An introvert hangover is when an introverted person has to do something social that drains them of their life force (or is at least uncomfortable and annoying) and it leaves them with a residual hangover. Even if you think it’s dumb, it’s a real thing.
A large part of the population is introverted, which is why introvert memes are so popular. Us introverts can share relatable humor without actually having to interact. It’s great.
I’m glad to see introverts out here advocating for themselves. This AskReddit thread has dozens of introverts explaining why and what makes them have an introvert hangover. I can agree with pretty much all of them, but man seriously, f*ck icebreaker games.
1.
“Ice breaker activities. The level of hate I have for icebreaker activities can not be measured.” — LeoMarius
2.
“Anything after work. Work is draining enough.”
“I don’t understand how people make plans after work/school. I run home to eat and sleep.” — shyreadergirl
3.
“Let’s go around the room and everyone say a little something about themselves!”
“Now everyone get into groups of two! Looks around the room, everyone has somehow already partnered up in 10 milliseconds flat.”
“I hate those… I just end up not grouping up with anyone, trying to go unnoticed by the teacher. But then she/he notice me and forces me into a group of people who were having fun and it makes me feel like the biggest a-hole just because I didn’t have any friends.” — itsabearcannon
4.
“Someone commenting on how much you talk.
Either, ‘Wow, talkative today’, or ‘X is quiet.’
It’s like, ‘I was comfortable until you had to start treating me like you were tourists at a zoo exhibit.'” — reddit.com
5.
“Little children interacting with me. ‘Look, I have a toy horse.’ ‘Yes, I see.’ And then we both feel awkward.” — rustyshackleford193
6.
“When you’re at a party where everyone else knows each other.”
“I hate going to parties where I know one maybe two people, you want to interact with them, but don’t want to follow them around like a little puppy dog because I don’t want to talk to anyone else.” — f*ckifiknow94
7.
“Mandatory team building exercises at work. I have nothing against my co-workers, they are nice people and I like them enough to make chit-chat with them, I do not like them enough to do some stupid team-building activity that just wastes time and is nowhere near as fun as the organizer wants it to be.” — pajamakitten
8.
“Grocery delivery has changed my life.”
“Yes, I have not been inside a grocery store in almost two years and I am a changed person because of it! I couldn’t take the lines, the people, shopping carts. Turns out public places were not for me.” — VanessaAlexis
9.
“Having to engage in small talk really wears me down. Like two sentences in and I’m exhausted. I love deep conversations but small talk just kills my soul.”
“Especially when it is an extrovert that can’t stand silence. Car rides with them are so draining because you are essentially trapped, and since they can’t have silence it is a constant conversation. Dude… if you drain all my energy, we are going to crash.” — LittleBoiFound
10.
“My children’s friends’ parties. Forced interaction with all my kid’s friends’ parents drains me.” — UYScutiPuffJr
11.
“Hey, let’s get a drink, you and me.”
“Sure.”
At the pub:
“Oh, when I said, ‘Just you and me, I actually meant you, me, and my friend from uni that you don’t know, but with whom I go way back and will talk to all night while ignoring you.” — OwMyCandle
12.
“Why are you shy? Why don’t you talk?”
“You don’t say much do you?” Are you not happy today?” — HighMountainSS
13.
“Work. Customer service has made my skin crawl since day 1, but it pays the bills.”
“That’s awful. Do you have to deal with phone calls? My social anxiety doesn’t let me pick up phones with unknown numbers.”
“I had the same problem until… What if it’s someone you know who’s lost their phone, and your number is the only one they remember? My friend had her handbag stolen while shopping, got security who let her use the office to call someone to pick her up, her dad was the only number she knew by heart. He didn’t pick up because he didn’t recognize the number. She was a tad upset.” — vanillaxpeachx
14.
“If I have to dominate my way into a conversation by speaking over you until you stop talking then I’ve got better things to do.” — reddit.com
15.
“Going to any store when it’s packed.”
“If I see a store or restaurant that is too crowded I just leave immediately. I just refuse to deal with that.” — tsalyers12
16.
“Large parties or anywhere with booming music and drunk people.”
“Yes. I can handle groups just fine, but all this loud music and the shouting gets me in 10 minutes.” — supremedudemachine
17.
“When my social battery is running low so I try to leave in order to recharge and get some room to breathe but then people insist that I stay or make a comment about how I am such an introvert because I’m always leaving for my room.
Instantly kills whatever intention I had of coming back. It’s irritating being called out like that.” — let-the-write-one-in
18.
“One on one interaction where I’m sort of in charge. Anytime I’m leading around a new hire or intern at work and need to take them around all day, take them to lunch, etc. Exhausting. Being on point and being responsible for another person’s experience of their day is just so much pressure.” — hometowngypsy
19.
“Unexpected people at a gathering or many people coming and going.
My in-laws seem to always have lots of random people living with them, and you truly never know who’s going to be at their house until you walk in the door. I can’t prepare myself if I don’t know how many/which people I can expect to see.
My MIL also tends to bring random people with her when invited over. ‘Well they were at the house when we left and they wanted to come too.’ I hate having unexpected strangers in my house, it instantly takes away the feeling of it being my safe zone.
Probably not surprising that I don’t invite my in-laws over very often, and it’s extremely rare that I go to their house.” — ActualGuesticles
20.
“Going to places and then more people being there than I expected. Just a couple of days ago I had plans for me and 2 friends to just chill at my house, and somehow I got roped into going somewhere else with 5 or 6 people. I spent most of the time hanging back on my phone.” — Hanyodude
21.
“An overly happy person. To the point where you think they are either faking it or wonder if they are actually that happy.”
“For me, it’s the energy. It’s hard to be around somebody that is really high-energy.” — emmnm1
22.
“Job interviews, especially when they are longer than 30 minutes.”
“I had one that was a good hour long and I went and sat in my car after for like 20 mins before I could drive.” — Omphalie23
23.
“Being in a social situation where a card game or board game is being played, and everyone insisting that I play too and they will teach me how to play and it’s fun! WHY WOULDN’T YOU WANT TO PLAY??? Because I f*cking hate games and I’m terrible at learning them and people who like games never accurately estimate the amount of effort needed to become proficient enough to enjoy it.” — GoreVidalChukander
24.
“Malls. I hate malls.”
“I’m an introvert that likes malls. I feel like there’s a lot of interesting stuff to look at.” — zubaz69
25.
“Going to Walmart. Specifically Walmart and only Walmart. That place drains my soul. I can go in happy, energetic, and social and leave wanting to slit my wrists in the parking lot while yelling at whoever was unlucky enough to come with me.”
“There is this horrible frantic energy at Walmart that puts me on total alert.” — Yuiopy78
26.
“Hair salon. I have long hair so I’m there from 1-3 hours depending on the service I’m having done. I force myself to talk to my hair stylist so he/she doesn’t get bored.” — ccoqui04
27.
“Hearing a question that has been asked multiple times. For the first few times you hear it, you explain to them so they won’t ask again. If you won’t remember don’t ask every single time you see me. Why are you stealing my time.” — Qaantum
28.
“Big one for me is when the plans for the night are over and they just want to wander around to find something to do. Plans are done? I’m out.” — RIPBlueRaven
29.
“Definitely when you can’t get your words into a conversation. You make an honest effort to be more outward but people talk over you and you just give up.”
“Especially when you actually have something to contribute in that 30-minute conversation that has gone by but everyone won’t shut up so you wait patiently for your turn but you sit, inwardly crying because they’ve changed topics twice now and there’s no way to go back and say your piece that might’ve actually made you interesting.” — reddit.com
30.
“Family gatherings.”
” I’m currently on vacation, my grandma is having a birthday get-together this evening with about 16 other family members I don’t really know and only briefly talk to every 3-4 years. I’ve already spent the last hour in my room and I’ll probably be spending more time in here when people start arriving.”
“I feel you. The worst is when your extroverted loud aunt can’t leave you alone.” — Iamsofreakingcold