{"id":1099,"date":"2022-10-12T11:17:35","date_gmt":"2022-10-12T11:17:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/?p=1099"},"modified":"2022-10-13T11:02:05","modified_gmt":"2022-10-13T11:02:05","slug":"i-dont-like-being-around-people","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/personality\/i-dont-like-being-around-people\/","title":{"rendered":"I Don\u2019t Like Being Around People: 5 Reasons Why You Feel This Way"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>I have never liked being around people since I was a kid. Be it a crowded place or a classroom full of other children, I would feel uneasy and somehow unsafe. Later on, I began to wonder,<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>What\u2019s wrong with me? Why don\u2019t I like being around people? Why can\u2019t I easily get on with others and make friends, just like other kids do?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Only years after that, I stumbled upon the terms \u2018<a href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/personality\/signs-of-an-introvert\/\">introvert<\/a>\u2019 and \u2018socially anxious person\u2019 that explained my uncomfortable experiences.<\/p>\n<p>Even now, as an adult, when my social anxiety is more or less a thing of the past, it\u2019s still true that I don\u2019t like being around people. But at least now I clearly see the reason why.<\/p>\n<p>If you have the same questions popping up in your mind, read on to understand yourself better.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_64 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #222222;color:#222222\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #222222;color:#222222\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/personality\/i-dont-like-being-around-people\/#%E2%80%9CWhy_Dont_I_Like_Being_Around_People%E2%80%9D_5_Reasons\" title=\"\u201cWhy Don\u2019t I Like Being Around People?\u201d 5 Reasons\">\u201cWhy Don\u2019t I Like Being Around People?\u201d 5 Reasons<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/personality\/i-dont-like-being-around-people\/#1_You_are_an_introvert\" title=\"1. You are an introvert\">1. You are an introvert<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/personality\/i-dont-like-being-around-people\/#2_You_have_social_anxiety\" title=\"2. You have social anxiety\">2. You have social anxiety<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/personality\/i-dont-like-being-around-people\/#3_You_are_a_highly_sensitive_person\" title=\"3. You are a highly sensitive person\">3. You are a highly sensitive person<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/personality\/i-dont-like-being-around-people\/#4_You_are_antisocial\" title=\"4. You are antisocial\">4. You are antisocial<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/personality\/i-dont-like-being-around-people\/#5_You_are_in_the_wrong_company\" title=\"5. You are in the wrong company\">5. You are in the wrong company<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/personality\/i-dont-like-being-around-people\/#I_Know_I_Dont_Like_Being_Around_People_and_Its_Fine_If_You_Feel_This_Way_Too\" title=\"I Know I Don\u2019t Like Being Around People, and It\u2019s Fine If You Feel This Way Too\">I Know I Don\u2019t Like Being Around People, and It\u2019s Fine If You Feel This Way Too<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CWhy_Dont_I_Like_Being_Around_People%E2%80%9D_5_Reasons\"><\/span>\u201cWhy Don\u2019t I Like Being Around People?\u201d 5 Reasons<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_You_are_an_introvert\"><\/span>1. You are an introvert<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Contrary to a popular misconception, introverts don\u2019t hate everyone. However, being around people drains them. They have limited energy, which has to do with the way <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3129862\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">their brains are wired<\/a>. Their <a href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/mind\/social-battery-definition-recharge\/\">social batteries<\/a> run dry quickly during socializing or just being around other people.<\/p>\n<p>Being in a crowded place is still energy-consuming, even if you don\u2019t say a word. Since there are so many people around you, loads of external stimuli are bombarding your brain every second. This exhausts your resources, whether you realize it or not.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s the main reason you get so tired at parties and gatherings and long for the moment when you finally get back home and enjoy some quiet.<\/p>\n<p>Ask yourself the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Do you tend to have a good time when a social event starts, but then you begin to feel drained?<\/li>\n<li>Does this moment come sooner when the environment is too loud and there are many random people present?<\/li>\n<li>Do you feel the need to withdraw at some point of a social gathering?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If this is how you feel, then your introversion is the reason you don\u2019t like being around people.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_You_have_social_anxiety\"><\/span>2. You have social anxiety<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/personality\/introversion-vs-social-anxiety\/\">Social anxiety is different from introversion<\/a>, even though the two share some similarities. The discomfort a socially anxious person is experiencing in social situations has to do with fear, not exhaustion.<\/p>\n<p>They may feel unsafe, threatened, or deeply insecure around other people. These feelings can be so overwhelming that just being in a social environment causes them great distress.<\/p>\n<p>Socially anxious individuals don\u2019t just dislike being people\u2013they dread it. Regardless of the actual cause of their social anxiety, it boils down to a single root: the irrational fear of being rejected, ridiculed, or hurt.<\/p>\n<p>Ask yourself the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Do you dread meeting new people?<\/li>\n<li>Do you feel unsafe and uneasy around people, especially strangers?<\/li>\n<li>When being in a social situation, are you constantly afraid of doing or saying something wrong?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Thus, if you don\u2019t like being around people to the point of feeling unsafe and deeply uncomfortable, you might have social anxiety.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_You_are_a_highly_sensitive_person\"><\/span>3. You are a highly sensitive person<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1102\" src=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/loner-alone-solitude.jpg\" alt=\"loner alone solitude\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/loner-alone-solitude.jpg 800w, https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/loner-alone-solitude-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/loner-alone-solitude-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/loner-alone-solitude-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>A highly sensitive person\u2019s experiences are very similar to those of an introvert. After all, high sensitivity tends to be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41599-020-0482-8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">more prevalent<\/a> among introverts.<\/p>\n<p>Exhaustion with too many external stimuli is the main reason a highly sensitive individual doesn\u2019t like being around people. The only difference is that the point of getting tired comes even sooner than for a regular introvert.<\/p>\n<p>This is because an HSP gets drained with all kinds of stimuli, not only social ones. Sounds, scents, bright lights, and bursts of loud laughter are just some examples.<\/p>\n<p>If a regular person\u2019s brain processes just a tiny portion of stimuli coming through their senses, an HSP\u2019s one takes in much more. Basically, their minds are busy with an ongoing work of processing sensory information from the environment.<\/p>\n<p>So, there comes a time when an HSP\u2019s brain can\u2019t take in any more of it.<\/p>\n<p>Ask yourself the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Do you dislike being around many people at once and visiting crowded places?<\/li>\n<li>Do you find intense personalities and loud people particularly draining?<\/li>\n<li>Do you quickly get tired at parties and big social gatherings?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_You_are_antisocial\"><\/span>4. You are antisocial<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>People often place <a href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/personality\/antisocial-vs-introverted-difference\/\">introverts and antisocial<\/a> individuals in the same category. However, there is a huge difference. An antisocial person makes a conscious choice to avoid people because they don\u2019t like them.<\/p>\n<p>There can be many reasons for that. An antisocial individual doesn\u2019t always have some kind of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK546673\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">personality disorder<\/a>, though it\u2019s possible. Neither are they necessarily a misanthrope who hates everyone.<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes it\u2019s just an <a href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/personality\/signs-of-a-loner\/\">unfriendly loner<\/a> who wants to be left alone. That\u2019s certainly me\u2013except for being an introvert, I would call myself a loner, and this is the main reason why I don\u2019t like being around people. I feel like they threaten my peace of mind, so I prefer to keep my distance.<\/p>\n<p>An antisocial person may not find the company of other people exciting enough and worth their time. Maybe they\u2019ve been hurt in the past, so they are cautious about opening their hearts to new people. It could also be that people get on their nerves.<\/p>\n<p>Ask yourself the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Do you easily get annoyed with those around you?<\/li>\n<li>Do you tend to avoid social interaction?<\/li>\n<li>Would you say that you don\u2019t like people in general?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_You_are_in_the_wrong_company\"><\/span>5. You are in the wrong company<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Sometimes the reason you don\u2019t like being around people is hidden in those around you, not yourself. You could be surrounded by the wrong people without even realizing it.<\/p>\n<p>It can easily happen, especially at a younger age, when we try to stick with a social group and be accepted by our peers.<\/p>\n<p>You may hang out with some guys from your school or college, but deep inside, you know you don\u2019t enjoy their company. Something is wrong, but you can\u2019t say what exactly. Maybe it\u2019s someone\u2019s mean jokes, superficial conversations, or a lack of common interests.<\/p>\n<p>So, you keep going to get-togethers and parties just because this is what you are supposed to do. But you know <a href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/communication\/why-do-i-feel-like-i-dont-belong-anywhere\/\">you don\u2019t belong here<\/a>. You don\u2019t fit into this circle.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s when you begin to wonder,<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u2018Why do I feel this way? Why don\u2019t I like being around people?\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The truth is that you don\u2019t like being around <em>these particular people<\/em>. Maybe you should revise your friend circle.<\/p>\n<p>Ask yourself the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Do you maintain some friendships out of social obligation rather than genuine interest?<\/li>\n<li>Do you often feel like you don\u2019t fit with some people in your life?<\/li>\n<li>Does someone in your circle repeatedly make you feel uncomfortable?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"I_Know_I_Dont_Like_Being_Around_People_and_Its_Fine_If_You_Feel_This_Way_Too\"><\/span>I Know I Don\u2019t Like Being Around People, and It\u2019s Fine If You Feel This Way Too<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1101\" src=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/loner-alone.jpg\" alt=\"why don't i like being around people\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/loner-alone.jpg 800w, https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/loner-alone-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/loner-alone-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/loner-alone-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Sometimes your dislike of social interaction is a combination of the above factors.<\/p>\n<p>For me, it\u2019s certainly so. I don\u2019t like being around people for many reasons. But I also know that it\u2019s my conscious choice to avoid regular socializing or <a href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/communication\/i-dont-want-friends\/\">having many friends<\/a>. I just enjoy a quiet, peaceful life in the small circle of my dear ones more than spending time with random people.<\/p>\n<p>If you feel this way too, keep in mind that there is nothing wrong with it. The point is that you don\u2019t feel lonely and isolated. And make sure you surround yourself with the right people. It&#8217;s better to have just one loyal, like-minded friend than waste your time on people you have nothing in common with.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>P.S. If you relate to the experiences described in this article, I recommend getting <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Power-Misfits-Find-Place-World-ebook\/dp\/B08LTNJVTZ\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">a copy of my book<\/a> where I give a deep analysis of the reasons behind social avoidance, along with a number of practical solutions for those who feel like they don&#8217;t fit in.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I have never liked being around people since I was a kid. Be it a crowded place or a classroom full of other children, I would feel uneasy and somehow unsafe. Later on, I began to wonder, What\u2019s wrong with me? Why don\u2019t I like being around people? Why can\u2019t I easily get on with &#8230; <a title=\"I Don\u2019t Like Being Around People: 5 Reasons Why You Feel This Way\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/personality\/i-dont-like-being-around-people\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about I Don\u2019t Like Being Around People: 5 Reasons Why You Feel This Way\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1100,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1099"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1099"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1099\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1106,"href":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1099\/revisions\/1106"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1100"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1099"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1099"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1099"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}