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If you don't like being around people, here's why.
By Emily Ratay — Written on May 03, 2019
Do you prefer being in your own company and avoiding time with friends?
There are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to antisocial behavior that I think is important to clear up.
A lot of people – especially the kind of people who are considered the most extroverted zodiac signs – tend to think that anyone who is introverted is actually antisocial.
Being introverted and reserved might seem like they are similar, but they're not actually the same thing. Introverted people are energized by alone time. While they might enjoy being around people, after a while, their social batteries might deplete.
Once that happens, they need their alone time to recharge their batteries and feel like themselves again. Similarly, extroverted people like to recharge their batteries by being around their friends and family. They might enjoy alone time every so often, but they feel most like themselves when they're around others.
Withdrawn people prefer not to be around anyone at all, regardless of whether they become energized by being alone or being around people. In other words, unfriendly people just don't care to interact with most anyone, let alone friends and family.
As for introverted people, they're not so much unwilling to mix with other people as they are selectively social. We tend to confuse the two words often, but it is worth pointing out that there is a difference. So, while this list is all about antisocial people, we can really just say that they're more introverted than other personality types.
As an introvert, I place a lot of value on alone time. Even though I have my own office and a lot of the work that I do can be done on my own (as opposed to part of a group), I still need adequate time to unwind and recharge my batteries after interacting with people all day.
However, there are still times when just being alone isn't enough. Even though I am technically alone, I am still connected to others through texting and social media, which means I'm still talking to others during my free time.
The times I feel most reclusive are the times I feel like all of my energy is being taken up by those who need or want something from me. There are times that, when I have a few moments alone, I feel like I am looking something up for my sister, helping my mom find a recipe for dinner, or trying to walk my friend through buying a yoga class pass so we can work out together.
We so often forget that being plugged into social media and our phones means we're never really alone because we're still active online. After so many days of always being available to people, that's when I feel most like avoid company.
All I want to do is shut my phone off, pull the shades, and truly be alone without feeling the need to socialize. For some signs, that call to be alone is strong. They tend to be more introverted, so when their social batteries completely run out, it's easy for them to want to completely stop socializing until they feel like themselves again.
As an loner myself, I can totally relate... and I'm sure these astrology signs can relate, too.
VIRGO (August 23 - September 22)
Virgo is a very introspective zodiac sign, which means that he spends a lot of time looking within himself, examining his emotions and thoughts. In other words, all of the important stuff that he goes through happens inside himself. It’s not often that you’ll find a Virgo working through a problem or feeling his feelings in a vocal and external way.
Virgo is withdrawn because he tends to internalize his thoughts and feelings. This doesn’t mean he doesn’t have anyone in his life to offer advice or talk to, but as an introvert who prefers to work things out on his own, Virgo is often labeled as unfriendly.
SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21)
Scorpio can be very social when he’s around his inner circle, but put him into the middle of a crowded room or chaotic situation where he doesn’t know anyone, and he’ll shut down fast. In his everyday life, Scorpio is a quiet, thoughtful zodiac sign who doesn’t like expressing his true self unless he knows he is around people he can trust.
The reason Scorpio gets pinned as antisocial is because he likes being on his own more than he likes being around people. In fact, he finds strength through being alone. He might not be as social as you, but it’s better to let Scorpio come out of his shell on his own time instead of forcing him to be someone he’s not.
CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 19)
The typical Capricorn is someone who is so used to putting his head down and focusing on his work that he’s often labeled as antisocial. Even when he’s lively and animated around his friends (on his days off, of course), his “default” personality is one that is very reserved and quiet.
Capricorn is very focused on himself and his work. He finds it energizing and restorative to roll up his sleeves and dive into a project, which means he often isolates himself in the name of his work. Common themes throughout Capricorn’s life are solitude, aloofness, and sometimes even loneliness. Mix those all together and you get an antisocial zodiac sign.
AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18)
Aquarius is another zodiac sign who often experiences themes of solitude and aloofness in his life. Whether he is aloof and cold on purpose or simply because it feels natural to him, pushing people away is the main reason he’s known for keeping to himself. Of course, put Aquarius in a familiar situation and he’ll open up, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be social and antisocial.
Aquarius is a very individualistic, which means that he is most himself when he’s on his own. He doesn’t choose to be alone because he doesn’t like people, he just really enjoys his alone time. He works best and gets the most done when he’s free of distractions, opinions, and unnecessary stress from other people. In short, alone time makes Aquarius, Aquarius.
PISCES (February 19 - March 20)
Pisces can only spend so much time around people, close friends and family included, before he needs to take a break and recharge his social batteries. Given the choice, he’d probably choose the quiet sanctuary he’s created for himself at home over socializing, which is why he’s one of more evasive zodiac signs.
Pisces tends to get overwhelmed pretty quickly, and when he’s in an unfamiliar situation, his social batteries tend to deplete twice as fast. Not only does he need frequent breaks between socializing, but he also needs an escape when there’s too much going on. Tranquil, hushed settings are very important to Pisces.
Emily Ratay is a full-time writer living in Pittsburgh. She's passionate about the environment and feminism, and knows that anything is possible in the right pair of shoes. She plans on writing a non-fiction book in the future.