> my experience has been that the time I most need other people and social situations is exactly when I least feel like I want that. I'm conflicted. I think I

> my experience has been that the time I most need other people and social situations is exactly when I least feel like I want that. I'm conflicted. I think I get what you're saying, but it doesn't seem to be an argument against bulatb's point, in that both can be true. It's conceivable for me to want to feel like you don't want social interactions and pursue non-directly-social endeavors (think building something, learning an instrument, whatever) without actually being in need of social interaction. I think the point isn't that you should self-regulate 24x7, forever, but to do the social thing on your own terms, not on other people's schedule. Maybe it's a question of quantity. If you only ever do things alone at home and never go out in society, then perhaps there is an issue. It reminds me of alcoholism: wanting to have a drink and saying you're not an alcoholic doesn't mean you're one. It's a question of degree.