Hi October, I’ve been web-searching for some basic info, and was reading up on extrovert fears, phobias and panics last night. Fascinating stuff. It made such a difference to me discovering that I wasn’t an extrovert (I had thought I was). I don’t know if any of this will help. Some quotes I’ve pulled from the websites mentioned. Let me know what
you think. All of this below is based on Dorothy Rowe’s work which is grounded in the I / E distinction. She’s an introvert, so I like her stuff. I’m not sure extroverts do like her stuff though…!
http://tinyurl.com/5c7q7 (excerpt below)
"We often reveal our top priority and our greatest fear in the things we say. I would have assumed that the television presenter Graham Norton was an extrovert, but he proved this when he was interviewed on Desert Island Discs. When Sue Lawley asked him what luxury he wanted on his island he asked for a mirror, saying: “It would be quite good, to save your sanity, if you could see that you exist, rather than just be kind of lost in the trees.” Here Graham Norton is talking about what all extroverts feel when they find themselves utterly alone, rejected and abandoned. They feel they are going to disappear. They’ll look in the mirror and see no one there.
It is tremendously important to know whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert so that you can recognise what kind of event is the most threatening to you. When I lecture about introverts and extroverts I always find that the introverts in the audience feel that I’m not telling them anything they didn’t already know about themselves. Many of the extroverts know that that’s what they are, but when someone says to me, “I don’t know what I am” or “I think I’m a bit of both,” I feel pretty sure that that person is an extrovert. It’s to be expected. Extroverts are engaged with the world around them while introverts look inwards to plan, organise and keep things under control."
http://www.energygrid.com/mind/books.htmlThe Successful Self / Dorothy Rowe
"How we define and experience success depends on whether we are an extravert or an introvert. Whilst this theme of "two-types" runs through most of Rowe's books, it is most elucidated in this one. The result might be a little surprising… those who have automatically assumed they were introverts might actually be shy extraverts, and those who are extravert, might well be social introverts. These points are very important if you are to understand the mechanism by which you approach life and by which you define your success. Great book."
http://www.positivehealth.com/Reviews/books/rowe52.htm"An extract from Breaking the Bonds (see page 26) describes poignant images of what it feels like to be depressed: to be trapped in a prison of our own making, utterly cut off from everybody else, yet somehow safe. Dorothy Rowe argues convincingly that we become depressed because of our life events, our reactions to these events and our inability to realize that many of our fundamental beliefs about life, our parents, God and ourselves are in grave need of updating and correction."
From an Amazon reviewer :
"she divides human beings into two distinct psychological types, introvert and extravert, whose relationships may be complementary or antagonistic. These two types can be further sub-divided; I was fascinated to discover the "socially-skilled introvert" and the "shy extravert", each of whom may live life believing themselves their own opposite!"
And from a book I’ve got ‘Beyond Fear’:
“Extraverts think introverts are crazy
, always wanting to know why, and coming up with all kinds of ludicrous explanations which change nothing.
Extraverts prefer to get on and
do something without waiting for an explanation. So long as they get their feelings right – plenty of excitement, and enthusiasm, warmth and closeness – they feel fine. Introverts like to keep their heads in order; extraverts their hearts.”
