People Who Feel Seriously Drained After Socializing Usually Have These 11 Rare Traits
If socializing drains you, you probably possess these unique traits.
mehmetcan / Shutterstock People who feel seriously drained after socializing are typically introverted individuals with unique traits that set them apart from others. These qualities help them connect more deeply with others and their surroundings, but can occasionally become overstimulating and emotionally overwhelming.
When these traits start taking a toll on the individual, they will choose to recharge in solitude, finding the motivation they need to charge their social battery within their inner world. They require social interactions just like anyone else, but they have to be willing to set aside time to recharge after those interactions have socially drained them.
People who feel seriously drained after socializing usually have these 11 rare traits
1. A need for deep connections
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It may not be the amount of social interactions they have been involved in that are draining them, but rather the lack of any quality interactions. A person whose social battery drains quickly in social situations often needs deep connections.
When they are surrounded constantly by surface-level relationships, it becomes exhausting for them. These people likely have limited amounts of social energy, so instead of giving this energy to meaningless conversations and building dead-end relationships, if they focus on devoting it to quality relationships, they may find that their social battery lasts longer.
2. Emotional and physical empathy
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Individuals who feel drained after socializing are usually emotionally and physically empathetic. Their ability to understand and care about others’ emotions can be draining, leaving them feeling a need to recharge socially.
“Empath burnout is a profound emotional and physical exhaustion that comes from constantly feeling and absorbing the emotions of others. It can make you feel drained, bring a reduced capacity to empathize, and cause symptoms similar to compassion fatigue, such as irritability, sadness, detachment, and a lack of enjoyment in activities once found pleasurable,” according to Calm, a platform dedicated to improving the mental health and wellness of individuals. Feeling this burnout can leave a person needing to retreat and isolate for a while to build their emotional stamina back up.
3. High sensitivity to stimulation
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An individual with high sensitivity to stimulation will experience social gatherings differently from most people. They notice even the smallest of details, and they take in more information about their interactions and environment than most would. This can leave them feeling socially drained and in need of time alone.
While some highly sensitive people also experience being an introvert, the reasoning behind a highly sensitive person and an introvert needing to recharge may differ.
“For introverts, downtime is particularly important because they find social interaction — like attending a party or making small talk with coworkers — to be draining. Sensitive people, on the other hand, need downtime to recover from the intense emotional and sensory experiences that they encounter throughout the day,” mentions Jenn Granneman, the author of “The Secret Lives of Introverts.”
4. Self-discipline
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When a person feels seriously drained after being social, they may find themselves developing more willpower and self-discipline. In order to fully recharge and motivate themselves internally, they have to rely on self-discipline.
Introverts who also experience social drain rely heavily on self-discipline to recharge. Meg Selig, the author of “Changepower! 37 Secrets to Habit Change Success," explains that, “Introverts are people who are energized by their inner world of ideas and impressions. They've learned to tune in to their own minds.”
While not everyone who gets socially drained is an introvert, many are, and they share the same inner world to help them socially recharge, which allows them to develop a similar and high level of self-discipline as they learn to motivate themselves from the inside out.
5. Powerful intuition
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A person who has powerful intuition is likely to be easily drained from socializing. These kinds of people are very observant and they pay attention to every little detail of a social situation, which can be tiring after a while.
Their ability to pick up on things without needing any conscious reasoning can get overwhelming when so much is taking place at a social gathering. If they are also able to sense the emotions of others, taking on that much empathy can quickly become draining. Being this in tune with their own and others' emotions requires them to set boundaries and understand when recharging is necessary.
6. Exceptional observational skills
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People who feel very drained after socializing are likely to have exceptional observational skills. By being so observant during social interactions and paying attention to even the smallest of details, these individuals quickly get drained.
They need quiet time to be alone, without having to worry about their brain constantly going and trying to absorb more and more information that they naturally just pick up. When they are in solitude, it gives their brain a break from deep analysis, and they are able to truly relax and recharge.
7. Deep processing skills
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Individuals who get seriously drained in social situations typically have excellent deep-processing skills. It happens naturally, and it causes them to focus intently on everything happening in a social space. Most of these individuals are also introverts, which makes them need time after being in a social setting to recharge.
“When an introvert enters a crowded room, their brain becomes highly active, processing countless social cues, conversations, and environmental details all at once. This neurological “busyness” explains why social situations can feel draining for introverts — their brains are literally working harder to process everything,” according to Kaiyros, a nonprofit organization that uses unique techniques to reduce mental health stigma.
8. A rich inner life
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Those who are drained by social settings are typically introverted individuals who possess brains that get the majority of their energy from within. This causes them to have a rich inner life.
The alone time that these individuals spend with themselves allows them to recharge their social batteries by reflecting on the social experiences they have had and giving themselves enough time to process these experiences along with their emotions. This is something they struggle with in social environments because they tend to be overstimulated around others.
9. Creative
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Someone who feels drained after social outings is likely an introverted or highly sensitive person. These people will typically be very creative, and their alone time offers them the opportunity to develop their own unique ideas.
According to a 2017 study published by ScienceDirect, in times of solitude where there is little possibility for anxiety or overstimulation to occur, creative thinking is able to occur. So individuals who prioritize alone time to recharge also have a better chance of tapping into their creative minds.
10. Self-awareness
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Those who get socially drained often have a high level of self-awareness. They have a mind that is actively aware of social cues and their own emotional state at all times.
Since they are used to feeling socially drained, they have learned that to manage their feelings, they need to be self-aware. It takes self-awareness for them to set boundaries and to know when it is time for them to get themselves away from social gatherings and to spend some time in solitude to recharge.
11. A calming presence
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The patient, empathetic, and observant nature of individuals who typically get drained from social interactions makes them a calming presence to be around. While their surroundings may be chaotic, they stay calm and quiet, just paying close attention to what is happening around them.
They usually are not outwardly expressive, and for the most part, they keep to themselves. While someone who feels drained from socializing may not experience having all of these rare traits, there may be some that they feel explain exactly who they are.
Kamryn Idol is a writer with a bachelor's degree in media and journalism who covers lifestyle, relationship, family, and wellness topics.
