Health Corner H


ave you ever wondered why some people you know pre- fer to stay at home and watch TV or read a book rather than have a night out at a club, or


why they feel drained aſter large outdoor activities and are sometimes inept at small talk? Do you find it awkward that they always feel the need to spend time alone and prefer to cling to the sidelines rather than be the centre of attention? Shola Okubote takes a look at introver- sion as a commonly misunderstood per- sonality.


An introverted personality is sur- rounded by a mystery that many people find hard to understand, and despite the fact that introverts are rarely the bubbly type, their reserved personality makes them stand out in the crowd. Tis renders them highly susceptible to being perceived as anti-social, aloof and snob- bish, which may suggest that they have a second-rate personality.


However, contrary to what most peo- ple think, introversion is not a personal- ity disorder or a sociopathic behaviour, neither is it an uncommon personality


Are you an introvert? So what!


Mind, Body & Soul


type. Although some people have argued that only a quarter of the world’s popu- lation is introvertish, well-known psy- chologist Laurie Helgoe, says: “Tere is no precise dividing line, there are plenty of introverts around. It’s just that percep- tual biases lead us all to overestimate the number of extroverts among us.’’


Introverts spend more time think- ing and figuring out their environment and other people than they do talking,


82 | NEW AFRICAN WOMAN | WINTER 2011


Introverts and extroverts may be wired differently, but both are perfectly normal personality types


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