introvert to extravert

lola_run · 30-08-2007 01:19AM #1

i was an intj for years, but have recently noticed that i've become more extraverted. is this really possible or is one either born an introvert or an extrovert?

The Mad Hatter · 30-08-2007 01:21AM

You're gonna hate me for this, but they're both ways of expressing shyness, generally.

I was the same way, but I've gone back to introverted over the last few years.

Oh well.

JC 2K3 · 30-08-2007 01:34AM

It's all a state of mind, albeit one that can be very hard to change and take a lot of effort to do so.

I'm naturally introverted, but I've gradually learned to become more extraverted.

Some days I'll be the life of the conversation and not shut up, but other days I won't say a word if in a group, depending on how I'm feeling. I'm usually between both states, tending to lean more towards the latter.

Reku · 30-08-2007 08:47AM

I've found it can change with mood and who you're with at the time.

seamus · 30-08-2007 09:04AM

The words introvert and extravert attempt to put things in very black and white terms.
It's possible to be a very confident introvert, and it's possible to be an extrovert with really low self-esteem.

I would consider an introvert at the extreme level to be someone who's not overly concerned with others - who spends most of their time in their head. An extravert being the polar opposite - someone who primary focus is socialising and getting to know new people, rarely spending much time with their own thoughts.
Most of us are somewhere in between, and although it may vary with mood (sometimes you just want to be alone), it's largely unrelated to confidence IMO.

It's reckoned that most people go through a personality "shift" every five years or so. This doesn't mean that you change completely, but certain things creep in which wouldn't have been "you" five years ago. As you get older, you confidence tends to grow naturally anyway - you tend to care less about what others think. Certainly I find that I'm much more likely to express myself publically than I would have been 10 years ago.

neuro-praxis · 30-08-2007 09:31AM

My understanding is that an extrovert gets their energy (essentially, they get "recharged") by being with others, and wilt somewhat when alone. Introverts conversely feel drained by social interaction (even though they might enjoy it) but ultimately find rest and recharge in being alone.

I am somewhere in between. I hate to work alone - I seem to just fade away - and I do love socialising. However I need some time alone at least once a week to do a bit of reflecting and have a bit of quiet in my head.

My husband is an introvert who needs a couple of hours alone each day to properly function. Once he gets this, he loves his socialising time.

introvert to extravert

Comments