No it's not a mental disorder.
Introversion simply means I recharge by spending time alone,
As opposed to extroverts who recharge
By spending time in the company of people.
If I spend too much time hanging out with people,
My battery loses its charge and I cease to function.
I get irritable, I snap, I growl, I bite,
And if contact persists, I fall into a mental coma.
My dear extroverted friend April can tell you the stories...
One moment standing in the sunshine, and the next,
Caught in torrents of rain and icy
Conditions, skidding along slippery roads into ditches.
We would begin the weekend on equal footing.
The going would be good and all the activity and
Interaction would power her up, so she could keep on going and going.
Me the other hand, unaware I was heading to empty,
Would try to keep pace, but sooner or sooner, I would fall behind.
Not realizing I needed to slow down and find a quiet corner to
Recharge, I would press on into an array of community affairs,
Pushing the petal to the metal,
Until inevitably I would come sputtering to a stop.
From April's viewpoint,
It must have looked like someone had flipped my switch off - one
Minute talking and laughing, and the next, withdrawn and sullen.
Thankfully now I know better.
We all need time alone, but we introverts need a bit more.
So now I pace myself,
I respect my boundaries and recognize when I am
Fading, so I can give myself the time I need to recharge.