14 Horrible Introvert Hangover Symptoms (& Ways to Curb It)
Photo by Chandri Anggara on Unsplash
An introvert hangover is a term associated with feeling drained after socializing. It’s an overwhelming or tired feeling that introverts experience when they’ve over socialized without having enough time to rest or recharge their minds.
Why do introverts get drained? According to research, everyone experiences social exhaustion because they dispel both mental and physical energy during the process. However, introverts tend to burn out faster because of their high level of brain activity.
They might say to themselves, “I feel drained!” amongst other symptoms that follow social fatigue. Although feeling depleted is common, introverts need to be aware of the signs to accurately spot the condition before it gets too severe. Below are fourteen introvert burnout symptoms to know.
14 Signs You’re Having an Introvert Hangover
Photo by Chandri Anggara on Unsplash
You’re struggling to speak.
One of the most prominent introvert burnout signs is slurring on your words. You find it hard to make a complete sentence without pausing to think about it first. More so, it feels like your brain can’t process information as fast as it used to.
If you’ve ever experienced this, it’s an indication that you’re having an introvert hangover. Your mind has reached its limit and you can’t seem to concentrate like you used to. Knowing when to set boundaries with people can help limit introvert burnout symptoms like these.
2. You’re not paying attention to anything.
Introverts are detail-oriented people and observe little things people rarely pay attention to. When the mind of an introvert gets tired, it’s often hard for them to function efficiently with this trait. Therefore, they tend to zone out from their surroundings.
This occurrence is one of the introvert hangover symptoms. If you find yourself thinking about something else other than what’s happening around you - or in other cases, thinking about nothing at all, it could mean you’ve reached social exhaustion.
3. You don’t feel like going anywhere.
A common misconception is that introverts only want to be alone and don’t want to interact with others. On the contrary, introverts get excitement from subtle activities. For example, meeting up with a small friend group can be the highlight of an introvert’s day.
However, if you reach the point that you’re too tired to socialize, even as an introvert, it means you might be having an introvert hangover. Your social battery has drained below the expected level, causing you to want to cancel plans and crave the comfort of your home once again.
Related: Am I Too Quiet? P.S. No, You’re Not. A How-To Guide to Using Your Introversion to Your Advantage
4. You feel drained.
Introverts are incredibly empathetic and tend to connect with others on a deep level. They never build superficial relationships and interact with people intentionally. This process can be incredibly tasking, which is why introverts tend to limit their communication with others.
If you’ve ever gotten to the point where you say, “I feel drained!” or “I feel depleted!” especially after long conversations, it means that you’ve utilized all your emotional energy. Sometimes, it might be hard to tell your real emotions apart from the person’s own whom you’ve been discussing with.
5. You feel physically exhausted.
If you’re always tired after work, even if you didn’t do too many strenuous activities, you could be an introvert experiencing social exhaustion. As an introvert, you can have an exhausted day merely by being in a crowded setting, and this can affect you physically.
This process occurs because of the introvert’s level of brain activity. They often try to balance the activeness within by staying in calm, serene places. However, when they can’t get any peace, they might feel drained, causing their brain to shut down, and their body likewise feeling tired. This can also explain the dilemma of dating someone who is always tired.
6. You’re on the edge.
When a person is stressed out, the primary stress hormone in the body (cortisol), is released, which sponsors the secretion of more glucose to the brain. This can make a person jumpy or on the edge, especially as the body tries to regulate the nervous system.
Therefore, if you’re feeling energy drained or you’ve suddenly lost your energy after work, you might feel anxious. Small activities happening around you like your phone ringing or a beam of light coming from the window can alarm you.
7. You’re indecisive.
If your mind is getting tired of someone or a situation, it will slowly shut down, making it difficult to think like before. When it seems like you can’t concentrate, or you’re finding it difficult to make decisions, it could mean that you’re having an introvert hangover.
Your brain feels cloudy and you might say to yourself, “This situation is draining me out!” Since introverts have higher rate of brain activity, they tend to burn out faster, which is why they need to be balance the level of external activities they engage in.
8. You don’t feel like yourself.
Another introvert hangover symptom is feeling numb. You’re not your normal self, and you certainly know that something is different. More so, you might say to yourself, “This or that drained me out!”
This process is one of the most prominent signs that you’re facing social exhaustion. You’re unable to do the things that you used to before, and you find yourself in a state of emotional limbo. It’s also crucial to learn how to know if someone is draining your energy, to prevent this scenario from occurring.
9. You’re acting cranky.
Some introverts tend to get irritable when they experience social exhaustion. Little actions suddenly affect their emotions to the point they get angry or even feel like crying. For example, misplacing your keys might automatically make you feel like you’re having the worst day ever.
They might say, “I get overwhelmed so easily,” when in reality, they could be exhausted to the point they’re having an introvert meltdown. If you can’t explain why your emotions are flaring up, this might be the reason.
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10. You feel anxious.
Another introvert hangover sign is having anxiety after socializing. In some cases, you’d feel it when you’re still in the social setting. You unconsciously start criticizing your social skills and feel like you can’t measure up.
You would also feel like leaving the situation to avoid messing up more. Most of these thoughts spiral from an introvert energy drain. You unconsciously acknowledge that you’re not functioning at your best, which is making you overly anxious and even self-critical.
11. You feel depressed.
Social exhaustion can also make an introvert fall into negative thought-processes, or in other words, a depressed hangover. You might feel like crying for no particular reason or lose all willpower to engage in the things you previously loved doing.
The mental fatigue you’re experiencing might cause you to be overly pessimistic about life, or critical about the choices you’ve made. Identifying the root cause of this action can help quiet people break out of the negative chain.
12. You can’t hold a conversation any longer.
When you get to the point that you’re tired of socializing, or you say to yourself, “I don’t do much talking these days!” you can identify that you’re having a hangover. It can also be the reason for dating exhaustion, where a person doesn’t feel like interacting with their significant other.
In such cases, an introvert would have to recharge before they can hold another conversation. Their mind would be temporarily shut down until they can obtain the energy to interact again.
13. You’re having physical symptoms.
In severe cases, some introverts might experience a hangover to the point where they have physical symptoms like a headache or dizziness. They feel physically unwell because their brain is in an overstimulated state.
If you’ve ever said, “I feel drained after seeing my friend,” you’re surely experiencing an introvert hangover. Even so, the way your body feels is merely a reaction to your brain’s tiredness. You might feel sick and your only response to the situation would be, “I felt tired.”
14. You just want to be alone
Simply wanting to be alone sums up the introvert hangover signs you can experience. This process is your brain’s way of telling you that you need to recharge. If you’ve ever said, “I am drained,” understand that the only way to recover is to focus within.
Since the problem is emanating from social exhaustion, the best way to curb it is to gain inward energy. You can only successfully do this by having some alone time to rest, recharge, and regain energy.
How to Curb Your Social Exhaustion
Focus on yourself.
If you’re an introvert tired after socializing, the best way to recover is to focus on yourself. Overstimulation occurs from within, which means you have to tackle it inwardly. Relax your mind, body, and soul by spending time alone in a peaceful environment.
2. Unplug.
Another introvert burnout recovery tactic is to unplug. This process means refusing to interact with anyone physically, and even on social media. You can choose to turn off your phone for a while until you regain your mental energy. It’s also how to recharge after work.
3. Set boundaries.
Tired people can’t function at their best, which is why it’s crucial to identify what might be draining your energy. Other people might not know how to tell when someone is tired and might continue wearying you out. Identify these factors and set boundaries to help prevent introvert exhaustion from reoccurring.
4. Incorporate balance.
Balancing your personal and social life is a critical introvert hangover cure. You don’t necessarily need to reach the stage of getting socially drained before you realize you need some alone time. Instead, create schedules where you cater to your personal demands before the need arises.
5. Engage in your hobbies.
Apart from spending time alone, the best way to combat over socializing is by doing activities you love. Try to get creatively comfortable through writing, art, reading, music, etc. These activities can relax your mind peradventure you’re having a hard time loosening up.
FAQs
How do you fix an introverted hangover?
The best way to recover from social fatigue is to spend time alone. The more your brain can rest in a serene environment, you can recover the mental energy that you lost. This process is also how to get energy after work if you’re an introvert.
How long does introvert hangover last?
You can get an introvert drained in a couple of hours and they can feel fatigued for even longer. Introvert exhaustion can last anything between a few hours to a couple of days. The determining factor is how fast they can realize their fatigue and deal with it.
How do you overcome extreme introversion?
Introversion isn’t a personality that most people can change. Instead, it’s something that most people learn to embrace its strengths. If you’re an extreme introvert, learning how to cope in social settings would be the best way to handle your introverted traits.
What happens when an introvert is overstimulated?
Overstimulation is a state of sensory overload, where a person’s brain can no longer properly process information from the body’s five senses. When such a scenario occurs to introverts, they might have a burning urge to stay alone.
Why does social interaction exhaust me?
If you’re saying to yourself, “Why does talking make me tired?” or “People exhaust me!” or “Why do I feel drained after socializing? You need to understand that these reactions might have something to do with your personality type. According to research, introverts tend to face burnout faster because of their quiet nature.
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CONCLUSION
Did you enjoy this article about facing an introvert hangover? Although not medically proven, most introverts encounter this challenge at one point in time or the other. Knowing how and when to recharge is key to living a happy life as a quiet person. Kindly leave a comment below, or share this article with others if you liked it.
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