Ten Ways Introverts Can Improve Their Mental Health
Staying sane as an introvert
As I say this or rather write this, I know you have a picture of an introvert as a brooding person sitting in the corner with no one to talk to. Am I right? Well, if I am, then you are way off. A person can be an introvert but still have characteristics of extroversion and vice versa.
What Am I Saying?
No one is purely an introvert, the same way no one is purely an extrovert. We may call someone an introvert, but that means they have more introverted qualities than extroverted ones.
I like to think of myself as an introvert, and I enjoy my company a lot, sometimes more than the company of family and friends. I am in my head most of the time instead of paying attention to people in front of me.
A lot of times, instead of socializing with people at a party or gathering, I enjoy sitting in a corner so I can watch them interact with themselves. While doing this, I notice covert details that they don’t know they are exhibiting. I do this a lot when I suffer writer’s block, and this act doesn’t bore me. Instead, it makes me happier.
But some days, I feel the urge to be the one doing the talking, to be the one being watched. It’s kind of like just being possessed, and in seconds, I can’t keep my mouth shut, nor can I stop jumping from place to place. And during those days, the spotlight doesn’t drain my energy. So, I won’t always be withdrawn from society.
We introverts have a piece of extroversion in us. The difference between introverts and extroverts is we are edging closer to introversion on the personality scale. It could be a seventy to thirty ratio, an eighty to twenty ratio, or an eighty-five to fifteen ratio. What matters is what side we are closer to on the spectrum.
So, what are people who fall in the middle of the scale called? Have you ever wondered?
If you have but can’t remember, I would give you a hint. They have the features of the two personality types. Still no clue? They are called ambiverts.
A Little About Ambiverts
They enjoy socializing with people, but it may seem like a tedious exercise for them after a while. So, they retract to regain energy from some alone time. These ambiverts also seem to adjust better to environments that may be unsettling for either an extrovert or an introvert.
A popular opinion is they act as better entrepreneurs than extroverts or introverts because they can relate well to either of the personality types.
Mental Health For Introverts.
Introverts are natural thinkers and planners. They plan for what they would do tomorrow and the following week because they don’t handle shocks very well. Introverts want to know how tomorrow would go before tomorrow comes. They can do the same things every day for a week and won’t get bored as long as they do what suits them.
Introverts gain energy by being by themselves, by introspecting without the external environment intruding on them. They get aroused mentally by their internal environment, as an extrovert gets stimulated by their external environment.
They may even suffer from mental illnesses, especially anxiety when they are introduced to new environments or forced to leave their comfort zones.
Real-Life Instances of a Fellow Introvert
As an introvert, people have thrown me comments like, stop being a party-pooper, loosen up, say hi to strangers, stop being too plain and boring. Once, someone told me that I was pathetic because I felt anxious meeting new people.
In my head, I didn’t want to be a party-pooper or boring or plain or pathetic even. I wanted to be cool, at least what they termed cool. I wanted to make friends spontaneously. I wanted to surprise myself and stop being too rational, too predictable. But guess what, I didn’t know how to do that stuff.
I didn’t know how to say hi to people without my voice going too high or my saliva choking me. Sometimes I would challenge myself. I would say, ‘Hey girl, you will meet those people over there and find an immediate connection. Then, we will all become best friends.’
Guess how it always went? I would go there, and with my loudly-thumping heart, I would introduce myself. Then, they would go for a hug, and I would stretch my hand for a handshake. This will give them a first impression of who I am, the weird girl that is not fun. But I would stay to the end of our interaction, not because I wanted to but because it was respectable.
Then, next time, I would stay away from those people because I prefer my company to our uncomfortable meeting. But the thing is that when I was alone, I ended up overthinking why I was so withdrawn from society and wallowed in my self-pity. Thus, degrading my mental health.
This is where the good news comes because I didn’t remain like that. I wanted to get better, so I researched a lot, left my comfort zone to find out things I could relate to, and worked towards my goal. This improved my mental state.
So, I bring to you eight ways in which introverts can improve their mental health.
· Stop trying to follow the crowd.
Yes, stop trying to be like your extrovert neighbor because you cannot cope with a lifestyle that isn’t yours. Be you! Don’t try to be anything that isn’t you because you would end up failing. It is like bringing a shark out of the water and expecting it to develop legs like a lion. It would only end up dying because it can’t survive. But guess what? Like the Lion is the king on land, the shark is also a king in water. You can rule in your zone and rule well. Something I always love telling myself is:
You may not seem to fit in this world, and there may not seem to be a thrown waiting for you, but you will build that throne and then crown yourself. You are a queen (a king). The world mustn’t see that, just you!
· Use the power of your introversion effectively.
Susan Cain, in her book, Quiet, explained this perfectly so that I would use a quote from her.
If you’re an introvert, find your flow by using your gifts. You have the power of persistence, the tenacity to solve complex problems, and the clear-sightedness to avoid pitfalls that trip others up. You enjoy relative freedom from the temptations of superficial prizes like money and status. Indeed, your biggest challenge may be to harness your strengths fully.
· Read a lot of books
First of all, reading is fantastic, and I believe that everyone should pick up a book once in a while and read it. So, why shouldn’t you? Introverts get stressed quickly, which is another reason they should read: books lower stress levels. Also, reading teaches us about human interaction. Sure, we need our alone time, but sometimes we have to speak out and talk to someone without communicating our thoughts. And reading can help us become better communicators.
· Make the right friends.
Your circle of friends should be a group of people who understand you, people who would never belittle your need for your space, and people you can relate with. I do not mean that all your friends should be introverts. Instead, I am saying that you should have friends who respect your very being, and everything would fall in place.
· Go for walks.
If you can, go for walks, at least for ten minutes. It benefits us in so many ways that we may not know. One of its perks is that ‘quiet’ ones love observing the little things in the environment. They can sit on a bench by the road to watch a bird sing or a dog run by. Those little things arouse them, and walking provides an opportunity for that.
Another reason is that walking reduces stress levels and boosts our moods. Having a bad day? Take a walk. This is a mechanism I practice a lot, and I can tell you that it has worked wonders for me. When I am angry or sad, I take walks at night, and by the time I am back, I don’t feel the need to be angry.
· Accept, understand, and respect your need for privacy
I know I said you should have friends who respect you, but who would appreciate you if you do not respect yourself? It would help if you stopped brooding in self-pity because you are not like others. Stop thinking you are depressed or sad because you feel better alone. You are alright! Respect that!
· Task yourself by learning new skills
You have that rational and calculating mind, so use it to your advantage. You also have the time for it, and most times, introverts need their mind to be occupied. If not, they might end up overthinking. And overthinking would affect your mental health. So yeah, do something with your time.
· Write!
You don’t have to be a magician with words because you write for yourself and not others. If you feel something, pick up that book or your phone and put it down in terms. This helps, especially when you want to blow off some steam without talking to someone. Pick up that pen and write!
I have tried these things, and it works wonders for me; some might work for you. You can experiment on them and even try other things that I haven’t mentioned. You would be able to find what works better for your mental health.
