Every person needs different things to feel well.
For some, social connection is energising.
For others, too much interaction can be exhausting.
And what we sometimes interpret as “something’s wrong with me” is, in fact, simply not listening to our true needs.
Introversion and self-demand: a common combination
Some people gain energy through social contact.
Others feel drained after socialising.
Neither way is better or worse —they’re just different ways of functioning.
However, if you don’t truly know yourself, you may push yourself to be someone you’re not.
Try to give more than you can hold.
And end up paying the price in emotional fatigue, frustration or even physical symptoms.
Respecting your way of being in the world
A family meal, a celebration, a gathering with friends… can be enjoyable and yet draining for an introverted person.
Not because there’s no love, but because their way of nourishing themselves is different.
If that’s you, you’re not alone.
And there’s nothing wrong with you.
What happens in a relationship when we’re different?
When an extrovert lives with an introvert, conflict may feel inevitable.
Their ways of recharging clash, and both may end up feeling misunderstood.
But not all is lost.
Sometimes the solution isn’t for one to always give in or for the other to always lead.
It lies in what we might call “the healthiest third space”:
A new space where both needs are welcome.
Where there’s no single truth, but a shared creation.
Listening to find balance
Respecting yourself means learning to give voice to all the parts of you:
- the one that wants to please
- the one that needs to rest
- the one that wants to share
- the one that needs silence
In Gestalt therapy, we work with these parts so you can recognise them and learn to live from a more balanced, gentle and authentic place.
Maybe feeling better isn’t about doing more —it’s about listening more
Learning to feel better doesn’t always require major change.
Sometimes it begins with accepting who you are and giving yourself permission to care for yourself in a more honest way.
