s just how some people are wired and how they were designed to be."

Think you can spot an introvert in a crowd? Hmm...not sure about that. Although the stereotypical introvert may be the one at the party who's hanging out alone by the food table fiddling with an iPhone, the "social butterfly" can just as easily have an introverted personality.

People are frequently unaware that they’re introverts (especially if they’re not shy) because they may not realize that being an introvert is about preferring to cultivate time alone and recharge lost energy from being around others, even if the company of friends gives them pleasure.

Despite the growing interest about the study of introversion, it remains a frequently misunderstood personality trait. As recently as 2010, the American Psychiatric Association even considered classifying "introverted personality" as a disorder by listing it in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), a manual used to diagnose mental illnesses.  Thankfully, they decided against it.

Introverts are now speaking out about what it really means to be a "quiet" type.  To read more about the specific characteristics of introverted people, read this post. 

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