I was just at Startup Weekend St. Louis and basically did a few of what he mentioned. We were in a room full of 100 people and I nearly shat myself when I went

I was just at Startup Weekend St. Louis and basically did a few of what he mentioned. We were in a room full of 100 people and I nearly shat myself when I went in. That's too many people for me to interact with. (click my username and go to my about page on my blog if you're interested in the journey of an extreme recluse) What made the meetup work for me was avoiding talking to people unless we were in a hallway or in a room away from the noise. I don't think it's necessarily just "large groups of people" that annoy introverts. It's the noise and the energy. It's too distracting. When I'm in an area I soak up all the noises and colors, I walk around and explore and think about things. Every little object and sound in the room stimulates my brain. It makes me think of new ideas and new possibilities relating to the space. It's why I love being alone, I can enjoy the space much better because I can listen to it, and at the same time still think to myself. But when there's lots of people in a bar, or at a beach, or a park, I find the people and the noises and colors distracting. I can't hear myself think. They interrupt my thoughts and that just pisses me off. I can't express myself because my mind is preoccupied listening to them. It's like trying to pass your drivers test in a war zone vs an abandoned part of town.