, and learned that I probably am an ambivert - which means I have both introvertish (is so a word) and extrovertish tendencies.I think this tends to be situationally dependent, but it most definitely also is mood dependent...and sometimes unpredictable - even to myself.
True, there are times when I am among the loudest at the party...and other times when I'd rather skip it altogether, preferring the company of a dependably silent and non-demanding book.As with most personality extremes, the best way to cope and/or succeed is to know thyself. In modern therapy vernacular, this also is called a "Sensory Diet" (which can be confusing because it has nothing to do with food). We implement a sensory diet to help our children learn self-regulation and channel their sensory cravings and defenses safely and "appropriately."
Instinctively, we all do this to a degree. Aren't you fulfilling your own personal sensory needs each time you use light dimmers, volume controls, a certain pillow type or coffee? Think about how you feel when you can't alter the level of light, sound, or caffeine you seek? I relate my daughter's sensory experience to that ... to the zillionth power.
Now, what happens when our sensory needs are in direct conflict? I suppose I sacrificed my right to control my own sensory environment when I had children, but still sometimes I just need some quiet, you know?
My daughter is largely nonverbal (or a new term I recently heard: non-speaking) but superbly communicative. This is a wonderful blessing...albeit an exhausting one. Let me tell you something about nonverbal. It has absolutely no correlation with quiet. Nada!
