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You know how some people get really energized by spending time with other people and talking and discussing just about anything?
Well, there is a whole other group of folks out there who are the EXACT OPPOSITE. Being around a lot of people drains them and makes them feel totally exhausted.
I like to think I’m somewhere in the middle, but the older I get, the more I think I’m leaning towards the second option from above…
AskReddit users opened up about why they enjoy spending time by themselves.
1. Don’t tone it down.
“I’m a bit of a weirdo and I like being alone because I don’t have to explain why I said something or did something.
I feel like when I’m around people that I have to significantly “tone down” my personality, which can get pretty exhausting.”
2. A deep thinker.
“I like to be alone with my thoughts.
I am a deep thinker and like to have time to figure things out on my own.”
3. Not good for the ears.
“I have really sensitive hearing. I wear earplugs but it is only a dampener.
I have noise cancelling headphones but it is only a dampener.
And people are loud.”
4. No explanations needed.
“I am my own best friend.
I don’t have to explain or justify myself to anyone else. I can do what I like, with whom I like. If I want to play on my PS4 for 20 hrs there is no one telling me to stop.
Having been married then divorced for nearly 40+years being on my own is a blast. I also just love being at home. I don’t miss working, as that was very stressful being around people and all that entails.
Now I can invite people into my space when I want to. Being retired is the most awesome thing.”
5. Exhausting.
“People are nice until they become exhausting.
I don’t want to be rude but i have learned over the years that when i am done socialising i am done socialising and there is really no point in me continuing to socialise if i cant draw no enjoyment out of it.
I wont be no fun to be around any longer anyway.”
6. Give me solitude.
“At first it was quite uncomfortable, but over time it became tolerable, and eventually preferable, for me.
It’s as if the longer I’m in solitude, the more of it I want.”
7. Sorting it out.
“Because I have to sort my feelings and thoughts out which is crucial to me.
In order for me to live with people, I first must have a control over my own thoughts and emotions and be in tune with myself.
Just like there is a world outside, there is one inside of us, experienced through blissful loneliness.”
8. An emotional person.
“I like to be alone because I can’t control my emotions, so if I shut people out, no one can get mad at me.
It’s a win win situation and also social anxiety is a big issue.”
9. As I see fit.
“I enjoy the quietness and the ability to plan my whole day as I see fit.
However, after a few weeks it gets old. I’m married with kids, but travel a lot for work. I’ve been on the road for over a month.
I miss my wife and kids running around. We are all introverts, so we plan our day and do our thing together, sometimes just me and the kids.
It’s perfect.”
10. Not a people person.
“Because I really don’t like people.
Have you ever really sat and listened to people? Some complain about everything, others brag about how great they are.
It’s just annoying as hell.”
11. A safe feeling.
“For a lot of us who grew up in abuse, alone is the only time you’re really “safe,” and that association sticks even after you leave the abuse behind.”
12. Too bad.
“One reason is that I’m lazy as hell. Another is because my old friends are irreplaceable.
Obviously I’m not going to find any exactly like them, and also there are plenty of good people around to befriend. But growing up with a group of friends from what seems like diapers to High School, you just can’t compare.
Moving away from my childhood town was difficult, especially because I wasn’t planning to and it was sudden. Two years later? We’ve all already drifted apart like most HighSchool friends do.
And it just sucks knowing we’ll all never be around each other again.”
13. It’s complicated.
“I am an extroverted introvert. I care about people. I have good social skills. People exhaust me, and social settings are terrifying/manageable/exhausting.
I want to live alone in an empty desert, and be visited weekly by a loving old friend, attend dinner parties with interesting people every other month, and host a raging bash quarterly.
That would do nicely…”
14. The way it is.
“Mainly because I’m heavily introverted and have a fair bit of social anxiety, grew around people constantly judging me and basically grew sick of it
But I like the freedom of just being able to do anything I want and be myself, being around other people for long periods of time, even just talking, is really mentally exhausting for me.”
15. It’s all I know…
“Because that’s all I’ve ever really known.
My mother was a caregiver for my father when he was in hospice for two years so when she wasn’t working full time, she was at his side keeping him company and making sure he was well-cared for and not being abused.
When he was going through multiple surgeries before ending up there, I was at the hospitals a lot as a kid and did spend some time at the hospice, usually alone in the lobby reading or drawing.
Eventually, I begged my mom to just let me be alone. The hospice scared me. It smelled like death and the old folks really made me uneasy. She started either leaving me home alone or dropping me off at the library for the entire day on the weekends starting at the age of 9.
So I just got used to being alone. Once my father passed a year later, she allowed me to spend my summers home alone while she worked and I just got very comfortable with isolation and mostly silence.”
16. Inside my mind.
“Because my world is far more interesting than the one I am forced to inhabit.
It only exists inside my mind, but so do the majority of ideals which structure up our world. They only exist because people demand they do.
In less than 100 years I will be a footnote in history, I’d rather spend that time doing things I enjoy than sacrificing my happiness on the altar of cultural demands for sociability and niceties.”
17. All by myself.
“Because I can completely be myself, and a lack of people make my senses less likely to overload. Also not being around people all the time helps you stay healthy and not catch all kinds of contagious illness.
My father used to get sick quite often but ever since he’s retired he hasn’t been around many people and their germs so now he hardly ever gets sick.
I can do things at my own personal pace. No one is going to complain if supper is an hour later than it usually is. It will still be delicious. No one is going to criticize my taste in music, TV shows or movies.
Or make fun of me for collecting dolls and stuffed animals. And when I’m working on a craft or hobby, I don’t have to worried about being too focused to pay attention to others, or have them interrupt me.
Interruptions are the worst!”
How about you?
Why do you like spending time alone?
Please share your thoughts with us in the comments!
